Nikon 105mm f/2.8 Nikkor Micro AI-S Reviews

Rating
Reviewed by:

ccraft
( Intermediate)

Review Date
May 19, 2005

Overall Rating
4 of 5

Value Rating
4 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.00 of 5,
1 votes

Review 1 of 4

Price Paid: $350.00 from eBay

Summary:

I bought this lens used on eBay and I'm in love. I take it wherever I go. It's an excellent and very versitile lens. Using close-up filters I can photograph anything, although you loose lots of stops. I find even without filters you lose about one to two stops when you are ultra close to your subject. If you're interested in seeing some sample shots taken with this lens on a Nikon D70, feel free to visit: http://www.pbase.com/ccraft/nikon105mm2

Strengths:

get up close to your subject easily - even hand-held

Weaknesses:

f stop changes when you push the macro too far - not really 2.8 for ultra-closeup

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Rating
Reviewed by:

womble
( Professional)

Review Date
March 16, 2005

Overall Rating
4 of 5

Value Rating
4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
1.80 of 5,
1 votes

Review 2 of 4

Price Paid: $600.00 from jessops

Summary:

Used with my now lost F4s and F5. Incredibly noisy AF but mostly used on manual focus. Great for plants but WAY too noisy for any animals. Pretty good sharpness and colour. No complaints on build quality except WAY too noisy! Very annoying hood. Can be difficult to secure body and lens to tripod without it moving due to wieght.

Strengths:

Image quality very good especially from 5.6 on. Good, posibly too good (sharp)for portraits; shows too many spots and lines!

Weaknesses:

WAY too noisy AF.Annoying hood. WAY too noisy AF.

Similar Products Used:

None

Customer Service:

Not needed, told the WAY too noisy AF was not a problem.

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Rating
Reviewed by:

William Kazak
( Professional)

Review Date
January 26, 2005

Overall Rating
5 of 5

Value Rating
5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
4.50 of 5,
2 votes

Review 3 of 4

Price Paid: $420.00 from EBay-used mint

Summary:

I bought this lens because I have the Ais non auto focus version. That lens is super for studio headshots and sharpness. I wanted the auto focus for current wedding people shots. I use it for candids. On the D70 it becomes a 150mm F2.8. Very useful for candids on film or digital. You can get really close on a head shot or do details, such as a ring closeup. Not too sharp at F2.8 but you can throw a background out nicely enough. Stop down to F5.6 or F8 if you need ultimate sharpness. I feel that this lens is sharper than an 85mm.

Strengths:

Very versatile focal length. Good for candids and blurry backgrounds as well. Nice speed and easy to handle. Very little flare.

Weaknesses:

Not that great at F2.8.

Similar Products Used:

Most all of the Nikon lenses.

Customer Service:

Not needed.

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Rating
Reviewed by: Hermann Graf
(Expert)

Review Date
September 25, 2003

Overall Rating
4 of 5

Value Rating
5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
4.50 of 5,
4 votes

Review 4 of 4

Price Paid: $700.00 from Retailer in Germany

Summary:

Excellent and versatile macro lens, but not easy to handle because of its weight. Viewfinder view is bright because of F2.8, but for macro, you often stop down to F11. Maximal magnification ratio only 1:2; needs extension ring for 1:1. Hood is not built in, but comes separately. Note that a macro lens is not necessarily sharper than a normal prime, but sharpness is more uniform from center to edge. I have not tried the 105mm/F4.0 macro, but people who did claim that it is sharper and better to handle. Not apt for portaiture (too sharp). Use of a tripod is indispensable IMHO.

Strengths:

Excellent sharpness Very good build quality Versatile

Weaknesses:

Heavy Needs extension ring for 1:1 magnification Hood not built in

Similar Products Used:

Nikkor MF 55mm/F2.8 macro Nikkor MF 50mm/F1.8 Nikkor MF 85mm/F2.0

Customer Service:

Not needed in 5 years

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