Basics with new Nikon 105mm f/2.8G VR Micro IF ED

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JimFromAZ

JimFromAZ

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Hi All, just received my Like New Nikon 105mm Micro. I tried a few handheld shots with my D850 on tree bark in my back yard. My shots had the following details: shutter speed ranging from 1/400 to 1/800, handheld, used VR off and on, single shot, Continuous Auto-Focus, late afternoon Arizona sun, ISO 64, spot metering, f/3.2 to f/5.6. I do understand the need for a solid tripod and I just finished Steve's course on Focus Stacking which is one of my goals with this lens. But if I'm not focus stacking, how big of a factor is the tripod for stability. Let's say I want to take a picture of a butterfly which doesn't like sitting still for a tripod shot. Is it possible to use this lens handheld for close-up shots? Or is a tripod always needed? Up to now, I've been mainly shooting BIF with a D850 & 500PF, all handheld, so this macro/micro shooting is all very new to me.

Thanks!

Jim
 
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I'm not sure I'd go with spot metering. Matrix is perfectly fine. You usually will want to use smaller apertures, f/8 and smaller, for good DOF when handholding. This decreases your shutter speed, of course, so higher ISO's may be needed. Manual exposure with a set shutter speed and aperture and auto ISO works, too.
 
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aolander said:
I'm not sure I'd go with spot metering. Matrix is perfectly fine. You usually will want to use smaller apertures, f/8 and smaller, for good DOF when handholding. This decreases your shutter speed, of course, so higher ISO's may be needed. Manual exposure with a set shutter speed and aperture and auto ISO works, too.
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Thanks, aolander!
 
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JimFromAZ said:
What's your typical focus set-up? Group or Single Point or...?
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I can't speak for the others on this thread but when using my 105mm AF-S micro lens I'm almost always in Single Point AF mode. Group is great for fast moving targets like birds in flight and might be useful for things like flying Butterflies, but for most macro work I want a precise focus point and Single Point is much better for that.

A good rule of thumb for focus area selection is to use the smallest set of AF points that you can still keep over your desired focus target. If your subjects are large enough or slow moving enough to keep a Single AF point on your desired focus target then that's the best way to go. The larger area Dynamic, Group and Auto modes start to make sense when your subject moves fast or erratically and it's hard to keep a single AF point where you want it (e.g. the eyes on wildlife subjects) but for most macro subjects Single Point gets the job done and allows you to pick exactly where you want to establish the plane of focus.
 
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DRwyoming said:
I can't speak for the others on this thread but when using my 105mm AF-S micro lens I'm almost always in Single Point AF mode. Group is great for fast moving targets like birds in flight and might be useful for things like flying Butterflies, but for most macro work I want a precise focus point and Single Point is much better for that.
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Thanks, DR! We visited the NW corner of Wyoming two summers ago. Loved it and want to go back. Plenty to photograph!
 
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When I am out taking macro photos I will almost always use a flash with a diffuser

1613623387786.png


Something like this will help to get even lighting through the entire photo, you don't need a big flash, I would actually recommend getting the smallest flash you can find.

There are also lots of DIY diffusers you can make, you can just type diffuser for macro photography in to Google.

Enjoy the macro photography, it is a lot of fun!
 
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CallieRhino said:
When I am out taking macro photos I will almost always use a flash with a diffuser

View attachment 14699

Something like this will help to get even lighting through the entire photo, you don't need a big flash, I would actually recommend getting the smallest flash you can find.

There are also lots of DIY diffusers you can make, you can just type diffuser for macro photography in to Google.

Enjoy the macro photography, it is a lot of fun!
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Great Idea. I'll add this to my "Best Practices" list for macro photography. Thanks, CallieRhino
 
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JimFromAZ said:
Hi All, just received my Like New Nikon 105mm Micro. I tried a few handheld shots with my D850 on tree bark in my back yard. My shots had the following details: shutter speed ranging from 1/400 to 1/800, handheld, used VR off and on, single shot, Continuous Auto-Focus, late afternoon Arizona sun, ISO 64, spot metering, f/3.2 to f/5.6. I do understand the need for a solid tripod and I just finished Steve's course on Focus Stacking which is one of my goals with this lens. But if I'm not focus stacking, how big of a factor is the tripod for stability. Let's say I want to take a picture of a butterfly which doesn't like sitting still for a tripod shot. Is it possible to use this lens handheld for close-up shots? Or is a tripod always needed? Up to now, I've been mainly shooting BIF with a D850 & 500PF, all handheld, so this macro/micro shooting is all very new to me.

