Stupid question alert!
I've been thinking about purchasing a 60mm macro lens and selling my 50 b/c I just don't use it that much, but I just want to be sure on something...
Is a macro lens just for macro, or can you use it for regular shooting as well?
See told you it was dumb, but never owning or seeing a macro lens i'm curious if there is something different about it that makes it only for macro
Thanks in advance!
Is a macro lens just for macro, or can you use it for regular shooting as well?
See told you it was dumb, but never owning or seeing a macro lens i'm curious if there is something different about it that makes it only for macro
Thanks in advance!
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When shopping for a macro lens, make sure you are getting a full 1:1 macro -- there are some lenses that claim to be "macro" when really they just have closer focusing ability than average, and can only achieve 1:2 or less. I've seen lenses that could only do 1:4 that were labeled "macro".
Got bored with digital and went back to film.
You can use the 60mm micro just like any other lens. The micro indicates that the min focusing distance is much shorter to allow you to get close up shots.
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I would try both the Sigma and Nikkor since that Sigma 50 has been one of if not the best lens I have ever owned.
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What is the difference between these?
Nikon AF-S 60mm Micro Nikkor F/2.8 ED (about $80 more)
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Both are 1:1... What do the S and the ED mean?
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AF-S means silent wave focusing, meaning you don't need the in-body motor to AF (can be used on all Nikon DSLRs, not just D90 and up). ED means extra low dispersion glass. So the AF-S ED version is basically a newer, upgraded version of the lens.
Edit: if you're interested,here is a link that explains all the acronyms, a quick history on Nikon lenses, and which lenses can be used on which bodies.
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there is anecdotal evidence that teh AF-S actually focuses a bit faster then the AF as well. All in all for $80 get the new version.
14-24 24-70 70-200mm (vr2)
85 and 50 1.4
45 PC and sb910 x2
http://www.danielkimphotography.com
For what it is worth ED is Nikon's equivalent of Canon's "L" line of pro glass. And some would even argue they both stand for the same thing -- low dispersion. Nikon calls it ED glass, Canon calls it UD glass.
However, Canon insists the L stands for luxury.
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No, I don't think that's true. If you check out Nikon's current lens offerings, you'll see that almost all of their lenses are ED, including such decidedly consumer ones, such things as my 55-200 DX VR f/4-5.6G IF-ED, one of the 18-55 offerings, 18-70, 18-105, 16-85, etc. It is true that many of their pro lenses are ED, but having ED does not make a Nikon pro lens.
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I wish Nikon and Canon would do obvious tiers. Canon at least has the "L" line but from what I hear all L lenses are not created equal with some good and others amazing. And there is no clear markings for what is weather sealed.
That is what I like about Olympus they have 3 distinct levels and you know what you are buying. The base ones are sharp but not weather sealed, high grade are better, faster, and have weather sealing, and super high grade are the holy grail with F2.0 for the most part and image quality to make you
I don't know much about Canon, and not even a whole lot about Nikon's stuff, since I'm relatively new to this world. But it seems like most of Nikon's pro lenses are fairly easy to determine. I think their "official" designation is that the pro lenses have a gold ring around them near the front of the lens. If there's a zoom that has constant aperture, that's an indicator, although I don't think the 80-200 f/2.8 is considered pro (and it doesn't have a gold ring). Otherwise, all the constant zooms are pro, plus there is an 80-400 f/4.5-5.6 that has a gold ring.
Anyway, I know what you're saying, but I think when it comes right down to it, anyone who has a reason (and budget) for the pro lenses will know what lenses they're looking at.
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Look at the reviews of Bjørn Rørslett.
If you don't plan on going to FX anytime soon, and the reviews of this lens are good (I haven't seen any yet) go for it.
Also the Sigma 70mm Macro is supposed to be really sharp and is equal to a 105mm in 35mm.
(I just looked at your signature and saw you have the 50mm F1.8 already so another 50 or 60 might not be the best choice, with the 70mm you will have another great focal length with a fast aperture to work with)
thank you for all the replies. ultimately i will sell the 50mm, as i dont see a need for two lenses around the same focal length, but i like the length and want to dabble a little in macro.
Another dumb question, why don't some lenses work for full frame?
They are designed for the smaller sensor, so if you put it on a FX format camera you will see heavy vignetting.
Nikon "DX" lenses are designed to cover the smaller imager size of the Nikon "crop" cameras. They have a smaller image circle and will not cover a full-frame imager, like the Nikon D3/D3S/D3X and D700 cameras.
They may still be used on the full-frame cameras, but at greatly reduced resolution.
Canon "crop" lenses ("EF-S" designation) will not even fit the larger format cameras and would potentially even cause some damage if they could fit.
Many third party lenses are also of reduced image coverage, and most will fit the larger format cameras with the restriction of reduced coverage and reduced image resolution after cropping.
If you take 2 lenses, one a FF lens (FX in Nikon speak) and the other a crop lens (DX in Nikon speak), and if you hold them so that they project an image onto a piece of paper (to simulate the imager or film of a camera), you can actually see the smaller resulting projected image of the drop lens on the paper.
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Just for some Canon knowledge:
How does that work with canon? Does the rear element protrude into the mirror area?
Also can EF-S lenses work on the larger crop 1D sensors?
I don't want to hijack this thread too much, but yes, the EF-S lenses have a shorter back-focus and a protruding rear element that could strike the reflex mirror of a larger format camera.
EF-S lenses will not mount on either the 1D/1Ds or 5D cameras because they have an extra "tab" to prevent physical mating of the lens to the camera body. Some folks have modified certain of the EF-S lenses to mount, but it is always dangerous to do so.
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For Nikon lenses, it will have "DX" in the name if it is designed for the smaller sensor. I think Canon lenses are called EF-S if they are for the crop sensor. A non-"DX" lens can be used on DX or FX.
An FX lens on a DX body will work fine, in fact some like them because you are only using the center of the image circle, and lenses typically are worst in the corners and/or edges of the frame. So using FX lens on DX body is like hitting the sweet spot of the lens.
DX bodies have what is often referred to as a magnification factor of about 1.5. Therefore a 50mm lens on a DX body will give approximately the same field of view as a 75mm lens on a 35mm film body. The same 50mm lens on an FX body will be equivalent to 50mm in 35mm terms (no magnification factor).
DX lenses are only designed to cover the smaller sensor, so the image circle isn't necessarily going to cover the full FX sensor. Sometimes lenses do, and I've read reviews that say things like "the 10-20 lens can be used on FX bodies at 14mm and above," meaning from 10-14 you may see significant vignetting, 14-20 might be usable. But the lens is designed for the smaller sensor, so that is not the intended purpose.
So you're basically correct. FX lenses will work fine on DX bodies, there will just be an equivalent magnification. This magnification exists for DX lenses as well, though. It just means that a telephoto lens on DX gives you longer reach than on FX, and you need a significantly wider lens to get wide angle on DX bodies. That's why most kit lenses for DX bodies start at 18mm, when the equivalent kit lens on a 35mm film camera would probably have started at 28mm. Have I sufficiently confused you?
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