Why I bought the 105 f/2.8 Micro Nikkor

[Gordon]

Thanks Birddog

About a week ago at night I heard a noise outside on some wood panelling of my little mud brick hut, which I'm living in whilst (slowly) building a house. Rushed outside to see one of the resident robust velvet geckos (Oedura robusta) had hold of a spider in its mouth, so I rushed inside, wishing I had a 105 micro Nikkor, since my old 55 micro isnt autofocus, and the gecko was high up on the wall out of reach- so no chance of manual focusing. I used the 18-70 @ 70mm, flash, and had a guess about keeping outside the min focus distance of that lens so the autofocus would work. I took a few pics, as it moved around trying to escape me, mostly only just getting it in frame (camera held as high as I could with outstretched arm, torch in other hand!)
This is a ~1/3 crop and ~20% reduction.

I realise a bit more DOF would be nice, but considering the circumstances I think it turned out quite well The original crop made a nice A4 print.



Anyway, I decided it was time to add a new macro lens and Birddog has produced the goods for me, ordered late on Monday, arrived Wednesday, a 105 f/2.8 Micro Nikkor

I couldnt find much in the way of subject matter late this arvo, its too hot and dry I think, but came across this spider, hanging on a single thread, and blowing back and forth through focus faster than I could follow it most of the time. I shot at f/25 hoping to improve my chances of keeping it in focus, and almost succeeded, but wind and macro really do not go well together in the outdoors!

Exposure compensation of -4.3 stops... Nikon Digtal cams, CP 5700 and D70 at least, like to overexpose in my experience. With my old FE2 and SB 15 I'd only use maybe -2.0EV on a shot like this where the subject only occupies a small part of the frame and there is nothing immediately behind it.



Gordon

[stubbsy]

Gordon

Both impressive shots, but the Gecko one is magic (right down to the look on its face). Isn't it the most beautiful looking creature.

[stormygirl]

Fantastic shots there, Gordon, although spiders give me the creeps! Especially big hairy ones <insert grimace looking emoticon!>

One day I'll buy a macro, but probably a long way off!

[sirhc55]

Gordon - love the gekko and it looks as if you will pushing the macro a lot in future days

[the foto fanatic]

Good macro work Chris.

Oooerrr! Sorry Gordon - I was actually praising your pix!

[Greg B]

Great work Gordon, and congratulations on that new lens. Fantastic stuff, and it is already giving you enjoyment.

cheers

[Gordon]

Exposure compensation of -4.3 stops...

*slaps handon forehead* that would be because I had flash set to manual when using the 55 micro the other day...
I was photographing a Jarvis Fruit Fly at fairly high magnification, the stem on the apple is 2mm diameter, and I was operating at ~ f/60, so needed full manual power flash. This is getting to the aperture range where small aperture diffraction effects start to show as a slight softening of the image.

However the flash does tend to overexpose on close objects, although not as bad as the CP 5700 where I often had to resort to covering up part of the flash with a finger to cut the output.



Gordon

[sirhc55]

Another well caught shot Gordon My problem these days is twofold, one, being in the right place at the right time, and secondly, seeing the bloody critters

I off to buy some superglue

[Gordon]

The mountainbiking riding ended a bit early after my team mate hurt his fingers so he couldnt hold onto his handlebars well enough on the rough tracks, so we quit early.
I headed over to nearby Ellenborough Falls, which were OK, but in shadow with the rest of the valley in full sun, but this goanna which was shedding its skin was much more photogenic.
I spent about 20 mins slowly getting closer and closer so it could see I wasnt a threat, until I got some nice head shots.

slight crops and resize to 1000 pixels width, 105mm 1/640 f/8 -0.3EV







crop of the tick near its eye, no PP sharpening


apologies for dial up users.. . I know what its like with large images, I uploaded these via dial up, but small compressed images dont do this lens justice.

Gordon

[Manta]

Outstanding work Gordon. The lens is incredible but the right photographer's gotta be behind it.

I LOVED the fruit-fly and damned if I didn't almost convince the Missus to let me buy a 105mm on the strength of that shot alone! The second shot of the goanna was my favourite but I couldn't use that to further my claims with the good wife as anything to do with reptiles turns her into a squealing running thing.

[sirhc55]

Gordon - superb

[xorl]

Awesome shots of the goanna! What Optimize Image settings were you using in the camera? (Eg Sharpening, Tone, Saturation, etc..). The crop is very sharp. *drool*

[birddog114]

Gordon,
Excellent macro shots! and you know the limitation of the lens!
Keep them coming.

[the foto fanatic]

Great goanna shots!

[Killakoala]

All those shots are excellent. That Gecko looks like he's going to feast tonight but i'm not sure if he'd be to pleased to have his dinner wrapped around his face like that.

[Gordon]

Awesome shots of the goanna! What Optimize Image settings were you using in the camera? (Eg Sharpening, Tone, Saturation, etc..). The crop is very sharp. *drool*

Thanks

I always use "normal" optimise, ie minimal processing by the camera, so that I have control of what I want to do with it in NC or Photoshop.

Gordon

[sirhc55]

Gordon - just noticed that you are in a beautiful part of NSW - the Warrumbungles - there must be stacks of opportunities for macro shots in that part of the world

[Gordon]

OK, just a few more pics with the new 105 and I wont waste your bandwidth for a while

Out mountainbiking today and came across a nice little creek with some damselflies (I think, or maybe dragonflies) around. All hand held, and there was a bit of a breeze to make the grass sway, so I took heaps of them, and I managed to have the subjects in decent focus in about 1/3 of them.

1.60 f/25, flash, slight crop from a 1:3 image


1/400 f/25, flash, from a 1:1 image


1/160 f/25, flash, from a 1:1 image, showing hexagonal segments of the compound eye


Gordon

[sirhc55]

The master - I bow to your superb pics (notice I say you and not the lens)

[Glen]

Gordon, all your macro shots are just fabulous, really impressed.

[Manta]

Amazing shots Gordon. Thanks for sharing these - you've opened up a seldom seen world to many of us.

Cheers,

[Gordon]

Thanks guys I guess over 20 years of macro practice helps

Gordon

[MHD]

Yes... great photos... and while I agree that it is mainly the photographer.....
ME WANTEE!

[Greg B]

Fantastic Gordon, inspirational.

[Sean]

Thanks for these pictures, your work is amazing and inspirational

Cheers

Sean