Best Macro Lens for Nikon and Canon DSLRs
If you’ve ever tried to capture really small subjects (flowers, insects, etc.) with a regular lens, you’ve probably experienced that this can be quite a hassle. Your pictures probably don’t always come out the way you had imagined them. This is because most standard zoom lenses are not designed for this purpose. If you want to take truly good photos of the microscopic world around you, you’ll need a good Macro Lens.
Macro lenses are able to take life-sized images of subjects. This sounds kind of technical, but one could imagine a macro lens as a means of recording the true size and look of any subject. While macro photography is usually thought of as photographing insects and still life, the subject can be varied.
What Defines A Good Macro Lens?
A true macro lens has a magnification of 1:1 or 1.0x, capturing the real size of the subjects. Mainly for marketing purposes, manufacturers have labeled as macro lenses that have 1:2 magnification or even larger. The quality and characteristics of a macro lens depend on several factors:
- Magnification Factor
- Focal Length
- Sensor Format (full-frame or crop)
- Glass Quality
- Minimum Focus Distance
If you are deciding what Macro lens you want to buy for your Nikon or Canon DSLR, then read our overview below. These lenses are extremely good quality choices, for both Full-frame and APS-C sensors.
Best Macro Lens for Canon EF (Full-Frame) Cameras
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro Lens
Pros:
- High optical quality, with the best glass for a macro lens
- Fast and dependable autofocus, with short focusing distance
- Quality build materials with weather sealing technologies
- The image stabilization improves the quality of longer distance photos
Cons:
- At very short distance to subject, the stabilization might not help as much
- A big difference in price from the non-stabilized version
Definitely the best macro lens of a Full-frame Canon camera, the 100mm combines some of the best characteristics one would need in a Macro Lens. The 2.8 aperture is a great asset in low-light conditions, while the lens also incorporates the latest image stabilization technology. It offers the standard 1:1 magnification in an extremely high quality fashion, with superb glass quality. The L stands for the high-end product line from Canon, meaning increased weather sealing and material quality.
The minimum focus distance is 0.3 meters that combined with the stabilization and the 2.8 aperture, make for extremely sharp and bright images. The price matches the great quality, although it is not prohibitive, usually around $1000.
Best Macro Lens for Canon EF-S (APS-C) Cameras
Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens
Pros:
- High image quality, extremely sharp and with good contrast
- Very fast and silent autofocus
- Internal focus design means the front element does not rotate
- Decent price in comparison with its quality
- Small, light and with good building quality
Cons:
- At wide-open aperture, the vignette could become a problem
- Somewhat short distance from the lens to the subject
The 60mm f/2.8 is definitely the best choice for APS-C Canon Cameras, with excellent image quality and several features that set it apart. The 60mm is equivalent to 96mm in Full-frame terms, so it is the perfect distance. Although very well built, it is extremely small and light. Still considering the image quality, it employs very good glass elements, with minimum chromatic aberration, good contrast and low distortion.
Another good feature is the USM, ultrasonic motor, making focusing very silent and smooth. One small problem is that at the close focusing distance, lighting on the subject can be hard to achieve. Other than this, at a price of under $500, it makes for the best choice if you own a crop-sensor Canon DSLR.
Best Macro Lens for Nikon FX (Full-Frame) Cameras
Nikon AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED Lens
Pros:
- High image quality, extremely sharp and with good contrast
- The vibration reduction feature helps a lot at 105mm
- The autofocus is very quick and silent
- Good quality of materials and glass used
- I can also be used in DX bodies, giving a longer focal length
Cons:
- Quite a long and heavy lens, although easy to use
- More expensive than the shorter focal length lenses
Designed for the best macro lens experience, the Nikon 105mm f/2.8G shines in almost any aspect of photography, including amazing portraits. It offers a true 1:1 image magnification and a strong building quality, with superior glass elements that are coated against lens-flare and aberrations. All the best lens technologies from Nikon are present, including the SWM for silent and smooth focusing, the VR for image stabilization and more.
The 2.8 aperture means that the lens is very bright, offering good exposure in most lighting situations. The true selling point of this Nikon macro lens comes from the image quality, which can be described as almost flawless. It features increased contrast and sharpness, with almost no chromatic aberrations and flare.
Best Macro Lens for Nikon DX (Crop Sensor) Cameras
Nikon AF-S DX 85mm f/3.5G ED VR Lens
Pros:
- High image quality, extremely sharp and with good contrast
- Offers the best vibration reduction technology from Nikon
- Short focusing distance, perfect for macro photography
Cons:
- Not as good build quality as the FX lens variants
- Some visible barrel distortion
Designed especially for the Nikon DX cameras, with a crop factor, the 85mm f/3.5G lens is a great choice if you need a cheaper lens. The build quality, although not as great as the 105mm for FX cameras, is still quite impressive, with special coated glass elements and a low-dispersion element.
This lens also features the VR characteristic, minimizing vibrations and offering greater sharpness for hand-held images. If offers true 1:1 magnification and a short focusing distance.
Video
If you want some Professional Macro Photography tips, we recommend watching this video, it features a seminar by Tim Cooper for B&H
More information on Macro Photography
