Let’s Get Even Closer

I shot this Argiope aurantia in the yard this evening, with my Tokina 100mm f/2.8 macro lens.
I shot this Argiope aurantia in the yard this evening, with my Tokina 100mm f/2.8 macro lens.
I photographed this grasshopper in the yard recently.
I photographed this grasshopper in the yard recently.

A student in my most recent photography class was very interested in getting a macro lens, as was a friend and fellow photo blogger Greg from Albuquerque. It’s possible that by now they have both settled on a Canon lens, since they are both Canon shooters, but for future consideration, I offer my choice, the Tokina AT-X M100 AF Pro D 100mm f/2.8 macro lens.

A dedicated macro lens has a lot more to offer than a zoom that includes some degree of macro focusing; better sharpness, closer macro focusing, and a larger maximum aperture. An added bonus is that dedicated macro lenses in the 100mm to 200mm range are also outstanding portrait lenses.

There are a lot of great macro lenses out there. Canon, Nikon, Sigma, Tamron and Tokina all make excellent macro lenses. I know that Wil Fry loves his 50mm Sigma macro, and Michael Zeiler loves his 105mm Sigma macro. I’ve had the Tokina for about three and a half years now, and it has never failed me, either mechanically or aesthetically. Its bokeh, the look of the out-of-focus areas of the image, is excellent as well. It’s also a bargain, costing about half that of Nikon’s offering.

If you’re looking for an excellent, well-built, sharp macro lens that doubles as a choice for portraits, you won’t regret getting the Tokina 100mm.

This is the Tokina 100mm f/2.8 Macro on one of my Nikon D200s. Moments earlier I used it to shoot the image of the spider in this post.
This is the Tokina 100mm f/2.8 Macro on one of my Nikon D200s. Moments earlier I used it to shoot the image of the spider in this post.

1 Comment

  1. By the way, I do still love the Sigma 50mm macro. It has one major downside, which it will share with any macro lens of the same focal length; you have to get very, very close to your subject for full 1:1 reproduction. This isn’t a good idea for stinging insects or other vermin.

    One reason I’d definitely consider getting a longer macro lens (if a thousand bucks just fell out of the sky) is the ability to get a 1:1 image from a little further back.

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