Silverrails

Nikon Nikkor AI-S AIS 105mm f/2.5 For F Mount SLR Made in Japan - Excellent.

I am considering bidding on this lens for $165.00,asking price is $175.00
Please let me know or advise me if this manual Lens will be acceptable for my 1st Macro lens. Also any other opinion and helpful advice you might want to share about buying my first Macro Lens, on a limited budget. As a Beginner in Macro Photography. Thank You.

User ID

This thread will turn out the same as your earlier one about the f/1.8 version.

The f/2.5 version is still a compressed design like the faster version. The 105/2.8 macros are a simple design and therefore optically more suited to close focus uses. But really, stopped down for DoF the compressed design will hold its own for 3D subjects bigger than small bugs and such. Plus it’s a legendary lens for normal use.

Can’t comment about price. I’ve had mine since back when it was the latest thing, back when a really nice car was well under $10K brand new. Read the “Sold” listings on eBay to check prices.

tgreenhaw

You may limit yourself from automated focus stacking with a manual lens...

User ID

Thaz OK since the lens is not really very suitable for ultra macro. Manual stacking works well in the range for which the lens is suited.

Manual lens are manual lenses. They’re operated manually ;-)

cedymock Loc: Irmo, South Carolina

The Nikon Nikkor AI-S AIS 105mm f/2.5 For F Mount; I do not think this is a macro lens, it is a good lens however.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

It's a great portrait lens but it is not a macro lens. It's maximum magnification is 1:7.7. A one cm diameter coin would be reproduced at the sensor as roughly a 1/8 cm coin. A macro lens would show the coin as a 1 cm coin. FWIW, Nikon identifies its macro lenses by calling them Micro-Nikkor, and to confuse matters more, they call lenses with 1:1 up to a 1:2 magnification ratio Micro-Nikkors.

User ID

Good that you bring up its native near limit without accessories !

When I earlier discussed that it could handle “non-ultra” macro when stopped down, I was only speaking of optics, not of inconvenience or added expense. And those things also should have been distinctly mentioned.

Adding a set of auto iris tubes creates a less convenient “nearly-macro” lens and prices it pretty darn close to the Micro Nikkor 105/4.0 or a good 3rd party f/2.8 macro WITH full conveniences.

cameraf4 Loc: Delaware

I had one in "film days". Beautiful lens. "Crisp and snappy". Used by pros all over as their "go to" portrait lens.

ELNikkor

If you want to shoot macro, 105 is a good focal length, but I suggest you buy a macro lens.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

The Nikkor is a copy of the Zeiss Sonnar. It is not intended or designed for close up (1:4 or greater) and you would have to add tubes or CU diopters to get there.

For the same price you can get a Tokina 100mm internal focus 1:2 macro lens....if you shop ebay maybe LESS !
.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

As said Above, if you want a Micro Lens (in Nikon Speak it is called a “micro” lens), then buy a micro lens.

Probably you have already lost the bid if you have waited. But if it’s advice and opinions you want you came to the right place!

ecurb Loc: Metro Chicago Area

Look for a used 60mm MicroNikkor if you shoot FX, 40mm MicroNikkor if you shoot FX. All my macro work is done on a copy stand so I don't want a lot of working space in front of the camera.

User ID

So your own needs are nearly the exact opposite of the OP and 99.9% of other Hogsters. That’s plain enough regardless of poor proof reading. (Rotsa ruck with the 40mm on FX.)

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

You will be disappointed. The Nikkor AI-S 105mm f/2.5 is not a macro lens. It's an excellent, compact, manual focus, short telephoto. Nice for portraits, among other things. But it's not a macro lens. About the closest it can focus is 1 meter (~39 inches). I don't know exactly, but would guess it's max magnification is about 0.2X or around 1/5 life size, at most... far short of the at least 0.5X or 1/2 life size that's about the minimum expected of a "macro" lens (some people look for even more.... 1.0X or full life size). It's also not a "flat field" design, the way most macro lenses are.

Nikon has long made both macro (they call them "Micro") and non-macro 105mm lenses. They still do today, although the AI-S 105mm f/2.5 was discontinued a few years ago.

