Best lenses for portrait and/ or macro ? (nikkon)

[Maxathos]

Hi all nikon user freinds,

I want to find a good lens for both portraits and macro, and I wondered if I would be better to save up for a lens which reach the 300mm focal lenght, or a 55-200mm would be a better focal lenght for both those puposes.

I'm no pro, I'm not looking at ''l'' graded glasses, I want something in the 300 (us) price range, I have looked at the Nikkon 55-200 f4 vr which has a very good price, and I'm used to Nikon dx lenses, I have the 18-55
(so with both lenses I'd have 18-200)

Which lens should I get?

 

[kman]

Nikon 60mm AFD f/2.8 Micro or the 105mm f/2.8 VR AFS Micro I guess though the 105 will be out of your price range and maybe too long for portraits anyway (but better for macro as it gives you longer focussing distance). The 55-200 isn't a true macro lens i.e. 1:1 magnification ratio.

The 60mm won't AF on a d40/d60/d5000....

 

[StewartR]

For portraits and macro you need to be looking in the 50-100mm focal length range; ideally in the bottom half of the range for portraits and the top half of the range for macro, but depending on your approach you may be able to get away with one lens.

All the major manufacturers make macro lenses that are around 100mm, and they're usually very sharp and suitable for portraits. That's where I'd be looking if I were you.