Nikon AF Micro-Nikkor 200mm f/4 D IF-ED Lens

Fred-

I am in Bali Feb 8-9, 2014 but will have the 200 by then. If you are in Bali at that time lets get together.

Tom

Hi Tom,

I don't anticipate being in Bali in February. I'll probably be at home in Florida or off in another direction. The date you mention are shortly after the Boot show in Düsseldorf and so I might be in Europe. Since you mention only two days I'm guessing that you will be passing thru enroute to somewhere like Raja Ampat.

If you would like to exchange more info on the 200mm or other lenses you could send me a private message with additional contact info and we could use that for things that aren't of general interest on Wetpixel. There is always the chance that I might come out west to do some diving in Caifornia. Or a trip to do some shooting in some of the western national parks.

Fred

Hello All,

Here are some new shots taken with the Nikon 200mm Micro-nikkor in combination with the 6T close-up lens.

The first three are of a small lizardfish about the length of my finger. The first shot is taken at the minimum magnification which is about .6x, then a shot at an intermediate magnification, and finally one at maximum magnification which is about 1.8x. These are jpgs made directly from the Nikons raw NEFs with no cropping or adjustments of any sort, not even to the exposure.

Also two shots of a pair of small Doto nudibranchs laying eggs on a hydroid. One shot at near minimum magnification the other at or near maximum magnification. The larger of the two Doto's is about about 8mm in length. What is nice is that the sharpness of the optical combination is good enough that you can see individual eggs in the egg ribbon the nudibranchs have laid.

Fred

Great photos Fred

Thanks for sticking to the subject and providing an explanation and examples. If others can produce better photos shot in and shot out, why don't they publish them.

When following this thread, I find it hard to understand why others are not giving us the benefit of their experience by providing a comprehensive assessment of the issue and some test shots. This would help us less experienced, as your descriptions do.

Don

The two nudi's are a great shot.

So why does one need to use the 6T diopter?

How does the 200mm f/4 micro shoot on it's own underwater?

What kind of realistic working distance does one need if housed with a flat port on a FX DSLR?

Used alone, the 200mm Micro-nikkor focuses down to only 1:1, the same as most other true macro lenses offered by Nikon, Canon, Sigma, and other lens manufacturers. But compared to a Nikon 105mm, the 200mm would require almost twice the working distance, the water between the front of the housing port and the subject. And too often this extra water distance would result in a less sharp image. The advantage of using this lens with T6 close-up lens is that the water distance is reduced to a workable 8-18" while the maximum magnification is increased to 1.8x life-size, a very significant increase over the1.0x of the lens alone. And does this while maintaining a maximum aperture of about f4 to f5.3 for focusing accuracy and viewfinder brightness.

Fred

We use both the 200mm f4 ED and the 70 180mm macro underwater as prefered macro lenses. Mostly with out dioptre, but when needed its a Nikon 6T.

A better solution is to use Nauticam SMC on the front which is a wet Dioptre but we have only used the SMC with a new version 105mm lens.

Both of the Nikon lenses are excelent.

We have also modified housings to use the Leica 100mm Apo-Macro f2.8 lens which is stellar. It has a very long focus throw so some sort of custom focus control is essential.

Dave

Hi Guys,

I'm diving in Indonesia again and have the 200mm Micro-Nikkor with me as well as the 70-180 and older 105mm. If anyone would like to see them in the flesh or perhaps, if conditions allow, try them in a swimming pool, let me know. I also have the Nikon T3, T4, T5 & T6 close-up lenses which would allow comparisons of the lenses at larger that 1:1. And two housings with D800s in them.

I'll be in Bali until near the end of October and then move up to Raja Ampat for another five and a half weeks.

Fred

Fred,

I stopped using the 70-180 and have gone exclusively to the 105 and 60 mm lens.

I found the 70-180 a bit soft with my D800E when compared to the 105 VR or 60G.

I am envious that you are going to Indonesia. My wife has us doing a Rhine cruise instead of the Indo this fall.

Elmer

I am sorry to report that my days of going to Indonesia are probably gone. Health reasons. That means back to the Carribean. The 200mm Nikon lens is still something I am interested in. I currently still use my (new type) 105 with a +5 and +10 subsee. Imagine a 200 with a t5/t6 diopter and a subsee. Unfortunately I can't find anyone to remove the tripod collar non distructively. I would hate to spend for a 200mm and be unable to resell it.

I appreciate all the pictures

Tom

Tom. If you come through Florida on your way to the Caribbean and I'm home, I'd be happy to let you try my 200mm Micro-nikkor in a pool to see if you might like it enough to buy one. To me, worrying about resale possibility or resale value is far less important than whether a lens will allow you to get pictures that you couldn't have gotten before and whether those images will please you. I would also think that since anyone who shoots underwater would need to remove the tripod collar, WetPixel would provide you with numerous potential resale customers if you did decide to sell it.

Elmer. Yes, technically a fixed focal length macro lens, like a 60mm or 105mm Micro-nikkor, should be sharper than the 70-180mm. But many pictures that I've shot with the 70-180mm have been published in magazines like National Geographic, Smithsonian and National Wildlife. And I've made numerous prints up to 16" x 24" and larger that look quite good shot that were taken with the 70-180. Even Thom Hogan rates the 70-180mm as a top quality Nikon lens. Are you using any zooms underwater? Wouldn't you be happier with fixed focal length lenses instead of those zooms?

What are you actually doing with your pictures that requires the small technical difference that you see? Is that difference something you only see when you hunt for it on your monitor at 100% or 200% magnification? Will you be able to see that difference in the waters of the Rhine this fall?

I feel the versatility you gain with the 70-180's 2.5:1 zoom ratio, especially with respect to the shots you don't miss being able to take because whichever fixed focal macro lens you happen to have on the camera for that dive isn't the right lens for a particular subject, far outweighs any minor technical differences between the lenses. I'd rather get a slightly less technically perfect shot than no shot at all.

If you haven't already sold your 70-180mm, I have several friends who might be interested in buying it.

Fred