LENS REVIEW: Nikon AF-S VR Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED Lens

A brief review of the amazing Nikon 105mm macro lens! I use it primarily for herping and snake photography, although it's also fantastic for portrait photography.

[@screeech1]

Those shots are BEAUTIFUL!❤

[@rainforest_eye]

Great shots!

[@bethanywakefield2693]

Awesome review of this lens!

[@wakefieldwildlife]

Thanks!

[@davidclode3601]

Excellent, thank you!

[@robguyatt9602]

Thanks muchly. You've inspired me to try shooting reptiles. I've got this lens and D850. So far I have just concentrated on a long time love of mine which is native flowers and Orchids in particular. An interesting thing though. I sometimes do that kind of photography with my 200-500 Nikor instead of the 105 micro. Go figure :)

[@wakefieldwildlife]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@raghavendrarakshith4797]

The moment you said, you use this instead of a zoom lens to shoot venomous snakes shocked me. I really liked your sample pics in the end

[@smetlogik]

Going to say the detail on your shots speaks for itself. Good review, seems like something to have in the arsenal. Sweet pics in this vid, btw.

[@wakefieldwildlife]

Thank you so much!

[@mactube72]

Excellent Images!!

[@shaunstricklin]

Your pics are beautiful 🤩

[@wakefieldwildlife]

Thank you so much!

[@user-ii2vi5hw3d]

Thanks for sharing ❤

[@louisruth9348]

"A thought" Don't use background music when your talking in a video. Its so hard to keep track of what your saying with music going on. The rest of the video is top notch!!

[@wakefieldwildlife]

I'll keep that in mind!

[@pratimsr]

Very comprehensive!

[@stanobert3475]

I own this lens and it works with Nikon's 1.4x teleconverter where you need more magnification or working distance.

[@wakefieldwildlife]

👍

[@martindz000]

Thank you so much

[@robertdavenport6705]

Cose focusing is a great attribute. Trying to shoot chickadees at my feeder on a 10' deep deck with my 70-200/2.8 - can't focus that closely .Remember ,even the length of a mid-tele zoom reduces its close focusing. Put on my 105/2.8 , problem solved. Close focusing is not just about getting really close to your subject.

[@nikicolemont5620]

I love your voice man !

[@wakefieldwildlife]

Haha, thank you!

[@57sapke]

Love the review and photos. I wonder what aperture you mostly use as I have difficulty with it to get subject pinsharp and soft background.

[@wakefieldwildlife]

For a lot of the shots I showed, I was shooting around f/13 and using a flash. Using flash really helps

[@57sapke]

@@wakefieldwildlife Thx 👌

[@LuvMyDosCats]

What a great video and amazing photos. Now I have to just come up with $1300 to get this lens!

[@wakefieldwildlife]

Watch out for a used copy on bhphotovideo.com. I got mine that way for about $700 🙂

[@daviswildlife1962]

Great review Daniel. I'm thinking about getting the Sigma 105MM F/2.8 EX DG Macro OS HSM Canon lens, would you recommend this lens for (venomous) snake photography?

[@wakefieldwildlife]

Yes, I know someone who uses it and gets great images

[@jlyriq]

I love that you put a con for it being fixed focal length lol.

[@wakefieldwildlife]

I had to think of something, haha

[@Honorsfalls]

Informative review. Thank you. Just got this lens, took first shots yesterday. Love it. Question: on D750 yesterday the A wouldn’t go wider than 3.5 on A priority or even on M. Why? Later, it DID go to 2.8 but I can’t figure out what I did. Could it have something to do with auto iso?

[@wakefieldwildlife]

With many macro lenses (including this one), the maximum aperture decreases the closer the lens gets to the subject. If you are shooting a portrait of a person, you can usually set it to f/2.8. If you are shooting a close up macro, you won't be able to.....and you really wouldn't want to either, as the depth of field is razor thin at that point

[@Honorsfalls]

Thank you for your response. I never knew that... and now I do, thanks to you.

[@wakefieldwildlife]

No problem!

[@terrygoyan3022]

Love the viper photos and the coral snake. Is that an indigo snake head at 8:45? Great shots but I think I would prefer an even longer focal length for those venomous snake shots!

[@om1882]

Hello. I just bought one and I have question if I may ask and thanks in advance. While shutter button is pressed halfway with VR mode on, the Lens constantly makes some kind of motor noise. That noise doesn’t stop until shutter button is released or after the photo has taken which means shutter button is fully pressed. My others VR lens only make noise 2 times. One at the beginning of shutter button halfway pressed and one more time when shutter button is released. Does your one make the same noise? Or my one makes noise because it’s malfunctioning?

[@wakefieldwildlife]

The lens makes a quiet sound when VR is on and the shutter button is half-depressed. Also, if you have the camera set to continuous focus, holding down the shutter halfway will almost constantly engage the focus making micro adjustments

[@om1882]

What you said and the noise from my lens are pretty much same, I think. It sounds like this lens model make noise while focusing and it just normal. Thanks for letting me know. Appreciate.

[@FlyinRyanProductions406]

Does it maintain f2.8 throughout its focal range? I have the Tokina 100mm 2.8 macro and the F stop will change through its focus range. Thanks.

