Best Macro Lens For Nikon

You want to explore the world of macro photography, but with all the options out there, it can be hard to pick the best macro lens for your Nikon camera.

So we took a look at all the macro options for Nikon mounts and narrowed it down to these top picks depending on what your specific needs are.

Best Overall | Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G

Important Specs:

• 105mm long focal length
• 1:1 magnification ratio, true macro lens
• Nano crystal coating is useful for suppressing lens flares
• Image stabilization is built-in for steady shots while hand holding the lens
• F/2.8 Aperture is wide enough to capture some beautiful background bokeh 

There are two 105mm macro lenses that I have listed here. One is the Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G which also happens to be my personal favorite and the other belongs to the new z mount camera system – the Nikkor Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S. I have discussed the Z mount lens right below. But first, let’s talk about the 105mm f/2.8G.

The 105mm has the longest focal length among all the proprietary Nikkor micro lenses that Nikon still sells. And that is an advantage. You can shoot from a distance, because the minimum working distance is a little more than 1 foot, and yet be able to fill the frame with a small subject like a bug.

The 105mm is a true macro lens because it offers 1:1 life-sized magnification of small subjects. 

But the one thing that I don’t like is the weight. At more than 25 oz this is slightly on the heavier side. 

But on the good side, this lens is sharp, comes with Nanocrystal coating to suppress flares (this is something you will find useful when working against the light), and has image stabilization built-in (Nikon calls it Vibration Reduction or VR).

Z-Mount | Nikkor Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S

Important Specs:

• S series lens, Nikkor’s highest-rated Z mount lenses
• Maximum aperture of f/2.8 will capture a lot of light and also help produce beautiful bokeh
• Vibration reduction built-in for a steady shot
• 1:1 magnification ratio
• OLED display 
• Focus Delimiter button for controlling focusing distance

The Nikkor Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S is a multi-coated S series lens designed primarily for macro photography. This is a newly released lens that adds to the growing Z mount lens line-up.

This lens too offers a 1:1 reproduction ratio, meaning you can capture life-sized reproduction of small subjects. S series lenses are known for their optical superiority and this lens is nothing short of excellent.

It displays very little distortions if any at all and chromatic aberrations are very well suppressed. Even when shooting at f/2.8 when such aberrations are most visible the Z MC 105mm f/2.8 displays nothing at all. 

Budget Pick | Tokina AT-i 100mm f/2.8 FF Macro

Important Specs:

• An inexpensive macro lens designed for the Nikon F-mount camera system
• The maximum aperture of f/2.8 captures a decent amount of light
• The wide aperture and the 9-aperture diaphragm capture beautiful bokeh
• Focus delimiter button to limit focus hunting and improve focus speed

Beginners and amateurs on a budget will think twice before investing 800 to 900 dollars on a prime lens. As it usually happens most beginner macro photographers will look for cheaper options. And for them, the Tokina 100mm f/2.8 Macro looks like a great value for money proposition.

However, when it comes to optical performance the Tokina is no push-over. It is almost at par with the F-mount 105mm that I mentioned right at the start of this discussion.

Tokina has worked on the multi-coating layer of this lens and the new lens is now better suited to work with today’s improve CMOS sensor-based cameras.

Crop Sensor (DX) Pick | Nikon AF-S DX 85mm f/3.5G VR Micro

Important Specs:

• On a DX camera, the effective focal length is the equivalent of a 127.5mm lens mounted on a 35mm camera
• Built-in image stabilization 
• True macro lens with 1: