Help, Advice for new lens

AlanD90

AlanD90

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Alan
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Hey all I'm trying to decide between two lenses , and want to make sure i make the right choice as it's alot of money.
I'm stuck between the Sigma 105mm Os HSM and the Nikon 105mm Vr ii .

The lens is for macro of insects and flowers and other general things, but will also be used as a prime portrait lens for weddings and to do the wedding flowers, cufflinks etc etc

I know the Nikon has focus breathing, which could make things awkward so that's why I am considering the sigma cause I heard it's just as good but without the focus breathing, so any advice or help would be really appreciated :]
 
Morning Alan
I purchased the Nikon 105 approx 6 months ago. For general macro work it is first class.
eg. We/I visited Sheffield butterfly farm and tested the lens -hand held/no flash-- and the results are good, the distance from the subject and still filling the frame/fast shutter speeds and good DoF WERE AMAZING.
MY NEXT TEST;-I would like to test the lens using flash--still trying to find the best flash-gun for macro work---have you any info/ideas.
 
Check out November Digital Camera just tested these with Sigma coming out Best on Test and best for both Nikon and Canon.
 
Thanks guys! I know they are both great lenses just scared of the nikons breathing but I will definitely pick up that magazine today! Have been comparing the two for months now!
Also alexdea I'm not the best at these sort of things but I'd choose a flash that works in commander like the sb600 , small enough to carry around but enough power to light up your subject from different angles and distances wirelessly.
 
Alan, I have had my Nikon 105mm VR for about a month now and I am amazed! The thing that really makes it stand out over the sigma is the autofocus speed when inifinity focused (which is a big deal for your wedding photography). You will be able to take full advantage of the low light, VR and autofocus when shooting weddings and it's sharpness is amazing.

You can use VR down to about 1:3

I am so glad I bought this and don't even mind the £600 it cost me :) The old saying goes "nobody ever regrets buying the best!"
 
I'm a Canon man so cant say much on the Nikon 105mm, But personally having and using the Sigma 105mm (Non-IS though) i think it is an amazing lens.
The sharpness of the pics is absolutely fantastic, as are the colours. Ive never had a pic that has been messed up due to the lens and not me.
So going by the basis that it works amazing on a proper camera like a Canon, im sure it should be just and good on a :puke:Nikon:puke: :LOL:

Just for emphasis here is a 100% crop from one of my butterfly pics:

IMG_4995 100% CROP by Gareth Davies, on Flickr
 
Phil Young said:
The thing that really makes it stand out over the sigma is the autofocus speed when inifinity focused (which is a big deal for your wedding photography). You will be able to take full advantage of the low light, VR and autofocus when shooting weddings and it's sharpness is amazing.
QUOTE]

That's a good point Phil, I think a trip to calumet to check out the autofocus speeds in real life would maybe be a good idea, I have a sigma lens that's awfully slow at focusing and that'd be a big thing for weddings like you said, don't want to miss "the shot"!

Snipet that crop is crazy sharp! Heard it's a great lens but nice to see a 100crop to really get an idea, can't wait to get my lens whatever I choose :) ps, I will try not to let your poor judgement of what a "proper" dslr is to affect your valuable comment on the sigma :LOL:

If only the nikon didn't focus breath then I'd be on it like a rabbit :LOL:
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I used to have a tamron 90mm. Fantastically sharp lens. It was AT LEAST as sharp as my nikon 105 however, the focus was SO slow it could only be used for macro. Now I have a long low light lens for whatever else too and the focus is always spot on.
 
So I bought the magazine and it's confused me slightly more, the charts say the nikon is sharper at 2.8 which would be great for wedding but after that the sigma wins all... Snippet you don't have any images cropped in at 100 percent of the lens wide open that I could see ?
 
I too use a Sigma 105mm f2.8 and find it an outstanding lens for both Macro and Portrait (y)and a fairly resonable cost too


Les :D
 
I too am looking to get a macro lens and was seriously considering the Nikon 105mm.

You mention this 'Nikon breathing'. What is it, I have never heard of it?
 
