Nikon 105 VR

I see some of you exchanged your old Nikon 105mm lens for the new 105 VR lens.

Is it really that much better?

There's quite a diiference in price especially compared with the normal sigma 105, is it really worth it?

I love taking macro pictures and plan to do lots of it with my new Nikon D200.

When it comes to lenses I would suggest getting the very best you can possibly afford. If you compromise based on price you will always think you should have gone with the better ie: more expensive lens and will probably end up upgrading at some point anyways. You might as well bite the bullet and get the best right from the beginning.

old 105mm macro vs. new 105mm VR macro

the new 105mm VR's advantages:

-focusing speed

-nearly silent focusing (it's always fun when your shy/flighty subject hears the old 105mm grinding away and zips back into hiding)

-no need to switch between AF and manual focus (you can use single servo AF to get close to exact focus then tweek it with the manual focus knob on the port without having to switch to manual focus)

-I don't know if the new 105mm suffers from the bellows affect (loosing a stop or more of light) when shooting 1:1. I would guess, it doesn't because the lens doesn't telescope out.

I don't have one yet. But, it's on my list. I did play with one in the shop.

(I do have the old nikon 105mm AF-D micro.)

Take Care,

Chris

Yes.

The AF-S focuses much faster. The old 105 focuses very slowly. Basically you have to focus it manually. If you do this regularly the old lens is fine. It is a sharp lens. With dealing with surge, moving animals, etc. I find a fast, low light AF to be of great value so I really like the new 105 better than the old one.

It seems to me that the color rendition and sharpness of the new lens is better but they are both pretty close on the quality of the image they produce.

You have to make sure the new (AF-S) lens will fit in your housing. It is a VERY wide lens.

I really look at it from the perspective that "how many image opportunities have I lost due to the focusing limitations of the old 105?" My answer is very few if any, so upgrading for me isn't going to happen anytime soon. It is low on my toy list for that reason. Now, are there animals where I would need a better focusing system? Sure. And someday when I become rich and famous I will visit these places and get me a VR lens to boot (just because I can!!)!! B)

Went out a played with the old 105 on the new D200 and it seemed to focus much better. I was debating ebaying it and buying the VR but don't think I will now. Today I did not even use the focus light. Here is one that it locked on quick and shot.

I have only used the new 105mm VR on land and I think it is clearly an improvement.

Dave B (above) has used it the most UW (of the people I know) and loves it.

While others have used it and reported not liking it as much as the old one. One post said that they didn't like the slient focus as the sound from the old lens was actually useful in hearing when it was locked in focus. While someone else said it wasn't great at focusing at high magnifications? There is a thread about it somewhere - but I am on a poor connection so can't find it now.

Now I have a new port for my Subal that fits this lens (a custom one) I am going to buy one. The challenge now is finding one - as I turned down the one that my camera store got for me a couple of months ago because it didn't fit in my housing! I don't know where that leaves me on the list!

Alex

I just bought mine from cameraworld.com and should be delivered tomorrow if that helps ya doc

I actually Have the new 105 and have taken it underwater for 6 days of diving on a D200.

There are some fish I simply can't catch with manual focus. They move too fast. Then there are others where I have to be very lucky with manual focus. They are relatively easy with the new 105

The bottom line is that the new 105 will score an incredible shot that would be lost with the old lens. In one case I was shooting an Arrow Blenny that flicked its tail to move haphazardly from one location to the next. Even with autofocus the shot was difficult. (later we ran across a more cooperative Arrow Blenny but the shot is from the uncooperative one.)

Tom

Wow Tom, your pictures are amazing! You've convinced me, I'll go for the new lens

Thanks to all of you for your very useful answers, it's always nice to hear so many opinions.

More 105VR shots

Tom, they look soft to me. What housing/port did you use? And what F stop did you use?

FYI: there is one 105vr on sale in nikonians right now.

Peter,

On my monitor the Arrow Blenny and the fairy baslett (side view) are very sharp. The shrimp is sharp at the eggs but soft at the eyes (I posted it to show the effect of focus). The fairy baslett (front view) is very soft but people seem to love it anyhow. It is actually the one most liked by non-photographers. Go figure. The juvinile drum is not the sharpest I took but the best pose.

One issue is that these were not sharpened for resizing for the web. Another is I think I like less sharpened photos than most of you. A third may well be I have a poor eye for sharpening.

Nevertheless, the Arrow Blenny is an awesome picture. On a glossy print the colors are vibrant and the fish stands out. On matt paper the background takes on a pastel look and the fish jumps off the page. Actually, the posted shot is not perfectly color-corrected. A more careful color correction yeilds even more outrageous colors but I am not sure I like it as well.

If you send me your email I will send you a full file for your analysis.

I was using the Ikelite 5505.46 port at f/18, 1/125, 1/100. The Arrow Blenny was shot with a woody's diopter.

Tom

Tomreynolds_ilan@yahoo.com

I have the 105VR for a few months now but have not had a chance to try it underwater yet (although that will change in a few days as I finally will go diving in Bali after 6 months of being on dry land ).

AF-S is very nice but I have to admit that the lens does hunt around quite a bit when trying to shoot macro, especially in low light low contrast situation. However it is not any worse than the 70-180 macro lens that I have but I don't have an older 105 to compare. At least it does hunt very fast

When doing very close up work, a 5T or 6T diopter helps a lot even when I am not trying to go more than 1:1 so I imagine for underwater, woody diopter would be very handy.

I have the 105VR for a few months now but have not had a chance to try it underwater yet (although that will change in a few days as I finally will go diving in Bali after 6 months of being on dry land ).

AF-S is very nice but I have to admit that the lens does hunt around quite a bit when trying to shoot macro, especially in low light low contrast situation. However it is not any worse than the 70-180 macro lens that I have but I don't have an older 105 to compare. At least it does hunt very fast

When doing very close up work, a 5T or 6T diopter helps a lot even when I am not trying to go more than 1:1 so I imagine for underwater, woody diopter would be very handy.

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Note my comments in the "Happy Shopper" thread:

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=14639&hl=

That Nikon UK say that the 5T and 6T have been discontinued. Although this may possibly mean that Nikon Uk have stopped importing them?

Alex