Nikkon D5000 Macro/Micro Lens Advice Please

[lisar]

http://www.porters.com/camera-lenses/camera-lenses/tamron-af70-300mm-f4-56-di-ld-macro-zoom-for-nikon-af.html

I saw this lens listed above for about $199. It is a Tamron. I am an amateur photographer and looking to buy my first macro/micro lens for close up work. What are your thoughts?

Thanks, Lisa Register

[epayne]

Hi Lisa,

The lens has mixed reviews on the web from several sites but it looks like a lot of reach for the money. I have posted a couple of links to review sites where you can get some opinions from actual owners of the lens.

http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=254

http://www.photographyreview.com/mfr/tamron/35mm-zoom/PRD_387929_3128crx.aspx?page=0


May be a good start into the world of close up photography for someone on a small budget. You do realize that extension tubes and close up diopter lenses can also be utilized to get close up images with your existing kit lens for less than the cost of a dedicated lens. Also for close up work the use of auto focus becomes less important as I find I am using manual focus for the majority of my close up macro shooting.

If the best image quality for the money is important you may want to look for a used NIKKOR 105 micro which may not auto focus with your body but would provide improved image sharpness. KEH in Georgia is a good source for used lenses.

Here is a link to a used 105mm NIKKOR micro for about the same money. It won't offer meter coupling or autofocus but the sharpness is sure to be much better.

http://www.keh.com/Product-Details/1/NK06009018885N/NK06/FE.aspx

And a 60mm f2.8 auto
focus used from the same source. This lens should meter but again will not autofocus with your camera body.

http://www.keh.com/Product-Details/1/NA06009043252N/NA06/FE.aspx
Edgar Payne
Charlotte region

[lisar]

Thank you so mch for the advice. I am very new at this and will research it a little more. I have been relying on auto focus...I don't like to wear my glasses :) and therefore when I manual focus everything still looks a little blurry...I just need to practice with it....wear my glasses and keep trying!

New Member,

Lisa Register:)

[epayne]

Another point Lisa to consider,

Your NIKON D500 camera has an eyepiece diopter adjustment from -2 to +1. This may be enough to correct the viewfinder so you can shoot and focus on the screen in the camera without wearing your glasses. The camera manual will show you where the adjustment wheel is located. With this set to your particular vision requirement you are able to get your eye up closer to the viewfinder than you can with glasses. Also a rubber eye cup to shield extraneous light from the sides is helpful as well.

One of the reasons auto focus isn't as helpful in macro / closeup work is that the camera doesn't always know where you wish the critical point of sharpness to be located. And the closer you get the less depth of field you encounter. That is the zone of apparent sharpness in front of and behind the critical point. Once you start shooting up close this will become very apparent and be easier to understand. Here is a link to some flower shots that may help illustrate the shallow depth of field. If the camera had focused on the back center of the bloom the photo would have taken on an entirely different look.

http://www.facebook.com/edgar.payne?ref=name#!/photo.php?pid=1196134&id=1160195616&fbid=1406911690385

Hope this helps. In the meantime keep shooting as much as time allows, Film is free with a digital camera. I have learned over the years one of the differences between a poor and good photographer is the size of their trashcan. I throw away lots of shots to get a few I am happy with.

Edgar Payne
Charlotte Region