Thank you, very interesting. I think the very short close-up distance of the 50mm rules it out for most macro work. For DX shooters, the 50-250mm is a very good "almost macro" solution too, at 250mm, very useful for butterflies. The 105mm looks very good, but I worry about the 630g weight. Well done on your photos in this video, some of the flower shots were beautiful.
I was at a park shooting song birds yesterday with my Z 180-600. During my wandering there was a monarch butterfly flittering around me for ten minutes or so. Once it settled on a wildflower I was able to get several "close" photos of it at 180mm. This telephoto lens is certainly not a macro lens, but I'm finding it to be quite flexible in how I can use it. Becky & Kon, your photos are beautiful!
Macro photography in the field can be extremely challenging as well as physically demanding from all the bending and crouching. One of the best times for flower photography in the field is early in the morning when the air is often calm so the flowers are still plus there is the dew and the potential for fog. As well the light around sunrise is diffuse and soft.
I took out my 105MC on Monday for some flower photography, sorry Kon 😉, and don’t think you can beat it. You’re far enough away from your subject to get the shots you want, not just insects but also hard to reach areas as well and would have struggled with the 50MC Also like using the 70-200 for close ups and very guilty myself about trying to get too close 🙄
I shoot a lot of closeups/macros and have more macro/micro lenses than is sensible (8). I've tried other solutions, too such as mounting either a 1.4x TC or PN11 52.5mm extension tube on a 300mm f4 AFS. The latter are great for larger (in macro term) organisms at a distance. The TC also works well on the 105 f2.8 AFS. Short focal lengths (55, 60) I find useful for in situ small wild flowers, fungi, lichens, etc where getting close alleviates problems with surrounding vegetation getting in the way with a longer lens. I've been documenting the distribution of damselflies and dragonflies in my province (Manitoba, Canada) and for resolving the miniscule terminal appendages of male damselflies to identify them to species, nothing beats the 200mm f4 micro. Question - does the Z105 micro take a TC?
I am a little confused. Keep saying 70-180mm F mount not Z mount or is there a F mount equivalent? So you brought the F mount version and the newer Z mount version. Is the Zed version better? This Zed 70-180mm F/2.8 is the only lens I am missing from my arsenal. I have the 17-28mm & 28-75mm. I am driving to Austin especially to get this lens. Cheers!
Becky, how do you find locating the focus square on the LCD when you are lining up your shots in Single-Point AF Mode? I find it is really difficult to see it in daylight conditions when I’m doing macro on my Z7ii because the lines outlining the square are so fine, especially before I acquire focus. The square gets lost in the background a lot. Perhaps, it’s not as much of an issue on the improved LCD of the Z8.
I have the 90mm Tamron on F mount and it’s fantastic, but isn’t compatible with Z mount auto focus, unless you actually send it into Tamron for an update. It can’t be updated with the tap in console. 😢
I got mine updated by local Tamron importer back in 2020 and it now works flawlessly with all Z bodies. Took no more than a couple weeks, and was free of charge, including lens VR+IBIS. Way less expensive to do that than to purchase a 105 MC as long as you do nit mind the FTZ adaptor too much. That Tamron is a fantastic portrait lens as well, and, contrary to the 105Z, provides a focus limiter between 0.5m to infinity, avoiding the lens racking all the way back and forth between 1:1 and infinity during portrait sessions during AF. I do not understand why the 105Z only gives a limiter option within the macro range.
70-180 with 2x it's one of the "lighter" way to almost reach 400mm on the z mount (and with a F/5,6 too) I would also like to see some shots or comparison at 360mm with converter. Thanks
Puzzling why Becky doesn't always bring a speedlight with modifiers for macro. An SB-500 with a diffuser is easy enough to carry/handle, way better than relying on natural light.
Hello Both, I know I have been told not to comment any more, I must thank Becky and Kon for all their interesting and fun videos. So do keep well, keep safe and Bye bye.
Thank you, very interesting. I think the very short close-up distance of the 50mm rules it out for most macro work. For DX shooters, the 50-250mm is a very good "almost macro" solution too, at 250mm, very useful for butterflies. The 105mm looks very good, but I worry about the 630g weight. Well done on your photos in this video, some of the flower shots were beautiful.
I was at a park shooting song birds yesterday with my Z 180-600. During my wandering there was a monarch butterfly flittering around me for ten minutes or so. Once it settled on a wildflower I was able to get several "close" photos of it at 180mm. This telephoto lens is certainly not a macro lens, but I'm finding it to be quite flexible in how I can use it. Becky & Kon, your photos are beautiful!
