Nikkon Macro Lens

[JHZR2]

Hi,

Can anyone reccomend a good nikkon macro lens for taking close up pictures of items from, say the size of a candy bar down to a bulk of particles of 250-500 microns (1/2 mm) with the ability to see grain and detail?

I need to take pictures of some stuf that Im working on in my lab. next FY, we will be buying a nikkon microscope and digital SLR body mount, and right now I have a digital nikkon slr, so I could get the lens and start taking pictures for reports and stuff right away.

I need to take pictures of small lab scale reactors, sorbent preparation, batches of fuel, etc. This is why I need to be able to see grain of a bulk material at 250-500 microns.

I dont know enough about lenses to know what macro lens would be good... thus my curiosity.

Any reccomendations? What else do I need to know to make an educated purchase?

Thanks!

JMH

 

[jsharp]

Nikon makes 3 focal length macro lenses and the 105mm is also available with vibration reduction -

http://www.nikonusa.com/template.php?cat=1&grp=5

All of them are good lenses and will give 1:1 magnification ratio without a bellows or extension tubes. Any would work great for your candy bar example. The differences in focal length will show up as differences in working distance but the quality is on par with any of them. People tend to pick them based on price and other possible uses they might have for a given focal length, plus the working distance issue.

I doubt there's much resolution difference between any of them and any should have no difficulty resolving the features you mentioned. The 60mm is a real $$ deal IMO. Around $350 right now for a really nice lens and given the crop factor on a digital slr it would be pretty useful for a number other things. I just wouldn't want to shoot large poisonous spiders with it.

As far as aftermarket branded lenses, I don't really know since I avoid them. The Nikon stuff is great quality and has a great warranty. The cost savings for a Brand X lens just isn't enough to make it worth it to me...

 

[mechtech]

You can also get an adapter that will allow you to mount your 50mm or so lens in reverse.
This used to be a rather common accessory, and allows you to use one of your sharpest and fastest lenses for macro work.
It save a lot of dough, too. You have to manually stop the lens down, and focus it, though. Put it at f5.6 or preferrably a smaller aperture for maximum sharpness and depth of field. You want a lot of depth of field for extreme close ups - you can't ever get enough unless the subject is very flat.

 

[moribundman]

One thing to consider is the appropriate focal lenght when choosing the lens. A longer focal lenght will allow you to remain farther from your subject, which may make lighting your subject considerably easier. If you are really close to your subject, even a lens-mounted ring strobe may not be able to provide decent lighting.

 

[1sttruck]

National Geographic used the Nikkor 55mm f2.8 as an enlarging lens for awhile as the resolution is so good. I have one and it's very sharp, used it at work for doing close up shots, I also use it as a slowish normal lens, and the only real drawback is the shorter working distance compared to the longer lenses. One of the few Nikkors that is actually a flat field lenses up close is, believe it or not, the Nikkor 85 f1.4. Work had one that I could borrow once in awhile, and closed down a bit it's also very sharp. You need to use it with extension tubes as it's not a macro lens. The Nikkor 105 f2.8 is perhaps the most popular macro lens, with good working distance, but the Nikon rep recommended the other two for people at work doing close up flat field work.

I have all manual gear, so you'll need a current site for AF lenses.