Need help choosing the best macro lens for Nikon cameras? This guide will walk you through the best macro lenses on the market to help you take amazing close up photography.

Best Macro Lens For Nikon

 

Cheap Macro Lenses For Nikon: Under $500

1. Nikon AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/3.5G ED

The Nikon AF-S DX Micro Nikkor 85mm f/3.5G ED is perfect for close up, nature and portrait photography. Your macro images will be clearer than ever with Nikon’s professional quality VR II (Vibration Reduction) image stabilization system. The Silent Wave Motor (SWM) technology means your lens focusing will stay quiet enough not to scare away your wildlife subjects. And weighing only 0.78 lbs means a lighter travel experience and less chance for your macro lens to make your camera unsteady while mounted on a mini tripod.

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2. Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro

Sigma delivers for wildlife and nature photographers with their 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM. Designed for full frame Nikon cameras, this macro lens will also work with DX (cropped sensor) cameras producing an effective 150mm focal length. A minimum focus distance of 12.3 inches and maximum aperture of f/2.8 make this one of the best macro lenses for Nikon photographers.

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3. Nikon AF-S DX Micro-NIKKOR 40mm f/2.8G

The Nikon AF-S DX Micro Nikkor 40mm f/2.8G is the best macro lens for Nikon photographers who want a lightweight, compact macro lens for easy travel and quick close up photos. It has a minimum focus distance of 0.53 ft and a fixed focal length of 40mm, making it ideal for wildlife and nature photos, such as flowers and insects. Plus, the built-in Silent Wave Motor (SWM) technology will keep your camera’s focus super fast and ultra quiet.

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4. Tokina at-X PRO M 100mm F2.8 D Macro

Tokina’s 100mm macro lens offers a great close up photography experience for photographers using either cropped sensor or full sensor cameras. It has a 11.8 inch (30mm) minimum focusing distance and is capable of life-sized 1:1 reproductions. This is a fantastic macro lens for under $500.

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5. Rokinon 100mm F2.8 ED UMC Full Frame Telephoto Macro

Rokonin’s 100mm macro lens will work on both full frame and DX Nikon cameras and offers a minimum focusing distance of just 12 inches. It has an aperture range of f/2.8 – f/32 and captures amazing out of focus highlights (bokeh). This is probably the best macro lens for Nikon full frame cameras.

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Best Nikon Macro Lenses: Under $1000

6. Nikon AF-S FX Micro-NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G ED

Nikon’s 60mm macro lens is designed for both DX and FX cameras with an effective focal length of 90mm on a cropped sensor (DX) camera. The super fast f/2.8 aperture helps produce crisp, clear images at a minimum focus distance of only 8 inches. This offers nature photographers to get as close to their subject as possible with incredible detail.

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7. Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Macro

With a 90mm focal length and a minimum focus distance of 11.2 in (0.3m), the Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di VC USD macro lens is ideal for capturing subjects up close and personal. It’s a fixed length lens, so you’ll need to move around to get the right shot. But the Tamron SP 90mm gets the job done with a fast f/2.8 aperture and waterproof construction for those early morning dew laden wildlife photoshoots.

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Best Premium Macro Lens For Nikon

8. Sigma 180mm F2.8 EX APO DG HSM OS Macro

Sigma’s 180mm f/2.8 macro lens is a premium close up lens for Nikon cameras. It’s higher price tag is justified by Sigma’s Optical Stabalizer technology, which enables photographers to use 4 stops lower shutter speed than would otherwise be possible, allowing for handheld macro photography. This is key for nature and wildlife photographers who prefer to move around more frequently without the need for their camera to be limited by where their tripod will fit. Plus, the 180mm focal length with a minimum focusing distance of 18.5 inches will easily produce closeup images at a 1:1 magnification.

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Best Macro Zoom Lenses

9.Tamron AF 70-200mm f/2.8 Di LD IF Macro Zoom Lens

The Tamron AF 70-200mm f/2.8 Di LD IF macro zoom lens has a 70-200mm focal length range allowing flexibility to macro photographers in the field. It will mount onto an APS-C camera with an equivalent focal length range of 105-300mm. This is an excellent choice for wildlife photographers who want to capture close up detail from a safe distance.

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10. Tamron Auto Focus 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens

Just like the 70-200mm macro zoom lens, this Tamron 70-300mm is a fantastic option for photographers who want zoom capability. It has a close minimum focusing distance of 3.1 ft (0.95m) and offers an incredible magnification ratio of 1:2. This gives wildlife and nature photographers a lot of options for capturing loads of detail in their closeup shots. Plus, this is an incredibly affordable macro zoom lens at under $200.

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What Makes The Best Nikon Close Up Lens?

Macro Lens Ratios

Choosing a macro lens with a 1:1 lens ratio allows you to get closer to your subject and capture it at true life size. For example, if you’re photographing a bumble bee that is 25mm long, that bee will actually be 25mm long on your camera’s sensor. If you have a lower lens ratio like 1:2, that same bumble bee will only be 12.5mm on your camera sensor.

Minimum Focus Distance

When searching for the best macro lens, you’ll notice that they come with a minimum focus distance. This is the shortest distance at which the lens can focus. Typically, the smaller focal length of the lens, the shorter the minimum focus distance. For example, a 60mm focal length macro lens may have a minimum focus distance of 8 inches, whereas a 70-300mm focal distance lens may have a minimum focus distance of over 3 feet.

Minimum Focus Distance

The optimal minimum focus distance for you will depend on what you intend to photograph. Generally speaking, the smaller your subject, the shorter the minimum focus distance you may want. However, even when working with small subjects like insects, you might find it better to use a lens with a longer minimum focus distance so you can position yourself further away so as not to frighten or disturb your subject.

Quiet Auto Focus Technology

When your lens tries to find focus, it makes noise. But noise can scare away animals and other wildlife when you’re taking close up macro photos only inches or feet away from your subject. So choosing a macro lens with a quiet auto focus mechanism built in is important. For example, some Nikon macro lenses have a Silent Wave Motor (SWM) technology built in to drastically reduce auto focus noise.

Which Are Your Favorite Nikon Macro Lenses?

Now that we’ve shared our best macro lens for Nikon list, we’d love to know which macro lens is your favorite. Let the Schubert Photography community know in the comments below.

Happy shooting!

Last update on 2024-11-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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