Seeking Long Macro Lens on a Budget!

[Kram]

I'm looking for a longer macro lens (longer than my Micro-Nikkor 105/2.8 ). I want it to be a macro lens as I've noticed that most lenses, even with extension tubes, lack real critical sharpness when it comes to macro.

I'm considering buying a Micro-Nikkor 200/4 IF. What I am concerned about is that I'd like to get to 1:1 and it only does 1:2. Anyone have any experience with this lens. I tread a review that said you need a "teleconverter" not an extension tube to get 1:1.

Suggestions of other lenes welcome but I hope to stay at or under $300.

I'll be using it on a Canon 60D.

[iangreenhalgh1]

Hiya Mark

All I can think of is a longer enlarger/repro lens on bellows.

You can usually find those pretty cheap, I saw a 150mm Rodagon go for 10ukp the other day.

[Attila]

I had Nikkor 200mm f4 IF macro it has pleasant 70cm MFD, but I found rather general purpose tele lens than macro. I believe longer lenses far less good than closer ones. I like 50mm lenses or enlarger lenses, reverse mount lenses lot better than longer lenses.
I have Kiron 105mm with 1:1 and I had both Nikon 105mm in past too. Based on member RenseH stunning macro pictures taken with third party lenses Paragon, vivitar I think proper light is much more important than lens.

[iangreenhalgh1]

Good point Attila, I seem to remember Renseh used a 50mm lens reversed on a 135mm lens.

[WolverineX]

[sichko]

[visualopsins]

Tamron SP 90/2.5 52B or 52BB

with 1.4x TC 140F -- effective 126/4, mag to 1:~1.4, retain infinity focus.

with 2x TC 01F -- effective 180/5.6, mag to 1:1, retain infinity focus.

with Dedicated Extension Tube 18F -- effective 90/2.5, magnifications from 1:2 to 1:1, no infinity focus.

[Kram]

Thanks everyone for your good suggestions!

[danfromm]

Krammy boy, if you're thinking of a 200/4 MicroNikkor AI/AIS -- that's the manual focus one -- and not the 200/4 ED-AF, stop thinking. The manual focus lens goes to 1:2 on its own mount, the AF to 1:1. The MF one is not a particularly good lens.

The manual focus lens is, as MicroNikkors go, mediocre. Much less sharp, much less contrasty than the 55/2.8 AI/AIS, 105/4, and 105/2.8 AI/AIS. This by tests in Modern Photography. My trials give the same results. I've used my 200/4 MicroNikkor AIS at 1:1 on a TC-201; if you can stand what it gives at 1:2 you can stand what it gives at 1:1 on the TC-201. It isn't my first choice, sometimes circumstances make it my only choice. Getting one for your budget will take some luck, probably waiting too.

If your project needs an eight inch lens and doesn't need auto diaphragm and doesn't involve shooting at apertures larger than f/9 or f/10, a decent 210 mm process lens will do nicely. Candidates include 8 1/4"/9 Apo-Artar, 210/9 G-Claron, 210/9 Konica Hexanon GR-II, 210/5.6 Apo-Gerogon, and others. If 180 or 240 mm will suit, you might consider a dialyte type Apo-Nikkor (180 and 240 A-Ns are dialytes, the 210 is a tessar type) or an Apo-Saphir. These are all still relatively inexpensive, are all optimized for 1:1, all hold their corrections very well to infinity, and there's not much better as long as larger apertures aren't needed.

I have nothing against tessar type process lenses but the only ones I've used are from TTH so I can't comment on ones from Zeiss and Docter, Lomo, ... Apo Germinars are highly regarded but again I have no experience with any of them.

[Kram]

[sichko]