Best Macro Lenses

How to Shoot Macro   Nikon 105mm Macro History

Nikon AF   Nikon Manual Focus   

Canon

Sony E-Mount

Fuji X

NEW: OM System

Tokina for Nikon & Canon

Minolta (Sony A-Mount)

LEICA

Pentax

Sigma & Tamron

 

Nikon R1C1 SU-800 SB-R200

Nikon D200 with AF 105mm f/2.8D and R1C1 flash system.

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April 2023   Better Pictures   Nikon   Canon   Sony   Fuji   LEICA   Zeiss   All Reviews

See also How to Shoot Macro

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Great Macro Lenses vs. Great Lenses for Macro

B&H Photo - Video - Pro Audio

Crutchfield

These are all great macro lenses, but most of them aren't great for serious macro photography. What?

All of these macro lenses are super-sharp and free from distortion. Any half-decent macro lens is extraordinary for use as a normal or telephoto lens for general photography — but here I'm discussing which lenses are best for serious macro shooting.

For serious macro shooting, you need a much longer lens, at least 100mm and preferably 200mm, so that you can make close-up photos from at least a foot or two away. With any 40mm to 60mm macro lens, by the time you get close enough for serious macro work, you're so close that you block your own light, annoy the subject, and the picture looks funny because of the unnatural perspective from being too darn close.

For instance, the Nikon 55mm f/2.8 (both auto and manual focus versions) is arguably the sharpest lens in photography, but it's a poor choice serious macro use because it's too short and you have to get uncomfortably close.

Regardless of how ultra-sharp or merely super-sharp any of these may be for general photography, because depth-of-field is nonexistent at real macro distances, lens sharpness isn't important because you'll be stopped down to f/32 anyway. Therefore, these will all be indistinguishable from each other as far as sharpness for serious macro use is concerned. At f/32, diffraction makes them all the same. Shoot wider, like at f/8, and nothing will be in focus, so again, whatever miniscule differences there may be at infinity won't matter. These are so good technically that sharpness doesn't matter — but focal length does.

Hint: for great macro on a budget, use any 2x teleconverter with a 105mm or 100mm macro lens to give you a 200mm macro lens and let you stand farther away for the same magnification— but it will be much more difficult to compose and focus because you'll only be at about f/8 after adding the converter at most macro distances. For Nikon, a used manual-focus TC-200 for about $50 and any 105mm macro could be all you need.

Here are the best macro lenses for both general and macro photography. All of these are at least as sharp, and usually sharper than regular lenses, even at infinity. See also How to Shoot Macro.

Get the lens you really want, since unlike cameras, good lenses are always a great investment.

Click each for its complete review. See also the Comparison sections of many of these reviews for far more details.

 

Nikon Auto Focus     top

Explicit Nikon 60mm G vs. 60mm AF-D and 55mm AF comparison  

All these lenses focus to directly to 1:1, meaning that the image on the sensor is the same size as the subject.   

Nikon 40mm f/2.8 Micro DX Review

Nikon 40mm f/2.8 DX G (2011-today)

For DX cameras only. Won't work on 35mm or FX full-frame.

52mm filters, 8.0 oz./227g, about $280 new.

Too short for serious macro use.

Nikon Z 50mm f/2.8 Macro

Z 50mm f/2.8 Macro

46mm filters, 9.2 oz./260g, 1:1 or 0.5'/0.16m close-focus.

For Full-Frame Nikon Z cameras (also works on DX mirrorless).

Too short for serious macro use.

Check price.

28 July 2021

Nikon 55mm f/2.8 AF Review

Nikon 55mm f/2.8 AF (1987-1988)

62mm filters, 13.9 oz./394g, about $175 used (see How to Win at eBay).

Too short for serious macro use.

60mm f/2.8 AF-D Review

Nikon 60mm f/2.8 AF-D (1989-today)

62mm filters, 15.3 oz./434g, about $430 new or $225 used (see How to Win at eBay).

Too short for serious macro use.

Nikon 60mm f/2.8 G Review

Nikon 60mm f/2.8 G (2008-today)

62mm filters, 15.1 oz./428g, about $550 new.

Too short for serious macro use.

Nikon 85mm f/3.5 DX Review

Nikon 85mm f/3.5 VR DX (2009-today)

For DX cameras only. Won't work on 35mm or FX full-frame.

52mm filters, 12.4 oz./352g, about $527 new.

OK for DX, but a 105mm would be even better.

Nikon Z 105mm f/2.8 VR Macro

NEW: Z 105mm f/2.8 VR Macro

62mm filters, 21.9 oz./ 622g, 1:1 or 0.5'/0.16m close-focus.

For Full-Frame Nikon Z cameras (also works on DX mirrorless).

