Nikon D60 & Macro Lens

[EmanuelCo]

Hey,

I'm not a very advanced photographer or anything, I'm a graphic designer that needed a good camera to take nicer pictures than with a pocket digital camera

I'm looking to buy a macro lens for my D60, but I really don't have a big budget. I was thinking of buying an older lens, no auto focus no nothing, I don't mind working in full "M" mode. I already have a an old zoom/close focus lens (Vivitar 58mm / 75-300mm 1:5:6) which fits and works nicely (in M mode) but I'm looking a real macro lens..

My question would be which makes to look for, and more importantly, how do I make sure it will fit the D60 body...

Thanks!

 

[compuwar]

Hey,

I'm not a very advanced photographer or anything, I'm a graphic designer that needed a good camera to take nicer pictures than with a pocket digital camera

I'm looking to buy a macro lens for my D60, but I really don't have a big budget. I was thinking of buying an older lens, no auto focus no nothing, I don't mind working in full "M" mode. I already have a an old zoom/close focus lens (Vivitar 58mm / 75-300mm 1:5:6) which fits and works nicely (in M mode) but I'm looking a real macro lens..

My question would be which makes to look for, and more importantly, how do I make sure it will fit the D60 body...

Thanks!

The manual will say which Nikon lenses will not fit your camera- generally designs where the rear element protrudes back and the mirror would hit it. I'm relatively sure that doesn't include any macro lenses- so anything that's an F-mount lens, which means not made for a Nikon rangefinder, and manufactured from about 1958 onwards minus half a dozen or so designs where the rear element protrudes.

I don't know what "not a big budget" entails for you, but if you don't need 1:1, diopters are a relatively inexpensive way to go. If you're happy with the IQ of Vivitar's lenses, then you'll be perfectly happy with a good diopter in front of them.

I found the Nikon 60mm AF-D cheap on eBay, and won a low bid- outside of the Nikkors, the Tamron 90mm SP Di is about the only macro I'd buy specifically for that purpose, although people keep telling me the Sigma 150mm macro is nice I haven't tested it, or seen a good test, but the increased working distance would be useful for some things.

 

[ChrisA]

I own an old 55mm f/3.5 micro-nikor. This is an old manual lens but at one time it was the sharpestlens inthe world. It still can capture more detail then a D60's sensor can capture. It can go to 1:1. I think these sell for about $100. I paid less.

The manual lenses work well if yo shoot from a tripod and use studio flash.

That said I'd look for a used AF lens the 60mm is not that expensive and allows you to use some automatic modes. You might want this is you subjects are, say insects or other things where handling speed matters

But do you really need to shoot one to one. Are your subjects 10 millimetres tall?

 

[Westside guy]

Just a point (that doesn't counter anything anyone's said so far): If you're shooting macro, you will want to focus manually regardless of whether a lens has autofocus or not - AF really only matters if you're also using that lens for non-macro work. So with your D60 really the only thing to think about - other than the quality of the glass, of course - is whether a given lens will meter on your camera (and, as you've already said, you're not scared to go "full manual").