Looking at the 105mm micro

I have been thinking about getting my daughter a 105mm micro Nikon lens for her birthday. It will currently be used on her D5600. I could save a little money and get the DX model, but I think that it's worth spending a little more and getting FX lenses in case she decides to move to a full frame body at some point in the future. Not only that, I believe the FX lenses are sharper on a crop sensor body than a similar DX version.

Anyway. It looks like Nikon has discontinued this lens. I see one listed in their refurbs, but it says on the buy it page that it has been archived. I assume that means it is now out of production. Her birthday is several months away, but I wonder if I should go ahead and try and buy this refurb now while I can, or maybe wait for whatever new lens Nikon comes out with to replace this workhorse. I assume it's still available as a refurb, since it is not listed as out of stock.

I'm sure she would like a macro lens, and the longer focal length would give her more distance from small critters than say the 85mm micro.

Thoughts?

I have the Tokina Macro 100mm F2.8 ATX Pro and can recommend this lens highly!

@Clovishound
The replacement lens has already been released in the amazing Z MC 105 f2.8 VR S (my favorite lens right now!) for the Z cameras but that lens wont work on F mount- its only for the Z cameras. I dont think Nikon will be releasing any more F mount glass, (or DSLR's for that matter). Their focus is strongly on the Z having closed up shop in Japan. All production is now in China or Thailand which means any DSLR or lens manufactured in Japan, (like the 105 F mount) will never be manufactured again. Manufacturing lines can hardly keep up with Z mount demand, I cant imagine they'd halt production on their money makers to switch back to F mount lenses.

The 105 f2.8 AF-S F mount is amazing and is only bested for tiny critters by the 200 F4 AF-D but the 200 wont autofocus on a D5600, there has to be an in-body focus motor, (the screw drive by the mount in the full frame DSLR's, D500 or D7xxx) for that lens to autofocus. Not to mention that even though the 200 is like 30 years old, its still over a grand on the used market. The 105 F mount is also more future proof than the 200. The 105 is AF-S and autofocus will work with the FTZ adapter if she ever upgrades to a Z camera whereas the 200 would still work but it'd be manual focus only. No problem with that- IBIS and focus peaking offered in the full frame Z cameras make those old manual focus lenses more powerful and fun to use than ever! I like to use my ancient 35-70 f2.8 via FTZ for wide angle macro shots at the 35mm end with remarkable results.

Good luck, let us know what you decide on, and a happy birthday to your daughter!

Bikerbrent said:

I have the Tokina Macro 100mm F2.8 ATX Pro and can recommend this lens highly!

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I have it too and its great on a D7xxx, but it has to have a focus motor to drive the AF. The D5600 doesn't have one so it'd be manual focus only.

To clarify things, Nikon is reducing the F-mount lens selection and expanding the Z-mount catalog. Don't wait for a new replacement F-mount 105mm lens, I doubt one is coming. I have the Z-mount 105mm micro high on my list of lenses to buy. I discovered the hard way my Tamron 90mm does not work with the FTZ adapter (confirmed by Tamron, not just a firmware thing but requires service with replacement of a circuit board).

But on that note, the current Tamron 90mm macro lens worked great with my D7000 and D750 and I loved it until that discovery I could not continue to use it with my Z5. So I will use with my D750 until I can secure a used or sale price on the Z version. Z 14-24mm f/2.8 is on top of my to-get list and I would buy one this month with the $200 instant savings available if I had not been hitting my checking account hard the first half of this year. But the 105mm Z is the next priority.

@Clovishound You're going to run into the same basic problem with any of the better lenses with that camera body... Your daughter's skill levels, and photography has progressed to where she can stand to use better lenses and that body is always going to be the limiting factor... Encourage her to move up in bodies... and then she can get terrific value from the better classes of lenses...

FredKingston said:

@Clovishound You're going to run into the same basic problem with any of the better lenses with that camera body... Your daughter's skill levels, and photography has progressed to where she can stand to use better lenses and that body is always going to be the limiting factor... Encourage her to move up in bodies... and then she can get terrific value from the better classes of lenses...

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I have already addressed that with her. Right now she is happy with the 5600, and doesn't really want to upgrade. I've tried to get her to try my new Z5, but she prefers to use her 5600. Perhaps with time she will be interested in upgrading. Like her mother, I have learned when not to push too hard. At least I can make sure that any lenses I get her will at least be FX glass.

Well, it looks like B&H has them back in stock. Either that or I fouled up the search I did there the other day.

Now I just need to decide whether to try and save a couple hundred on a refurb from Nikon, or pay full price for a brand new one.

Clovishound said:

Well, it looks like B&H has them back in stock. Either that or I fouled up the search I did there the other day.