Check price.

22 July 2021

Nikon 105mm f/2.8 VR Review

Nikon 105mm f/2.8 G VR (2006-today)

62mm filters, 26.6 oz./752g, about $800.

Good choice for macro, but twice the price of the 105mm AF-D to do the same thing. VR is nice hand-held when used as a tele, but is of no help when shooting serious macro, which we do with strobes.

Nikon 105mm f/2.8 Macro Review

Nikon 105mm f/2.8 AF-D (1990-2007)

52mm filters, 19.8 oz./562g, about $350 used (see How to Win at eBay).

Good choice for macro, but still less working room than we'd like for the best perspective.

Nikon 70-180mm Macro Review

Nikon 70-180mm f/4.5-5.6 AF Micro (1997-2004)

62mm filters, 35 oz./990 g, 1.2'/0.37m close focus, about $1,400 used (see How to Win at eBay).

Great choice for macro.

This is the world's only zoom true macro lens, but more expensive used than the 105 VR new. It's that good. Use it when you need to reframe moving macro subjects rapidly; otherwise, get the 200mm f/4 AF-D instead.

Nikon 200mm AF Macro Review

Nikon 200mm f/4 AF-D (1993-2022)

62mm filters, 41.6 oz./1,180g.

Check price.

Best choice for macro on Nikon.

I use mine daily. It's ultra-sharp at every distance, has no distortion, it's super-tough, half the barrel is the manual focus ring I use constantly, and it has plenty of working distance between me and my subject.

 

Nikon Manual Focus     top

All these get to half-life-sized (1:2) at the image sensor. They all can be used with extension tubes to get to 1:1 life size or more.

Nikon 55mm f/3.5 Macro Review

Nikon 55mm f/3.5 Micro-NIKKOR (1969-1979)

52mm filters, 8.5 oz./241g, about $100 used (see How to Win at eBay).

Too short for serious macro use.

Nikon 55mm f/2.8 Review

55mm f/2.8 Micro-NIKKOR AI-s (1979-today)

52mm filters, 10 oz./290g, about $400 new or $150 used (see How to Win at eBay).

Great lens, but too short for serious macro use.

Nikon 105mm f/4 Micro Review

Nikon 105mm f/4 Micro-NIKKOR (1970-1983)

52mm filters, 17.6 oz./500g, about $175 used (see How to Win at eBay).

Good choice for macro, but still less working room than we'd like for the best perspective.

The f/4 aperture is fine for normal shooting, but since we lose light at very-close focus distances, an f/2.8 lens makes it much more pleasant to frame, focus and shoot for extended periods. Optically, this $175 classic lens is as good as any of the other 100mm and 105mm lenses so long as you don't mind a darker finder.

Nikon 105mm f/2.8 Micro Review

Nikon 105mm f/2.8 Micro-NIKKOR AI-s (1983-today)

52mm filters, 18.0 oz./510g, about $700 new or $300 used (see How to Win at eBay).

Good choice for macro, but still less working room than we'd like.

Irix 150mm f/2.8 Macro

Irix 150mm f/2.8 Macro

Manual-focus only, 77mm filters, 29.2 oz./828g, 1:1 macro, 1.14'/0.345m close focus.

Check price

08 January 2019

Nikon 200mm f/4 Micro Review

Nikon 200mm f/4 Micro-Nikkor AI-s (1979-2005)

52mm filters, 29.1 oz./824g with collar, about $325 used (see How to Win at eBay).

Excellent for general photography, but sadly the only lens here with lateral color fringes at macro magnifications. In its day, this was the exotic dream lens of professional bug and macro photographers, but today for product shots, it doesn't do it for me with its lateral color fringes at close distances.

For serious macro use, use the optically superior 200mm f/4 AF-D and never look back.

 

Canon     top

Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 MACRO IS STM

NEW: Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM

For Canon EOS-R mirrorless cameras only.

Focuses super close, but too wide for serious macro use as you have to get so close to the front of the lens that you block your own light.

52mm filters, 9.2 oz./261g, 0.46'/5½″/0.14 meters close focus, 1:2 (0.5×) macro ratio.

Too short for serious macro use.

Check price.

02 November 2022

Canon 35mm f/2.8 Macro Review

Canon EF-s 35mm f/2.8 Macro

2017-today

for 1.6x cameras only

27mm filters, or 49mm with included hood

6.6 oz./187g

1:1 reproduction ratio at 0.43'/0.16m close focus

Too short for serious macro use.

Canon 50mm Macro Review

Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 (1987-c. 2018)

1:2 close focus, 1:1 with dedicated optical adapter.

52mm filters, 9.5 oz./269g, about $270 new or $165 used (see How to Win at eBay).