I always look forward to your Sunday morning videos, thank you both! ❤️
The Z 24-120 f4 S Lens is also pretty good at casual "pseudo macro shots" of flowers and the like for a general lens and very sharp and contrasty too.
It replaced mine. Specially with the Raynox DCR-250. Now I have 1x macro amplification with the 70-180
Macro photography in the field can be extremely challenging as well as physically demanding from all the bending and crouching. One of the best times for flower photography in the field is early in the morning when the air is often calm so the flowers are still plus there is the dew and the potential for fog. As well the light around sunrise is diffuse and soft.
I took out my 105MC on Monday for some flower photography, sorry Kon 😉, and don’t think you can beat it. You’re far enough away from your subject to get the shots you want, not just insects but also hard to reach areas as well and would have struggled with the 50MC
Also like using the 70-200 for close ups and very guilty myself about trying to get too close 🙄
Now try the 70-180 with a cheap but high quality Raynox and you will see how good it is
Oh nice, the EXACT video I was wondering about 😄👍
Nevermind, you guys used the teleconverter lol
Thank you for this! I’ve been wondering this since this lens came out.
I shoot a lot of closeups/macros and have more macro/micro lenses than is sensible (8). I've tried other solutions, too such as mounting either a 1.4x TC or PN11 52.5mm extension tube on a 300mm f4 AFS. The latter are great for larger (in macro term) organisms at a distance. The TC also works well on the 105 f2.8 AFS. Short focal lengths (55, 60) I find useful for in situ small wild flowers, fungi, lichens, etc where getting close alleviates problems with surrounding vegetation getting in the way with a longer lens. I've been documenting the distribution of damselflies and dragonflies in my province (Manitoba, Canada) and for resolving the miniscule terminal appendages of male damselflies to identify them to species, nothing beats the 200mm f4 micro. Question - does the Z105 micro take a TC?
I am a little confused. Keep saying 70-180mm F mount not Z mount or is there a F mount equivalent? So you brought the F mount version and the newer Z mount version. Is the Zed version better? This Zed 70-180mm F/2.8 is the only lens I am missing from my arsenal. I have the 17-28mm & 28-75mm. I am driving to Austin especially to get this lens. Cheers!
The F mount AF 70-180mm f4.5 - f5.6 is a dedicated micro lens made from 1997 to 2005. It shoots to 1:1.32 at 180mm.
Becky, how do you find locating the focus square on the LCD when you are lining up your shots in Single-Point AF Mode? I find it is really difficult to see it in daylight conditions when I’m doing macro on my Z7ii because the lines outlining the square are so fine, especially before I acquire focus. The square gets lost in the background a lot. Perhaps, it’s not as much of an issue on the improved LCD of the Z8.
I have the 90mm Tamron on F mount and it’s fantastic, but isn’t compatible with Z mount auto focus, unless you actually send it into Tamron for an update. It can’t be updated with the tap in console. 😢
I got mine updated by local Tamron importer back in 2020 and it now works flawlessly with all Z bodies. Took no more than a couple weeks, and was free of charge, including lens VR+IBIS. Way less expensive to do that than to purchase a 105 MC as long as you do nit mind the FTZ adaptor too much. That Tamron is a fantastic portrait lens as well, and, contrary to the 105Z, provides a focus limiter between 0.5m to infinity, avoiding the lens racking all the way back and forth between 1:1 and infinity during portrait sessions during AF. I do not understand why the 105Z only gives a limiter option within the macro range.
Nikon 70-180f2.8 z with 2X TC or Sigma 100-400 Contemporary with adapter?? Which set-up would more useful?? Thanks
70-180 with 2x it's one of the "lighter" way to almost reach 400mm on the z mount (and with a F/5,6 too) I would also like to see some shots or comparison at 360mm with converter. Thanks
Puzzling why Becky doesn't always bring a speedlight with modifiers for macro. An SB-500 with a diffuser is easy enough to carry/handle, way better than relying on natural light.
Macro or proxy? Anyway I bought it and will try out. Thanks for your videos.
Hello Both, I know I have been told not to comment any more, I must thank Becky and Kon for all their interesting and fun videos. So do keep well, keep safe and Bye bye.
You are always welcome to comment, John! We love reading your comments :)
informative content.
Super duper but you did cut your feet off in the closing scene.
👍🏾🙏🏾