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THE DIGITAL SOAPBOX OF ANDY CLEAVENGER

105mm AF D MICRO

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Email:  graycard18@gmail.com

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This is the lens that preceded the current 105mm VR. The VR version is a lens I will probably never buy simply because it is a G lens and I want to be able to use this on my FM3A and F2.

The addition of VR to the current version of this lens seems like a strange decision to me. Nikon openly admits that the VR is really only effective at normal focusing distances, not when using it for macro photography (where it would be the most help). So what’s the point?

Additionally, I’ve heard that the optical performance of the present version is actually not quite as good as this version. So my decision is pretty easy. When it comes time to get one of these for myself (this is the one I use at work), I’ll be buying used.

In terms of how this lens handles, I like it a lot. It works great at standard focusing distances as a simple light weight tele lens and its performance with macro work kicks ass. I like using this lens for shooting small reflective objects like electronics because it allows me to fill the frame with the object in question but still leave enough space in between the camera and the object to light it.

If you were to try and fill the frame with the 60mm micro you could easily do it, but you’ll have to position the camera nearly on top of the object, which leaves you few options for lighting it. For that reason, I usually use the 60mm for available light macro.

One thing worth noting about this lens is that the extremely wide focus range can sometimes get you in trouble when using auto focus. If the lens decides it has to hunt for focus it will scan its entire focus range until it decides it has found focus. This is typical of any tele lens. The thing that makes that tendency a bigger pain in the ass with this lens is that this one has to run the entire gamut between 12 inches and infinity before it will figure out where to land. The 60mm does this as well, but to a lesser degree.

I deal with the issue (on both the 105mm and the 60mm) by keeping the focus range switched to “limit” (notice the left side of the barrel in the photo above) when I’m using the lens at normal focusing distances. This essentially keeps the auto focus from hunting for focus all the way down to its minimum focusing distance.

To do macro work, you will have to switch the lens back to “full”. And I recommend turning auto focus off at that point. Auto focus won’t do you any favors when shooting macro.