Why do I have all these macro lenses? That’s one darn good question I’ve been flooded with. It’s a real simple answer, working distance and magnification. They all deliver the quality that I & our clients require so the rest is solving problems in the field.
A little background on what I think of as working distance. When I speak of working distance I’m talking specifically of the distance from the front element to the point I’ve focused on at 1:1. I point this out because it’s different than what Nikon speaks of. They measure from the film place to the subject which as measurements go, does me little good in the field with my butt in the air photographing some microscopic bug. Each of the micro lenses (micro because they go to 1:1) have a different working distance. The 60AF is 3″, the 105VR is 6″, the 200AF is 10″, and the 70-180AF is 5.5″ (doesn’t achieve 100% 1:1; this lens is officially discontinued). This working distance is important to me because the vast majority of the time, I’m using flash. The amount of space I have to introduce flash is important to me even when using the R1C1 .
The other important aspect in selecting a particular micro lens for a project is increased magnification beyond 1:1. The rule of thumb is you need to add equal amount of extension to the focal length of the lens to reach 1:1. Nikon’s three prime micros, 60mm, 105mm and 200mm achieve 1:1 by internally “growing” and adding the needed extension to reach the 1:1 magnification (and whether you achieve this magnification internally or with tubes, you loose light). Getting beyond the lens’ 1:1 requires the use of extension tubes, teleconverters or a combination thereof (different depending on the lens in use). Based on the subject I’m to photograph and these lens factors, I select the appropriate lens for the job.
Is there one lens that does it all? Not for my photography but that might not be true for you. Out of the four lenses, there is only two that I use for other than “macro” needs, the 105VR and 70-180 because of their versatility and how that finds into my style of photography. What if you’re looking for a micro lens but don’t know which one to consider? I would suggest looking at these basic considerations and then go rent/borrow the one that seems to naturally fit. I strongly suggest trying before buying. The world of macro photography is very cool, up close and personal and one that can be enjoyed anywhere.