Macro photography - part 2: Macro with a macro lens

Leaf cutter ants photographed with a Nikon Zfc Camera and Nikkor Z 105 macro lens

A macro lens offers a close up view of the very small world that is an everyday occurrence beneath our feet.  The great thing about macro lenses is that they allow focusing from infinity all the way down to the macro level, which usually is defined as a 1:1 reproduction ratio.  We'll talk about that another time.

Although there are many ways to get close to your subject, the macro lens offers numerous advantages over many of them.  As already mentioned, a macro lens will allow continuous focusing from infinity down to very close.  A second feature is that they are usually prime lenses with excellent sharpness through the entire range of focus and could very well be the sharpest lens in your arsenal.  

The focal length and minimum apertures are not values that would excite many users.  Usually the minimum f/value is f/2.8 - not very low when it is easy to find lenses in the f/2 down to f/1.4 value without breaking the bank.  Focal lengths often start at 40 mm and go up to 200 mm, but the most popular focal lengths are between 90 to 105 mm.  They can be used for portraits and, to a small extent, landscapes, but where they really shine is in focusing close to the subject.

Although new lenses are often desirable, a good used macro lens will likely be all that you need.  I use my macro lenses on manual focus and without any vibration mitigation.  I have had good success with macro lenses from the 80's up to a modern macro for my Z series Nikon cameras (see above photo).  The image below was taken with a D70 and a Nikon 105 mm AF lens in 2008.  The slow focusing of the lens was never an issue as I always shoot in manual focus mode.

Solifugid (sun spider) photographed in California, 2008, with a Nikon D70 and 105 mm macro AF lens.

A common solution people look for is a zoom lens with a "macro" function.  These typically offer a limited macro ability but rarely produce reproduction ratios beyond 1:4.  Zoom lenses as such rarely compete with the sharpness offered by a prime macro lens and certainly do not offer the same degree of magnification.  If you find such a lens adequate for your macro needs, you may not want to consider purchasing a true macro lens.  However, if you find that it often under performs, getting a good quality macro lens will improve your capabilities considerably.

There are many good macros out there; you will certainly find that OEM lenses by manufacturers such as Nikon, Canon, and Sony are very good, but there are numerous third party lens makers that are equally good.  The most notable among them is Tamron's 90 mm macro.  Sigma has also been making excellent macros.  These lenses cost less than the OEM lenses and often perform at similar levels.

If you love getting close to your subject, a macro lens is an excellent investment.  If you can't afford new, consider a good used lens or a non-OEM lens.  Chances are, you will not be disappointed.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com