Too short for serious macro use.

Canon 60mm Macro Review

Canon EF-s 60mm f/2.8 (2005-c. 2018)

For 1.6x sensor cameras only. Won't work on 35mm or full-frame cameras.

52mm filters, 11.7 oz./331g, 1:1 close-focus, about $420 new.

Too short for serious macro use.

Canon 50mm Macro Review

Canon EF MP-E 65mm f/2.8 (1999-today)

1x to 5x magnification (won't work for normal photography).

58mm filters, 25.0 oz./710g, about $950 new.

This is a crazy lens that starts at a life-sized image at the sensor, and can zoom to up to five-times life size. This means a grain of rice can fill a full-frame!

This one is more for the microscope guys, not for shooting the sort of fist-sized things I call macro. With this lens, you can't shoot anything at any less than life-sized.

Canon RF 85mm f/2

Canon RF 85mm f/2 MACRO IS STM

67mm filters, 17.5 oz./496 g, 1.1'/0.34m close focus from image sensor, 1:2 macro reproduction ratio.

Check price

15 January 2021

Canon RF 100mm f/2.8 IS Macro USM

Canon RF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro (2021-today)

Full-Frame, 67mm filters, 25.7 oz./730 g, 1.4× maximum macro magnification, 0.85'/10.2"/0.26m close focus.

Check price

21 April 2021

Canon 100mm IS L Macro Review

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 IS L (2009-today)

67mm filters, 22.0 oz./623g, 1:1 close-focus, about $900 new.

Good choice for macro, but twice as expensive as the 100mm f/2.8 USM for doing exactly the same thing.

They are both ultra-sharp, and Image Stabilization is of no help for serious macro shooting where we use strobe lighting.

Canon 100mm USM Macro Review

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM (2000-2021)

58mm filters, 20.6 oz./584g, 1:1 close-focus.

Check price or get it used if you know How to Win at eBay.

Good choice for macro, but still less working room than we'd like for the best perspective.

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro (1990~2000)

Full frame, 52mm filters, 20.6 oz./585g, 1:1 magnification, 1'/0.3m close focus.

Works great on Canon's newest full-frame mirrorless cameras with an EF to RF adapter, and works flawlessly on all DSLRs and 35mm EOS cameras as well.

I got mine used at eBay (How to Win at eBay).

Excellent choice for bargain macro, but still less working room than we'd like for the best perspective.

11 May 2021

Canon 100-400mm L II IS

Canon EF 100-400mm IS L II (2014-today)

Metal 77mm filter thread, 54.7 oz./1,550 g without tripod foot, 2.75'/0.84m close focus, about $2,049 new.

Not really a macro lens, but focuses so close at 400mm it generally replaces the need for separate macro lens for most users.

For tabletop and product shots, this 100-400 may be the the only macro — and tele — you need. It also replaces 70-200mm lenses!

 

Irix 150mm f/2.8 Macro

Irix 150mm f/2.8 Macro

Manual-focus only, 77mm filters, 29.2 oz./828g, 1:1 macro, 1.14'/0.345m close focus.

Check price

08 January 2019

Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro

Full-frame, 1.3x and and APS-C coverage, 72mm metal filter thread, 37.3 oz./1,057g lens only, 41.4 oz./1,173g with collar, 1:1 1.5'/0.48m close focus.

Canon's best macro ever. Ultra sharp and long enough focal length for plenty of working room between lens and subject.

check price

 

Sony E-Mount     top

Sony FE 50mm f/2.8 Macro Review

Sony FE 50mm f/2.8 Macro

Full-frame and APS-C, 55mm filters, 8.3 oz./236g, 1:1 macro close focus at 0.53'/0.16m.

Too short for serious macro use, and crummy focus performance. Skip this and get the 90mm:

Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro

Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2× Ultra-Macro Review

For Sony, for Fuji and for Canon EOS-M APS-C mirrorless cameras.

Metal 52mm filter thread, 11.2 oz./318g, 0.54 feet or 6.5" or 0.165 meters close focus, 2× double life-size maximum macro reproduction ratio lets us fill the frame with something only ½″ or 12mm across!!!

Excellent optics and goes all the way to TWICE life size, but zero data coupling to the camera making it a pain to use except on a tripod.

Check prices.

03 February 2020

Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS

Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS.

Full-frame and APS-C, 62mm filters, 21.3 oz./603g, 1:1 macro close focus at 0.9'/0.28m.

Best macro available for Sony mirrorless.

 

Fuji X (APS-C)     top

Fuji XF 60mm Review

XF 60mm f/2.4 R Macro

(90mm equivalent)

39mm filters, 7.7 oz./218g, 0.9'/0.27m close focus.