[@wakefieldwildlife]

It does not. But that seems to be typical with macro lenses. The closer the lens gets to the subject, the smaller the max aperture becomes. But that has never bothered me because you really don't want f/2.8 when you are doing closeup macro anyways as the depth of field becomes razor thin

[@lillyjohn1573]

@@wakefieldwildlife hi enjoyed your vidéo, thanks .. What should I choose between Tokina and Micro nikkor 2.8f macro .. i need. A lens for crisp portraiture and intermediate macro shots ..

[@wakefieldwildlife]

Both will get sharp images. But the Nikkor autofocuses way faster

[@jma5742]

These are amazing shots. I have this lens but have had difficulty capturing as much detail. From the reflection, it looks like you have used a flash at times. is that true? or maybe I am not using the correct settings.

[@wakefieldwildlife]

I do use a flash sometimes. What camera settings are you using?

[@jma5742]

@@wakefieldwildlife I figured out some of my issues. I have been using a somewhat lower end UV filter and that does make quite a difference. As far as settings, I try to start at F8 and keep my iso low if I can and I don’t like to go be 1/125 on shutter speed

[@wakefieldwildlife]

I don't usually like to go as slow as 1/125 with that lens unless I'm on a tripod. Try 1/200. If it's too dark, try increasing the ISO, or use some flash. I have a video about that too 🙂

[@andreaskaphengst8121]

I am trying to decide between this lens and the Sigma 105. Is this lens weather sealed?

[@wakefieldwildlife]

Yes, but I still wouldn't leave it outside in the rain 😁

[@billygarrett3911]

So have you tried this lens with any of the nikon teleconverters? If so what where the results and did anything change? Thanks.

[@wakefieldwildlife]

I have not tried that

[@danielweber3433]

Two comments above someone uses this lense with the 1.4x teleconverter and says it works fine.

[@daxter_kid8606]

Could I use this effectively on a d500 even if it’s a crop sensor ?

[@wakefieldwildlife]

Yes!

[@bittersweetbodyart1536]

where’s the Amazon link? Id love to check out this lens!

[@wakefieldwildlife]

Guess I forgot to post the link! Just search Nikon 105mm macro lens on Amazon and it should come right up!

[@Triplebuc50]

Will this Perform well on a Nikon D3300 Crop Sensor Camera?

[@wakefieldwildlife]

Yes it will!

[@RapIsLife2000]

Work on d3500 ?

[@andrewtongue7084]

Those are excellent shots. I can vouchsafe for that lens - It's a permanent fixture in my bag; however, what I did find distracting was the competition between your narration & that music track - volume for both could easily be lowered - better still, lose the music entirely 🙂.

[@chitranthirupathy6678]

Do I get the same benefits if I use this with my DX body?

[@wakefieldwildlife]

Yes you would! And a little more reach

[@rainbowtrash1625]

I'm so torn between this lens and the Z MC 105 for my Z5. I'm looking at them both used, and the Z is twice the price right now.

[@carloscipriani2438]

Este lente puede usar tele convertidores pero pierde el autofoco. Eso puede ser una contrariedad pero por lo menos es posible usarlos. El equivalente para montura Z creo que no acepta ningún teleconvertidor. Has probado este lente en mirrorless o cámaras Z full frame?

[@ralffroberg1322]

Very nice pictures, well done. But the music in the video is a little to loud.

[@ranjithnathgs]

Can I use with this my D500

[@wakefieldwildlife]

Yes you can!

[@claudiagargurevich3084]

Can i use it With my D5200?

[@wakefieldwildlife]

I believe you should be able to

[@zenduc]

A good review. I myself am happy with my AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f / 2.8G IF-ED which I use on my Nikon Z7. A little advice. Mute the music or remove it completely. It disrupts your message.

[@wakefieldwildlife]

Thanks for the comment!

[@utsabdhara2269]

Can I take portraits by 40mm macro??

[@wakefieldwildlife]

You certainly can. Macro lenses take great portraits, and 40mm is a good focal length for slightly wider portrait shots

[@utsabdhara2269]

@@wakefieldwildlife thanks a lot...😊😊 So there will be a slight difference between 50mm prime and 40mm macro...or there is a big difff???

[@wakefieldwildlife]

No, not a big difference at all

[@hitman1365]

This video kinda made me bite the bullet and buy a used one at $350. Hopefully I can get great shots like yours with a Z50 paired with an ftz.

[@e-reptiledysfunction2243]

Can u film with that camera or just take pics? I've never done photography or filming of any sort other than recently filming snakes on my phone but I'd like to get something like this to film with, the quality of the photos is 100 times better than what I can get on my phone!

[@wakefieldwildlife]

You can definitely film video with this lens, as long as the camera it is attached to has video capabilities. However, I use it more often for photography and have a dedicated video camera. Check out my review video of the Canon Vixia HF G50 video camera on my channel and let me know what you think!

[@e-reptiledysfunction2243]

@@wakefieldwildlife ok thanks

[@tomroume3178]

Excellent video buddy, but you need to get rid of the music!!!

[@paulgarrod1066]

Might have been an ace video review but so don't need the music!!!

[@gerryphillipson]

Your otherwise excellent review is seriously impaired by the music which is far too loud and not really needed.

[@robertb.3651]

The music sucks...

[@Donncada1]

Great Review dreadful distracting music

[@HarveyWallbanger-ho2cq]

Another video destroyed by annoying music

[@PescesKitchen]

Love the review and tips. Not sure if you are using final cut pro, but your music is too loud on this end. I usually aim for -18 to -24 when i'm talking and that seems to work better. @pesceskitchen