The Dörr 60mm F/2.8 2:1 Macro Lens

[John Seaman]

The Dörr 60mm F/2.8 2:1 Macro Lens came to me from the auction site. I’d never heard of it and didn’t know what to expect. It’s in Nikon F mount and is manual focus with no electronic contacts. Construction is 9 elements in 7 groups. The 14 blade manual aperture isn’t click stopped, so you have to take your eye away from the camera to check what aperture is set.  The whole focusing system is internal, with no front rotation or change of length. It must be quite a complex mechanism, giving a range from infinity, via 1:1, to full 2:1 (not 1:2) with a throw of around 150 degrees. At maximum magnification the subject is only an inch or so from the front element, whick looks like plane glass.. Focusing is extremely critical and I think it’s pretty much imperative to use a solid tripod. for example the distance between the infinity and 1M marks on the scale is only around 6mm. On my example at least, focus action is rather stiff, perhaps not surprisingly given the complexity.

I’ve not been able to find any real objective reviews, most of the references just quote the Dörr website. Most references say that it’s an APS-C lens but I used it on a full frame D700 and it does seem to cover the whole frame quite adequately. Here’s the lens and a few examples:

[Edwin Barkdoll]

It would be interesting to see some shots at full magnification or at least 1:1 compared to, say, the Nikkor 105 f/2.8 or the Nikkor 60 f/2.8.

[bgelfand]

I would be interested to know why you decided to buy this brand rather than a Nikkor 60mm macro. Price/performance? Image quality? Has it lived up to your expectations?

[rodeo_joe1]

Looks pretty good from those sample pix... and no sign of the green-purple LoCa that dogs most of Nikon's Micro-Nikkor efforts. 

I'd never heard of Dorr. Must investigate them further. However, I recently bought a fairly good trinocular microscope that I've just finished restoring (it was gummed up with solidified grease - same old story). So I'm more into micro than macro photography at the moment. And short of subject-matter and ideas too! 

[jameselwing]

It's a nice fast macro. If there are no aperture / focus variation issues, as there don't seem to be, good. It's not a name I have run into either

James

[John Seaman]

On 11/13/2024 at 3:22 AM, Edwin Barkdoll said:

It would be interesting to see some shots at full magnification or at least 1:1 compared to, say, the Nikkor 105 f/2.8 or the Nikkor 60 f/2.8.

 

On 11/14/2024 at 6:59 AM, bgelfand said:

I would be interested to know why you decided to buy this brand rather than a Nikkor 60mm macro. Price/performance? Image quality? Has it lived up to your expectations?

Thanks for all the comments. I never got anywhere near the claimed 2:1 magnification, I rarely even go to 1:1. To be honest it was an impulse buy from the auction site, for around £40 if I recall correctly, I already have a Nikon fit Cosina macro lens which does everything I need. As well an a lovely Minolta 100mm Macro for my Sony Alpha 900.

I'd never heard of Dorr (can't be bothered with the umlaut) and the only references I could find more or less copy the Dorr website. I don't even know the country of origin probably China I guess.

[Gerald Cafferty]

I've got a couple of dorr lens pouches which I'm very pleased with and a flash defuser, didn't know they did Lenses,

https://harrisoncameras.co.uk/products/dorr-skin-camera-case-l-black-drawstring-pouch-420333?variant=48059746156809&country=GB&currency=GBP&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&srsltid=AfmBOooOaN46dVgc_w_HxPLd355S0_m8_Df9erF_IHAHDpd26ozoYZzN6ig

[John Seaman]

Thanks for the responses. Gerald, ironically my Dorr lens came in a Neewer pouch. In the event I decided to sell it - actually for slightly less than I paid for it. Perhaps the obscure branding didn't help.