85mm f/2.8D Tilt/Shift Micro Nikkor.

I am interested in this lens because, in theory, it allows me to do

two things: macro photography and perspective control/selective

focusing. Has anyone used it? Comments? How does it work on AF

camera (F5/F100)?

Thank you.

Claudio

Well, I think except in macro photography, propective control is most useful in a wide angle lens of around 28 mm. So with the 85mm T/S, you are really getting a very capable macro lens, but not much of a generalized prospective control lens.

It's not an autofocus lens. The D setting may be useful however generally most instructions will tell you to meter with the lens centered and then do the tilts and shifts and if that is the case, then the D function for flash photography may or may not be that useful depending on where the lens is focused.

I think that will make a dandy portrait lens as well as a macro

and table top still life lens. As a portrait lens I am less interested

in the swing feature then in the ability to use the shift capabilities

to fine tune my framing. i've used the lens a little with my F5, and

as been pinted out -- it isn't an autofocus lens, and once you

start shifting you are likely to throw the metering off. It isalso at

macro focusing distances a slightly longer focal length lens than

any verison ofthe 105mm f/2.8 Micro-Nikkor (at 1/2x and higher

magnification ratios, the 105 m-N becomes an 80mm focal

length according to what I've read.)

This is a very "studied" lens. I personally love it, but it's not a fast lens

to use. For example, it is not a auto aperture lens in that to focus you

have to manually open the aperture (there is a sort of extended button on

the housing), then remember to push it back in to the correct metered

aperture before shooting. Best macro I've ever used on a 35mm because

of the tilts.

Have you considered the PB-4 bellows? This bellows unit allows you to shift and tilt the lens. Perhaps its movements are not as fine as the pc-nikkor's, but will work fine with any lens. And will cost you much less - this was my reason purchasing it instead of the 85mm pc lens.

Balint

I've been contemplating getting a PB-4 with a 105 enlarging lens for shooting

table top product on digital. What have been your experiences?

I've often wondered whether the 85mm might not be too limited as a macro lens. For example, can you use standard attachments to increase the maximum reproduction ratio?

Rick, I used the pb-4 mostly with my pc35 lens reversed with 2 sb28 flashes. I could go beyond 1:6 with this combo. Exposure wise, I rely completely on the flash system, which does a great job. The only thing I have to take care to set the lens' aperture on the flashes.

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I never used the tilt-shift features of the bellows, as my subjects were moving all round, and had no time to set the right focusing plane. I was happy to get them in focus.

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For non macro work there is only one nikkor, the 4/105 Bellows-Nikkor which is pretty hard - if not impossible - to purchase. For more info on the Bellows-Nikkor follow this thread:

<a href="

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=000eZG">http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=000eZG</a>

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cheers,

I've played around with the 85/2.8 on an N90. I think it makes a dandy macro lens. The tilt thing is useful but probably not as useful as the shift -- if you've used movements in closeup photography you'll appreciate this. You'd probably be using that f/45 stop before you could generate useful DOF through tilt in the macro range.

 

I also think the 85/2.8 is a more convenient solution for movements than the 105/4 P and the PB-4. The 85/2.8 is smaller and more convenient to stop down via the plunger. All you'll miss from the PB-4 is the built in focusing rail. You certainly won't miss Nikon's flimsy bellows material, or the joys of trying to mount a motor-driven body to a Nikon bellows...

 

The 105/4 bellows lens and a PB-5 was my "macro lens" for years and while it acquitted itself well, I can't say that I'm going to miss it that much. And despite what people say about this lens being so very thin on the ground, they're common enough on $&%#bay and (for this purpose) interchangeable with the various enlarger lenses which you could easily mount up with a BR-ring and a thread adapter.

I own this lens and have used it a couple dozen times over the last 2 years on an F100. It's not an easy lens to use. Optically, the lens is very sharp from 5 feet to infinity. However, I have not been able to get sharp images using full tilt on macro close-ups. It may be a stability problem since the lens does not have its own tripod mount. For macros, I really like the Micro Nikkor 200 D.