Nikon 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED VR AF-SAF-S Micro Review Round-up

micro-nikkor-af-s-105mm-f-28g-if-ed-vrIf you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below. Get information and user reviews for this lens from Amazon: Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens

Photo Zone

Nikon packed many new features into the Micro-Nikkor AF-S 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED VR. The most obvious one is probably the new IF design so the physical length of the lens remains constant regardless of the focus setting. On top of that Nikon implemented a relatively fast silent-wave AF drive and a VR II (Vibration Reduction) with an efficiency equivalent to 4 f-stops. In terms of sheer performance the AF-S 105mm f/2.8G was able to beat its already very good predecessor by a small margin. The resolution is excellent straight from the max. aperture setting and the peak performance is reached between f/4 and f/5.6. Typical for a macro lens the Nikkor is virtually free of distortions and vignetting is usually nothing to worry about. …The mechanical quality of the lens is very good. The best news is probably that Nikon resisted the temptation to increase the price tag despite all the new features. At around 750-850€/US$ the lens is still not exactly cheap but definitely worth it. READ FULL REVIEW

Other Nikon 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED VR AF-SAF-S Micro Reviews

SLR Gear

This is the updated version of a classic Nikon macro lens, the Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8, the most noticeable differences being the addition of Nikon’s excellent Vibration Reduction (VR) technology to this new model, and the correspondingly higher price. This new model is also about 8 ounces heavier. Another welcome addition though, is Nikon’s Silent Wave focus motor, so this new 105mm is both faster-focusing and more quiet than the old timer it’s replacing. All in all, this is a superb optic, particularly if you’re a macro fanatic. (Many is the time we’ve lamented the lack of VR in our old 105mm f/2.8: Shooting bugs or fungi on the forest floor, there’s rarely enough light to deliver sharp hand-held photos.) Highly recommended, if you’re in the market for the ultimate macro lens for your Nikon SLR body! READ FULL REVIEW

Pop Photo

Large and bulky, it weighs 6 ounces more than its predecessor, the 105mm f/2.8 AF Nikkor. With hood, it’s 7.5 inches long, and looks and handles like a 100-300mm zoom rather than a macro prime. SQF numbers were excellent at all apertures and output sizes-as expected. Some users have griped to us about the lens’ inability to deliver its four stops of VR sharpness at close-focus. But in our opinion, that’s a moot point. We can almost guarantee that 95 percent of users shooting at 1:2 and closer will be working from a tripod, obviating the need for VR. If you’re not on a tripod, you’d better have plenty of aspirin on hand, because staring at that hugely magnified viewfinder image as it swings wildly in and out of focus with every breath you take is bound to be migraine-inducing. READ FULL REVIEW

Thom Hogan

Personally, I find the lens everything I need at this focal length. The tiny bit of softness in the corners disappears quickly as you stop down, and isn’t an issue for me to begin with. But no real distortion, chromatic aberration, or vignetting make up for what little shortcoming it does have. Fast AF response. READ FULL REVIEW

Ken Rockwell

The 105mm VR is a bargain. Performance and construction are stellar, all for under $800. READ FULL REVIEW

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