Thanks!

Jim
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I shoot gemstones off a tripod and flowers hand held in the morning and evenings. I love the lens. It is also a decent portrait lens for my animals. Lol. I also put extension tubes on and shoot snowflakes on occasion. Using a flash to remove the camera shake from my shakey hands. I had the D version and bought the new version about a year ago. Sharpness wise not any difference in my opinion but the vr helps with hand held. Enjoy the possibilitys are unlimited.
 
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I have used the 105 for years shooting underwater macro. This lens has shallow depth of field. It is usually set for f22 to get as much depth of field as possible. This helps me get good focus on subjects eyes which can be difficult at times when the small subject is moving or I'm moving due to water current. I don't worry about not enough light for exposure because I always use a strobe (or 2) when UW.
 
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During Covid lockdown in Australia I decided to get into macro as well. I got the Tamron 90mm for my D850 and also bought a Godox flash and AK diffuser. I read heaps and found the videos of Allan Walls very helpful. Bottom line was everything manual including focus. Just rock back and forth. The image below of a spider about half a cm long was handheld at 1/15 sec. I think is genus Steatoda. I took 15 images and used only 4. Blew me away that this could be done by focusing manually hand-held at such a slow shutter. It is one messy web builder. Best of luck! It is tremendous fun!

Spider_Genus Steatoda.jpg
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For me If the shot is worth stopping what your doing or pulling over it's worth doing it right. For 97% of my shots I use a good tripod. Tripod for sure if I'm shooting with a Macro or a Telephoto
 
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MorganP said:
For me If the shot is worth stopping what your doing or pulling over it's worth doing it right. For 97% of my shots I use a good tripod. Tripod for sure if I'm shooting with a Macro or a Telephoto
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Makes sense. I experienced that this weekend trying to photograph a bald eagle nest 300 feet away using handheld telephoto (D850 with 500mm PF). Just too much movement even with fast exposure times (1/2000 or faster). The next day I tried with a tripod and the images were definitely clearer and I could use shorter exposure times and lower ISO. But my tripod needs upgraded and now I'm looking at the RRS TVC-34L. Totally makes sense for macro and landscape. And it goes without saying if trying focus stacking (which I haven't tried yet, but will soon).
 
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JimFromAZ said:
Makes sense. I experienced that this weekend trying to photograph a bald eagle nest 300 feet away using handheld telephoto (D850 with 500mm PF). Just too much movement even with fast exposure times (1/2000 or faster). The next day I tried with a tripod and the images were definitely clearer and I could use shorter exposure times and lower ISO. But my tripod needs upgraded and now I'm looking at the RRS TVC-34L. Totally makes sense for macro and landscape. And it goes without saying if trying focus stacking (which I haven't tried yet, but will soon).
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For insect macro photography it doesn't make sense unless you glue them down.
 
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JimFromAZ said:
Makes sense. I experienced that this weekend trying to photograph a bald eagle nest 300 feet away using handheld telephoto (D850 with 500mm PF). Just too much movement even with fast exposure times (1/2000 or faster). The next day I tried with a tripod and the images were definitely clearer and I could use shorter exposure times and lower ISO. But my tripod needs upgraded and now I'm looking at the RRS TVC-34L. Totally makes sense for macro and landscape. And it goes without saying if trying focus stacking (which I haven't tried yet, but will soon).
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You cant go wrong with RRS tripods and heads. After suffering with poor / cheap tripods for 25+ years I dump a descent amount of money into my RRS kit. This is most likely the last tripod I will ever have to buy. The other thing is they can be rebuilt.
 
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