Nikon 60mm Macro

[chris_garverick]

I am looking at buying the 60mm Macro lens for use on both my D200 & my N90s. My question really

though is when I place the 60mm on my D200 it will essentially be a 90mm. When it comes to focusing

down to 1:1 does the distance scale actually change. From what I have read you get 8.75" of working

diestance with the 60mm, but a 90mm Tamron gives you 11.4" of working distance.

 

So, therefore I am assuming that with the 60mm on my D200 I will actually get 11.4" of distance to be at

1:1, if I went down to the actuall 8.75" I would be at something more like 1.25:1. Am I right in this.

 

One final question I have is should I stick with getting the Nikon 60mm or go for the Tamron 90mm? I am

talking about optically quality at this point. Right now the Tamron has a $90.00 rebate that makes it the

same price as the Nikon 60mm.

 

Thanks for all your advice.

[tonybeach]

A life sized (1:1) projection onto the image circle is the same regardless of format. With a DX format you might get one bee into the image circle, with 35FF you might get 3, and with a 4x5 format you could get a small swarm into the image circle. The optical characteristics of lenses are also independent of the format that they are used on, although perspective changes using the same focal length and FOV when changing formats.

 

For me, I would choose the Tamron because I find the working distance of 90mm on a DX sensor very convenient for up close work and the bokeh of longer focal lengths preferable to shorter ones. As far as MTF and CA are concerned, there is probably very little to distinguish the two lenses from one another.

[ronald_moravec1]

The Tamron is a longer distance because it is a 90mm lens instead of a 60mm lens.

 

The Nikon 60 does not change to a 90, it is cropped by the sensor to to equal the angle of view of a 90mm on a film camera.

 

The 90 on a reduced sensor will get the angle of view of a 135 on film.

 

1:1 focus distance with either lens is the same whether 1:1 is 24x36 or 16x24. The camera will be in the same place, 8.75 in the case of the 60 or something further for the 90. This one is tricky. Camera /subject/lens focus does not change. It is just that 1:1 is 24x36 for film or 16x24 in the of smaller sensor digital

 

What is different is that 1:1 subject to image ratio is a different size when you are film or a less than full frame sensor.

 

Now, 24x36 (1:1) with a 90mm on film, say is a distance of 11". 24x36 with the 60 on reduced sensor will be further than 8.75, maybe 11". But that will not be 1:1. It will be 3/2 size. To get to 1:1, you will need to move in to 8.75.

[joseph_smith3]

If you want longer working distance look at the Nikon 105mm AF f 2.8 D macro lens or the Nikon 200mm AF f D 4.0 macro lenses. Joe Smith

[walterh]

"the 60mm on my D200 it will essentially be a 90mm..."

 

No it will not. The focal length will not change only the crop factor. The focal length is a physical property of the lens and not the medium attached to it. Think of it this way: the lens does not know which body it is attached to^^.

 

I guess we will have to live with this nonsense for a while - the result of hundreds of silly posts on all sorts of internet forums - not your fault Chris.

 

 

If you want longer working distance .... just as Joseph said, plus have a look at the Tamron 90mm and the Sigma macro lenses.

[elliot]

"<i>My question really though is when I place the 60mm on my D200 it will essentially be a 90mm.</i>"<br>The 60mm lens on a 1.5x crop sensor will give you the angle of view that you would get with a 90mm lens on a full frame sensor.<br><br>"<i>When it comes to focusing down to 1:1 does the distance scale actually change.</i>"<br>The distance scale doesn't change. Let's say the distance scale indicates "1 foot". The lens will be focused on a plane 1 foot away, whether you have it on a film slr or a crop sensor dslr