Nikon 105mm f2.8 VRI lens

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VABuckeye

New member
Beautiful shots all.

I am a newbie so please be gentle. :p

I have a D3200 and just purchased this lens last week as I am fascinated by photographing small things. The problem I'm having right now is that my depth of field is razor thin. I see beautiful shots here of bees in focus but all I get is part of the bee in focus. Any reading material you can recommend is welcome. I understand that it will take time and patience to even think of taking accomplished photos.

Many thanks!
 
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gqtuazon

Gear Head
VABuckeye said:
Beautiful shots all.

I am a newbie so please be gentle. :p

I have a D3200 and just purchased this lens last week as I am fascinated by photographing small things. The problem I'm having right now is that my depth of field is razor thin. I see beautiful shots here of bees in focus but all I get is part of the bee in focus. Any reading material you can recommend is welcome. I understand that it will take time and patience to even think of taking accomplished photos.

Many thanks!
Click to expand...

Just back out a little bit and crop if necessary to get more Depth of Field. The closer you get with your subject, the less DoF you are going to get, which is what you experienced.
 
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Watch72

Senior Member
It is a nice lens and I use it to take closeup of my small watch collection. Here is one - the back of AP Starwheel - a movement based on Jaeger Lecoultre 889/1.


AP Starwheel
 
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Robalero

Senior Member
Greetings Everyone, new to the forum and have enjoyed reading this thread. I've owned this lens for six months now and absolutely love it! Great for portraits and macro work, plus it gives you a different perspective when it's the only lens you have on your camera. You can definitely get creative with this lens. For now, it's still my favorite!
 
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gqtuazon

Gear Head
Robalero said:
Greetings Everyone, new to the forum and have enjoyed reading this thread. I've owned this lens for six months now and absolutely love it! Great for portraits and macro work, plus it gives you a different perspective when it's the only lens you have on your camera. You can definitely get creative with this lens. For now, it's still my favorite!
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You can always post your work on this thread to provide lens samples.
 
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Robalero

Senior Member
There has been lots of rain here lately, we really need it bad! These big elephant ears were shouting at me as I passed them with my D5100 and my 105 f/2.8. Man, what a fine lens.

leaves_edited-1.jpg
 

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Whiskeyman

Whiskeyman

Senior Member
As I get to experiment with this lens, I often am surprised. Like at when at minimum focus distance, or close to it, stopping down the lens doesn't seem to add much depth of field, at all. At least according to the Lens Manual.

This was taken at f/11, with flash.
Dragonfly-1.jpg

Although the clarity of what is in focus is fantastic. Does anyone have any idea what the red things attached to the dragonfly's thorax are? I'm assuming some kind of parasite.

WM
 
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gqtuazon

Gear Head
Whiskeyman said:
As I get to experiment with this lens, I often am surprised. Like at when at minimum focus distance, or close to it, stopping down the lens doesn't seem to add much depth of field, at all. At least according to the Lens Manual.

This was taken at f/11, with flash.


Although the clarity of what is in focus is fantastic. Does anyone have any idea what the red things attached to the dragonfly's thorax are? I'm assuming some kind of parasite.

WM
Click to expand...

I think those are their eggs but I am not sure. They are usually similar to what you see on sushi.
 
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egosbar

Senior Member
been looking at this one for the last few weeks to use with my d7100, ive got no doubt its a great lens as shows with some really nice shots posted , my question is though is it worth the extra $500 dollars then the tamron 90mm 2.8 which has some really good write ups ,

is a nice 4-500 dollar tripod and the tamron a better choice then the 105mm as i dont have a tripod yet and will obviously be needing one

or a tamron 90mm and a tokina 11-16mm 2.8 for roughly the same price as the 105mm

i love all photography and really looking forward too stepping into the world of macro , i do want too shoot bugs etc as well as flowers , i really love landscapes as well so the 11-16 would be a nice addition at the moment i have a 55-300vr , 18-55 vr and a 1.8 prime 50mm

thoughts would be appreciated and i have read in some reviews the tamron is a better lens then the nikon or at worst there is very little between them, i expect it too be better built etc as mentioned in reviews but it is pricy compared to the tamron
 
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gqtuazon

Gear Head
egosbar said:
been looking at this one for the last few weeks to use with my d7100, ive got no doubt its a great lens as shows with some really nice shots posted , my question is though is it worth the extra $500 dollars then the tamron 90mm 2.8 which has some really good write ups ,

is a nice 4-500 dollar tripod and the tamron a better choice then the 105mm as i dont have a tripod yet and will obviously be needing one

or a tamron 90mm and a tokina 11-16mm 2.8 for roughly the same price as the 105mm

i love all photography and really looking forward too stepping into the world of macro , i do want too shoot bugs etc as well as flowers , i really love landscapes as well so the 11-16 would be a nice addition at the moment i have a 55-300vr , 18-55 vr and a 1.8 prime 50mm

thoughts would be appreciated and i have read in some reviews the tamron is a better lens then the nikon or at worst there is very little between them, i expect it too be better built etc as mentioned in reviews but it is pricy compared to the tamron
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I use to own the Tamron 90mm f2.8 macro lens too but I sold it a long time ago. I prefer the Nikon 105mm f2.8 VR since the front element does not extend which is annoying for me. AF is pretty slow although if you are using MF, that is irrelevant. Have you considered buying a used lens? I bought mine for $750 and I am pretty sure that after so many years of using it, I can still sell it about the same price that I purchased it. Can't say that with the Tamron. Something to think about. Can't help you or anybody with financial but my suggestion is to save up and get what you really like instead of buying and selling.
 
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aroy

Senior Member
I would suggest you get a good tripod and head first.

You have also the option of getting a preowned 105mm F2.8. It can either be the current VR version or the older AIS version. Most of the macro users use manual focus any way, and manual extension tubes are extremely inexpensive. The AF comes on its own if you want to do a programmed focus stacking while tethered to a computer.
 
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iamntxhunter

Senior Member
The 105 was the first prime that I bought and it is an awesome lens all the way around. I would suggest it to anyone looking for a excellent macro and a awesome portrait lens as well, plus they hold their value.
 
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