105 AF-S VR; worth it?

annoying was the fact that in low light my old 105 micro did better at locking the subject than the new one on my Fuji S2pro

Is this unique to the S2Pro or was the performance on the D70 equally bad? And are you referring to the lens by itself or in combination with a TC/extension tube? Fast autofocus esp. in low-light would be THE reason to upgrade my existing 105mm.

Thanks

This lens (the 105 AF-S VR) works with the Subal FP-120 port. There is maybe a little less than an inch of clearance so maybe the next size smaller might work. The macro mate flip lens will fit over this port so you can get 2:1 magnification.

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As I mentioned in a previous post the Subal FP-120 port is the correct port length wise for the Nikon 105 VR lens BUT the port will not mount on the housing with this lens installed. The control panel on the side of the 105 VR sticks out far enough to prevent the port from being installed on the housing.

My camera shop just called and said my 105 VR is in. Should I get it?

I only have a 60mm for macro use right now.

Don't get it yet, first ask Ikelite if they will have a port for it (I am assuming you will get an Ikelite for your D200, since your signature says that you have an Ikelite for the D100). This lens is very wide and it may not fit inside the Ikelite ports. If this is the case, I recommend you get a used last generation 105, the prices on those will come down considerably now that the AFS 105 started shipping.

Luiz

Thanks Luis

I originally was getting the Ikelite housing for the D200, but now that the Aquatica is avail......

I'm not sure now.

more gear lust!!!!!!

I've mounted the Subal 120 FP with the 105 AF-S VR lens on my Subal D2X housing. You pull out the MF knob a little (it is spring loaded) slide the camera in and then release the MF knob.

Alternatively you can mount the camera in the housing without the lens attached then mount the lens and then the FP 120. You can do this without having to pull out the MF knob on the housing. The gear turns a very little when you mount the lens but it doesn't push the knob out any.

Is there a reason you are not suppose to do this?

I tried all my ext. rings with this lens. The 20 mm ext ring fits over the lenses MF/AF switch. The 33, 40, 50, 60 and 66 mm ext. rings do not fit over this switch. To use the 60 focus FP you would have to have the focusing gear removed.

Note; it looks as if the 60 mm focus FP with the 20 mm ext. ring would be long enough for this lens. though as I didn't have the focus gear on my 60 mm port removed I cannot actually try this combo out.

I tried this lens yesterday with my Subal D2X - and it did not fit.

It is not a port issue - more that the MF/Zoom gear on the side of the housing hits the switches on the side of the lens. I was not prepared to put as much pressure on the knob as Dave. Maybe if I had it would not have fitted.

I don't think that there will be a problem with the Subal D70 as the MF/Zoom gear is in a different place (further back) on that housing.

Alex

Is this unique to the S2Pro or was the performance on the D70 equally bad? And are you referring to the lens by itself or in combination with a TC/extension tube? Fast autofocus esp. in low-light would be THE reason to upgrade my existing 105mm.

I didn't try on the D70s, this was more of a personal test to see if I keep my two S2pro or sell them. the lens was without accessories, no filter, nada. my conclusion is until I have time to do a proper side by side test, not just a grab and point one, i'll refrain from selling the cameras. The locking on the subject in low light with a Fuji S2pro was better on my old 105, that's all I conclude for now.

A test quicky with the D200 in low light demonstrated quite the opposite, I think the Fuji steam powered multicam system is Flintstone technology and thus is hard pressed to deal with industrial revolution material.

BTW Aquatica just got their lens yesterday and tell me the lens fits in the Aquatica macro port and extension.

I've mounted the Subal 120 FP with the 105 AF-S VR lens on my Subal D2X housing. You pull out the MF knob a little (it is spring loaded) slide the camera in and then release the MF knob.

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Hi Dave,

Good news that the lens will mount on the Subal D2X housing. I tried the lens on a D200 and a D70 housing and the FP-120 port would not mount at all. I did have to pull back on the Zoom/MF gear quite a bit to install the lens on the body.

The cog for the Zoom/MF gear is contacting the switch control plate on the side of the lens. Turning this control will obviously damage the finish on the switch plate.

I've been in touch with Subal on this issue, I'm confident that once they get the lens in their hands they will make the necessary modifications so that this lens will work in their housings properly.

So that Subal don't get inundated with emails, Dave (M), could you ask if the you can easily take off the gear from the end of the Zoom/MF control. It has a screw in the end that looks very simple to remove, but I thought it is probably best to ask first?