Pretty good performance, but only goes to half life-sized.

2012 ~

Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro

Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2× Ultra-Macro

For Sony, for Fuji and for Canon EOS-M APS-C mirrorless cameras.

Metal 52mm filter thread, 11.2 oz./318g, 0.54 feet or 6.5" or 0.165 meters close focus, 2× double life-size maximum macro reproduction ratio lets us fill the frame with something only ½″ or 12mm across!!!

Excellent optics and goes all the way to TWICE life size, but zero data coupling to the camera making it a pain to use except on a tripod.

Check prices.

03 February 2020

Fujifilm 80mm f/2.8 Macro

XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro

(120mm equivalent)

62mm filters, 26.3 oz./746g, 1:1 macro or 0.8'/0.25m close focus.

Best macro for Fuji cameras.

Check price.

27 March 2019

 

OM System (née Olympus)     top

OM System 90mm f/3.5 IS MACRO PRO

NEW: OM 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO (2023-today)

180mm full-frame equivalent62mm filters, 15.9 oz./451 g, 0.735'/8.8"/224mm close focus, 2× (4× eq.)  macro ratio.

Check price.

April 2023

 

Minolta MAXXUM (Sony A-Mount)     top

Minolta 50mm Macro

Minolta 50mm f/2.8 (1985-today)

55mm filters, 11.1 oz./315 g, 1:1 close focus, about $200 used (see How to Win at eBay).

Too short for serious macro use.

Minolta 100mm Macro

Minolta 100mm f/2.8 (1986-today)

55mm filter thread, 18.1 oz./513 g, 1:1 close focus, about $400 used (see How to Win at eBay).

Best choice for macro on Minolta and Sony. There is no 200mm macro for Minolta or Sony, so this is the best there is, with flawless optics.

click to see them

Minolta 200mm f/4 Macro (1999-2000)

72mm filter thread, 39.9 oz./1,130 g, 1:1 close focus, about $2,200 used (see How to Win at eBay).

This is the very best choice for macro on Minolta and Sony, except that these are less common and you can buy a used Canon 180mm f/3.5 L or Nikon 200mm f/4 AF-D and another body to go with it for the same price as this lens alone.

Also try the Minolta 100mm f/2.8 and a 2x teleconverter to make a poor-man's 200mm f/5.6 macro.

 

Tokina for Nikon and Canon     top

Tokina 100mm Macro

Tokina 100mm f/2.8 (2006-today)

55mm filters, 18.1 oz./513g, 1:1 close focus, about $460.

Good choice for macro on Canon and on Nikon, but a 180mm or 200mm lens is much better for practical and perspective reasons.

If you won't spring for the Nikon 200mm f/4 AF-D or Canon 180mm f/3.5 L, this Tokina is as good optically as Nikon's or Canon's 100mm and 105mm lenses.

 

LEICA M     top

LEICA 50mm f/2 Dual Range

LEICA SUMMICRON 50mm f/2 with near-focusing range (1956-1968)

39mm filters, near-focusing range to 478mm, 12.0 oz./339g + 1.9 oz./52g finder attachment, SOMNI or 11 918, about $1,200 used (see How to Win at eBay).

Too short for serious macro use.

LEICA 90mm f/4 macro

LEICA MACRO-ELMAR-M 90mm f/4 (2003-today)

39mm filters, 7.8 oz./223g, about $4,000 with adapter, new.

Best choice for macro on LEICA M, but shooting macro on a rangefinder camera is for masochists unless you use a VISOFLEX system or the live-view of the newest LEICA M240.

 

Pentax     top

Pentax 100mm f/2.8 WR

Pentax 100mm f/2.8 D FA WR (2000s)

49mm filters, 1:1 close focus, 11.9 oz./336g, about $550.

Good choice for macro on any Pentax digital camera—but a 180mm or 200mm lens is much better for practical and perspective reasons.

Pentax 100mm f/2.8

SMC Pentax-M 100mm f/4 (1977-1984)

49mm filters, 1:2 close-focus, 12.5 oz./354g, about $100 used (see How to Win at eBay).

Good choice for macro on any Pentax camera 35mm or digital—but a 180mm or 200mm lens is much better for practical and perspective reasons.

 

Sigma and Tamron     top

I wouldn't buy either of these brands. Even if the optics can be as good as the others, the mechanical quality of the samples I've seen has not been up to my standards, and there is far more potential for the lenses you buy today not to work on the cameras you buy tomorrow with these brands than with camera-maker-brand lenses.

The main reason people bought Sigma and Tamron was for price. Today, you're much better off with a used manual-focus Micro-NIKKOR for even less money with far superior quality, but hey, if you prefer these off-brands, don't let me stop you.

 

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