Your fav macro lens(es) for D300s?

[Doc Harry]

I've got a Nikon D300s in a Nauticam housing with a Nikon AF-S Micro-NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G ED lens/Nauticam macro port.

The 60mm doesn't give me degree of macro that I desire, so I'm looking at another lens like the 105mm. How about some zoom lenses, like:

-Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED
-Nikon AF-S DX VR Zoom-NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED

Your experiences? Recommendations?

Here is a highly cropped photo using my 60mm lens, this is what I'd like to get without cropping:

 

[Thiad]

I don't use my D300 u/w, so all my experience with the 105mm is topside. It's spectacular for macro, and it's also my favorite portrait lens. The depth of field is quite impressive. It's a lens I would definitely recommend. Only complaint? It's heavy! The 200mm is quite nice, too, but I've only had it a short time and haven't done much shooting to fully compare it to the 105mm.

 

[bmchugh]

I like the 60mm with a 1.4x teleconverter. It gives you enough working room to light the subject. Works really well for nudibranchs and smaller fish portraits.

All photos taken with the 60 mm Nikon AF with Kenko 1.4x teleconverter.

Brian

 

[tflaris]

105 macro.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

I've got a Nikon D300s in a Nauticam housing with a Nikon AF-S Micro-NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G ED lens/Nauticam macro port.

The 60mm doesn't give me degree of macro that I desire, so I'm looking at another lens like the 105mm. How about some zoom lenses, like:

-Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED
-Nikon AF-S DX VR Zoom-NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED

Your experiences? Recommendations?

The zoom lenses won't be as good. The 60 mm and 105 mm both go to 1:1 on a full frame sensor.
To get more magnification, you need extension tubes between the lens and body, or a diopter between
on subject end of the lens, or good teleconverter.

 

[Viz'art]

Longer lens will give you longer working distance, but not bigger subject, but with a 105mm you can adapt a wet diopter sush as the Subsee or the Macromate and gain substantially in magnification, the advanage here is in the working distance, with a 60mm you would be so much on top of the subject its neither practical for lighting or healthy for the subject, the 105mm will give more room to move.

BMCHUG as a very good gig going, the 60mm with a 1.4x TC can be your answer, it give a bigger magnification at the same working distance, is economical (you still will need to add extension between your housing and the port to accomodate it).

 

[Korsu]

I use both and they each have their place. The Dx sensor gives you the 1.5 crop factor. So your 60mm is a 90mm and the 105mm a 150.
In bad vis. the 60mm is great because you are shooting through less water column. Add the 1.4 TC and you have a 140mm. Add a +5 diopter (screw on the lens filter) and you have super macro.
The advantage of the 105mm is that you don't have to get as close to shy creatures. You can add the 1.4 TC to that as well and the diopters. That means you almost have a 200mm macro set up.
I have used the 200mm underwater but it can be frustrating although some people swear by it.
Finally Nikon made a 70-180 macro zoom. You can find it used sometimes. I love mine, on land, but it has a permanent tripod collar that requires special work to remove so that you can get it into a housing. I borrowed a retrofitted one, once and it was pretty cool.
The zooms will not give you the macro images that you see on this page.
The attached was a 60mm with 1.4 TC and +5 diopter.