Obviously I could just email them. But so that they don't have to answer the same question many times - it might be better if you forward this on and then post an answer?

Alex

So that Subal don't get inundated with emails, Dave (M), could you ask if the you can easily take off the gear from the end of the Zoom/MF control. It has a screw in the end that looks very simple to remove, but I thought it is probably best to ask first?

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As I service these housings as well as sell them, I can answer the question w/o bothering the fine folks at Subal. The screw you're referring to not only holds the drive cog in place it also holds the entire knob and shaft in place. You could remove the gear, replace it with a washer so that the coil spring behind it stays in place and then secure it with the screw. But this does not sound like an ideal situation to me, you may want the gear for manual focus or zoom control with another lens. I think it's best to wait for Subal to do their testing and come up with a more workable solution.

I'm trying to follow this but not sure if I'm understanding it all. My question is:

If I put a 2xtc on the body, then the lens, does this extend the switch out far enough to put the port on and clear the zoom geaer? My thought is, since I use MF exclusively with the TC, will this combo work?

Rand

You may wish to reconsider your "MF exclusively" approach. This puppy focuses fast enough to pick off those little blennies when they pop out of the hole and I know you wouldn't want me to get those shots first.

I am going to wait on Ike to fix the extension problem and count on Ike's iTTL to catch those little puppies in action.

Tom

Hi Tom,

Does the new 105 AFS even fit into the Ikelite port? That's an important detail :-)

Cheers

James

Hi Tom,

The problem (Well it's a problem to me ) is the AF will lock on the wrong area. Yes, you can lock focus and re-compose but...try it on a Pygmy. LOL! Your window to snap the shutter is milliseconds. But, you could be right.

I've got to make sure it will fit my current set-up before I purchase one for Lembeh. I leave in two weeks so, time is short. Not even sure it's available to the "common" man.

Rand

I'm trying to follow this but not sure if I'm understanding it all. My question is:

If I put a 2xtc on the body, then the lens, does this extend the switch out far enough to put the port on and clear the zoom geaer? My thought is, since I use MF exclusively with the TC, will this combo work? Rand

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Rand,

I don't have all the pieces of the puzzle (no 105VR in stock) to test this at this time but you're scenario should work. The 2X TC should move the lens out far enough to clear the gear. BUT, It may still have a problem hitting against the mount if an extension ring is being used with your Focus Control port. AND, I have not tested MF operation yet, I'm hoping it will setup similar to the Canon 100 USM and be driven directly by the ports focus cog against the lenses grip rubber (with a minor build up of the lens grip rubber if necessary).

Rand,

If you are going through LA this uncommon man has one he could lend you.

I tried to track fish in my fish tank from about 12" away. I was able to catch a 1/2" fish with relative ease. simply by setting the AF to the center and centering on the subject. Now if you want to do some fancy composing, well, good luck. Me, i just crop.

Tom

Here is a picture of the housing with the camera and lens mounted. You slide the camera gently into the housing until the front of the MF/Zoom gear touches the switches on the side of the lens. You then gently pull out the MF/Zoom knob about 3 mm and then slide the camera/lens/tray all the way in and lock it. The MF/Zoom knob doesn't rest on the lens switches. It rest just behind them. You can see this in the picture. I didn't apply a lot of pressure on the MF/Zoom gear knob. It has a spring on the shaft and pulls in and out. It just barely doesn't clear the switches on the lens. As I said you probably have to pull it out 2 or 3 mm. It appears that the MF/Zoom gear and knob is not pushed out by the lens when the camera and lens are fully mounted in the housing. You just have to pull it out a little to get by the panel with the switches on the lens.

A closer picture.

That is one fat lens! And you can actually attach the FP120 with only that much clearance between the housing and the lens?? Amazing!

Now, after more than 4,000 shots with my D2x, I was comparing pictures taken with my 105 to others taken with the 60 and 17-55 (of similar subjects, usually fish). The ones taken with the 105 are invariably softer and lots of them appear backfocussed. Have you guys ever noticed anything similar? I was thinking about sending my 105 for service, but I remember that I bought it a loooong time ago and it was a grey market lens, so I think Nikon USA won't touch it. I also thought about sending my D2x for focus callibration, but it focusses perfectly with my other lenses... Decisions...

Luiz