need some gear advice: macro lens for nikon DSLR -- what focal length?

[nashville_brook]

I'm hoping someone can shed some light on this for me. I want to add a macro lens to my kit and I'm not really understanding the options with regard to focal length.

I do a lot of nature photography right now, and I'd like to work more with insects, lizards and other wee beasties. I also do a little bit of photography for marketing/advertising (but that's really not a big concern -- just, I can see needing to do product shots from time to time).

Since I want to shoot close-ups of bugs, does it make sense to get a longer lens -- say, 105mm and over? Or, is that really not going to matter much?

Any recommendations?

[NV Whino]

1. I have the 60 mm "micro"

which is what they call their macro. I love it. I'l see if I can dig up some bug photos with it.

[NV Whino]

2. Not a bug, but taken with the lens

Bug... sort of.

[nashville_brook]

4. omg -- those are gorgeous!

i love the water in the web.

[nashville_brook]

5. that's the nikkor 60mm?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/66987-GREY/Nikon_1987_AF_Micro_Nikkor_60mm_f_2_8D.html#reviews


looks like people love this lens.

[NV Whino]

9. Yes, that's the one

Count me among those that love it.

It has an easy switch from auto focus to manual, which you frequently need with macros. The dew drops were shot with manual focus.

[Cassandra]

3. I have a 100mm...

which, on my smaller sensor, is a 165. I'm happy.

[nashville_brook]

6. does the longer length let you be farther away and still get "close-up" magnification?

the reason why i ask, is...spiders. :)

[Cassandra]

7. Yes, because of....

bees. ;-)
Since most of my nature shots are in city parks and botanical gardens, the 100 allows me to get really close when I can and much closer than my 24-70 when I have to stand behind a fence or on the edge of a lily pond. It takes a really crisp landscape, as well.

[maheanuu]

8. Macro Lens for a Nikon

I have found that a set of tubes and a 50mm, or a bellows with a 50mm suits me perfectly. My 50's are of the old manual types and as I shoot with a D200 and a D70 I decided that I didn't need or want to buy a auto focus to do macro work.. My D70 is on the Nikon Bellows Frame with the 50mm attached and I use 2 or 3 other lenses on the D200 along with another 50mm manual lens. I shoot with 3 different zoom lenses and mostly in manual. To me it seems to be a lot simpler and I have a lot more control of my equipment and what I am doing than if I were shooting in any of the automatic settings... I guess it is all in the way you learned to shoot, and my photographer friends started me in manual to learn the basics and my camera and I just never went on to the automatic settings as I like to be in control....