So, no.... Don't bid on it if you are looking for a macro lens. It's not what you want.

If you want a Nikon macro lens, look for ones labelled "Micro-Nikkor". Any Nikkor not labelled that way, isn't a macro lens.

I'd recommend the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 OS HSM macro lens. It's selling for $400 off right now: $569. And according to some reviews is a better lens than the Micro-Nikkor AF-S 105mm f/2.8 VR that's selling for $807 (or $699 refurbished). See https://petapixel.com/2020/04/15/macro-lens-test-canon-nikon-sony-laowa-sigma-and-tamron-compared/. Frankly, I was surprised by the performance of the Micro-Nikkor in that article. Earlier versions of it are among the best... but that doesn't appear to be the case any longer. Maybe that was just a "bad copy". It's also one of the most expensive macro lens around the 100mm focal length (AFAIK, only the Zeiss 100mm and Sony 90mm are more expensive than the Micro-Nikkor 105mm.

The Tokina ATX-i 100mm f.2.8 macro lens is a cheaper alternative ($429 new). But on your D3300 it will be manual focus only. It is an "AF-D" type lens, which means on in-lens focusing motor... it relies on a motor in the camera body to be able to autofocus. Only the D7000 and higher Nikon models have that in-body motor. For somewhat lower price you might find used or even still available new the earlier "AT-X" version of this lens. It has the same manual focus only limitations in the Nikon mount. Aside from some obvious cosmetic changes to the exterior, I have no idea of any other differences between the new ATX-i and older AT-X versions. Their specifications are identical (lens elements & groups, minimum focus distance, etc.) Note: Contrary to a previous response, both versions of the Tokina 100mm macro are full 1:1 capable. However, they are NOT internal focusing. They extend quite a bit when focused to their maximum magnification, significantly reducing working distance between the front of the lens and the subject.

Tamron makes two different 90mm f.2.8 macro lenses that are able to autofocus on your camera: 1. A cheaper ($499) one that doesn't have image stabilization, isn't internal focusing and uses a slower micro motor to focus. 2. A more expensive ($649) that has VC image stabilization, is internal focusing (doesn't grow longer when focused closer), and uses a faster USD ultrasonic focusing motor.

I've heard and read some interesting, encouraging reviews of the Venus Optics Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2XAPO Ultra Macro, $449. It's able to do 2:1 magnification... twice life size and twice the magnification of most macro lenses. This is a manual focus only lens (much like the AI-S 105mm f/2.8 Micro Nikkor). I don't know about the Nikon version, but the Canon variant has electronic aperture control (like Zeiss ZE lenses), which is unusual and usually only found on very expensive lenses. It's a rather long lens, but that's because the inner barrel is highly recessed. In a sense, the outer barrel acts like a lens hood, until the lens is closer to it's maximum 2:1 magnification.

Nikon themselves offer several alternatives. One of their more affordable is the AF-S Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/3.5G ED VR DX lens... new for $557 or refurb'd for $399.

They also offer 60mm and 40mm Micro-Nikkors.... but both of those will have little working distance between the front of the lens and subjects. While these are compact, lightweight lenses, they are more difficult to use outdoors. The short working distance may cause you to cast a shadow over the subject, plus getting so close to live subjects may be impossible or even risky if they sting or bite!

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

You give mostly good info - but sometimes get off on incorrect tangents !

The older Tokina ATX 100MM macro is INTERNAL focus and goes to 1:2 - I have one !!!
The internal focus version does NOT extend ! - just like the current Canon and Nikon OEM Macros

Here it is in Minolta AF mount - there are also a couple in Canon mount on ebay - but NONE in Nikon mount ??? - https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tokina-AT-X-AF-100mm-f-2-8-Macro-Lens-Minolta-Sony-From-Japan-n74/124180315962?_trkparms=aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D228411%26meid%3Ddc462c8c36354f80bfd02fab3602da55%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dpf%26sd%3D223806508932%26itm%3D124180315962%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DSimplAMLv5PairwiseWebWithDarwoV3BBEV2b%26brand%3DMinolta&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851
.