I also have the Nikon 105 mm. It was a wedding present from my wife a few weeks ago and is an amazing bit of kit. It works equally well as a prime portrait and macro. I love it
 
Lez325 said:
I too use a Sigma 105mm f2.8 and find it an outstanding lens for both Macro and Portrait (y)and a fairly resonable cost too


Les :D
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Les just wondering would it be possible for you to upload an image of a picture taken at f2.8 cropped in 100percent just so I can see how good it look's, I'm so close to splashing out on this lens if its images are sharp wide open :)
 
I dont shoot Macro with the lens Wide Open as the dof is very shallow at the f11 / f13 I normally shoot macro at :shrug:

f2.8 for macro would, in my opinion be a total waste of time :help:

f2.8 on a 105mm lens is a cracking setting for portraits etc (y)

This image was shot with the Sony @ f11- I feel it does the job 100%



Ant 1 by Lez325, on Flickr

Les :D
 
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Having owned both lenses I would say Nikon 105 all the time.quicker and silent
My main gripe with the sigma is it doesn't have internal focsing and when you are doing close up work the barrel extending can disturb the subject, and I just hate the whirring noise most sigmas make :bang:
As for VR not necessary on macro and even Nikon say it's best turned off
 
Gremlin said:
Having owned both lenses I would say Nikon 105 all the time.quicker and silent
My main gripe with the sigma is it doesn't have internal focsing and when you are doing close up work the barrel extending can disturb the subject, and I just hate the whirring noise most sigmas make :bang:
As for VR not necessary on macro and even Nikon say it's best turned off
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Not when using manual focusing- who would shoot on auto for macro????? NOT me thats for sure (y)


Les :D
 
WillyB said:
I too am looking to get a macro lens and was seriously considering the Nikon 105mm.

You mention this 'Nikon breathing'. What is it, I have never heard of it?
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Can anyone say they have experienced this and if it is a problem?
 
I have never had any issues with my 105mm f2.8 but then again it could very well be argues that I'm not a good enough photographer to notice. I've also not heard about Nikon breathing before. I would recommend the lens . Images are top notch even to a novice!
 
Thanks objohn, no one is rushing to say it's a problem so I assume it isn't. :shrug:
 
I dunno, I heard alot about the breathing making it difficult to have control over your composition, I know the MTF charts say the sigma is much better at most aperatures compared to the Nikon , the only exception being wide open at f2.8 as the Nikon was very sharp.
 
Yes the nikon does breath, but tbh I do not notice as I dont autofocus with it I always set the mag I want and then rock backwards and forwardsto bring the image into focus.
 
AlanD90 said:
I dunno, I heard alot about the breathing making it difficult to have control over your composition, I know the MTF charts say the sigma is much better at most aperatures compared to the Nikon , the only exception being wide open at f2.8 as the Nikon was very sharp.
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why would you need to use such wide aperture in Macro????


Get a Sigma you'll not regret it (y)


Les :LOL:
 
Lez325 said:
why would you need to use such wide aperture in Macro????


Get a Sigma you'll not regret it (y)


Les :LOL:
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Because it's also going to be a prime lens for my Wedding Photography in the Churches which can be very dim sometimes :crying: as a macro lens though the sigma does win hands down...
 
My Tamron 90 is really sharp and great for macro work where you use manual focus. Auto focus can be a little slow but you can limit the focus length range which does help significantly
 
Pay day is next Friday, going to take a long drive to Calumet and try both of them out, atm I've done a quick turn around and decided the Nikon is maybe best for me, Sigma lenses can play up sometimes, the sigma is also more expensive but the money isn't much of an issue but just putting it out there and although the Sigma is sharper at every other aperature than the Nikon except at f2.8 this makes a huge difference as sharpness wide open will be very important at weddings as will the faster focus speed.
But I will let you's know what I buy and how I find it! I think ill be holding tightly onto the receipt whatever the decision! :LOL:
 
we look forward to seeing the shots, whatever lens you buy (y)

Les :D
 
Been everywhere in northern Ireland today, traveled bout 150 miles today looking for the Sigma but no joy! I tired the nikon today but instantly disliked it! The chromatic aberration was awful! Really really bad! It annoyed me in the test shots so I knew it would really get to me after time! Very sharp though!
 
AlanD90 said:
Hey all I'm trying to decide between two lenses , and want to make sure i make the right choice as it's alot of money.
I'm stuck between the Sigma 105mm Os HSM and the Nikon 105mm Vr ii .

The lens is for macro of insects and flowers and other general things, but will also be used as a prime portrait lens for weddings and to do the wedding flowers, cufflinks etc etc

I know the Nikon has focus breathing, which could make things awkward so that's why I am considering the sigma cause I heard it's just as good but without the focus breathing, so any advice or help would be really appreciated :]
Click to expand...

Could you explain "focus breathing"? I've not come across it before. I'm another one who is very content with my Nikon 105mmVR.
 
So just letting you's know I bought the Sigma 105mm os hsm, should be in on Thursday or Friday! Can't wait! Got it for 699.00 and it was the closest shop to me that I never knew was a sigma stockists! So there u go lol!
 
My lens arrived today had it for 30mins and after taking some shots it's clear I made the right choice, the sigma is on another league :)! So glad I made the right decision, can't wait to get out tomorrow an try it proper!
 
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