Now I just need to decide whether to try and save a couple hundred on a refurb from Nikon, or pay full price for a brand new one.

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I've purchased a ton of stuff from Robert's and their customer support and ratings are superior...


https://usedphotopro.com/products/usedlenses/used-slr-lenses/used-autofocus-lenses?lens_type=5242&manufacturer=6350&max_aperture=5412

Looking harder at the new lens from B&H, I see that it's actually a grey market lens. With the difference in cost between a factory refurb and a used being only about $50, I think I may opt for the refurb. I talked with the Pup today since this is a larger purchase, and she thinks this is likely the next lens she would like to add to the bag, so I will likely go ahead and order one soon.

As a bonus, this lens should work well using the FTZ adapter on my Z5. I've already warned her I'll be borrowing it on occasion. If I find I really like it, I may pick up the Z mount sister of this lens for me. I've always wanted a true macro lens.

Look at the one graded Excellent at Robert's... Robert's warranty is twice as long as Nikon's Refurb warranty... and it's about $150 less... Lenses are like cars, drive'm off Nikon's lot and they depreciate a lot... with no functional loss of performance...

You're right. I looked a number of different places yesterday and remembered the wrong price on the refurb. I guess I feel somewhat better about the factory refurb because I think of them as ones that have been bought and returned, and not really used much. I know this is not always the case, but I can't imagine someone using a lens a lot and then returning it, although I suppose it could happen.

And, yes, Nikon does offer a short warranty on their refurbs. I bought a telephoto zoom from them last fall when they were running a sale. Lens was perfect, but the warranty was short.

If you decide to go with a refurbished lens, be sure to put it through its paces. A few years back, one of our members purchased a refurbished lens via one of the big stores. If I remember correctly, the barrel was stiff to turn - or something along those lines. Not all refurbished items are simply returns. Some are damaged and repaired.

hark said:

If you decide to go with a refurbished lens, be sure to put it through its paces. A few years back, one of our members purchased a refurbished lens via one of the big stores. If I remember correctly, the barrel was stiff to turn - or something along those lines. Not all refurbished items are simply returns. Some are damaged and repaired.

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I wonder if that was a factory refurb or the store's refurb. The one I'm looking at is directly from Nikon. And, yes, I realize that some may have had issues and were repaired. Although I would think the majority of those would then be returned to the customer. My biggest issue with a refurb is that now that these are no longer in production, the refurbs will be a higher percentage of lenses that have been used for a decent while and then returned for problems.

@Clovishound... I wouldn't let Nikon be your guide. I bought a refurb'd 28-300mm from Nikon... Unfortunately, I never tested the VR within the warranty period...until it was out of warranty, and it didn't work... cost me $175 to get Nikon to fix the VR...

OK, I've been looking and (over)thinking on this. I notice that some of these 105 lenses are made in Japan and some are made in China. I assume that the newer ones are Chinese. Should I be looking for a used lens that is made in Japan instead of a likely newer lens (either new, or refurb), that was more likely to have been made in China? Or is there really no difference? One of the used lenses I looked at had a set of photos of that individual lens, and I could clearly see the "made in Japan" on the lens. Another was clearly marked "made in China".

I didn't realize that my Z5 and 28-70 f4 lens were made in Thailand when I bought them a few months ago. Not that it would have stopped me from buying them. I do realize that a good company can maintain good manufacturing in factories regardless of location, if they choose to enforce the proper QC measures.

@Clovishound IIRC as of December 2021 all camera and lens manufacturing was move to Thailand. I have lenses made in Japan, China and Thailand all seem to do the job. No experience to compare a 105mm from China to one from Japan.

I don't think there's any significant differences in Nikon's manufacturing processes between countries. The old days of manufacturing being "better" in Japan versus China have been long gone. I'm sure the Japanese would like you to think otherwise...but that isn't the case anymore... Otherwise, Nikon wouldn't have moved their manufacturing around to different countries to capitalize on the different labor costs...

FredKingston said:

I don't think there's any significant differences in Nikon's manufacturing processes between countries. The old days of manufacturing being "better" in Japan versus China have been long gone. I'm sure the Japanese would like you to think otherwise...but that isn't the case anymore... Otherwise, Nikon wouldn't have moved their manufacturing around to different countries to capitalize on the different labor costs...

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That's pretty much the consensus I've seen in my online searches. I also see that Nikon has dropped the price on this to $600. I believe that is the price I originally saw on their website, and it went up for a while. That brings me back to a used, made in Japan, for $555, or a factory refurb, likely made in China, for $600. I'm leaning toward the refurb. All the new ones I've seen are grey market and $900.