Best Nikon Lenses for Macro Photography

These are our best Nikon lenses for macro photography. What should you look for in a macro lens?

First off, Nikon uses the term “Mirco” rather than Macro in the lens name. You may notice this in the lens names below, but they are the same thing. This is just one of the bits of confusion surrounding the names and numbers used on lenses.

Ratio:
True macro lenses (aka: “Nikon Micro Lenses”) have a 1:1 ratio, which means your subject appears as big as it is in real life. If the ratio is 1:2 or anything less than 1:1 but still has macro in its name, then that’s false advertising (quite common with cheap zoom lenses).

Quality:
Macro lenses are notorious for being razor sharp, so you’re safe knowing that whatever macro you choose you’ll be amazed at the high quality they offer.

Focal length:
Longer focal lengths are better for photographing portraits, insects etc., while shorter are more appropriate for photographing products. You can obviously shoot anything with both, but certain types are easier with one or the other.

Image Stabilization:
What also matters is whether the lens has Image Stabilization, because if you’re using something long without a tripod and don’t have a fast enough shutter speed, you’ll easily get blurred images. Solutions? Raise the ISO, buy a flash or get a tripod.

Best Nikon lenses for macro we covered:
Nikon 40mm f/2.8G AF-S Micro
Nikon 60mm f/2.8G ED Micro
Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di SP Macro
Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro

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

Since the introduction of Nikon 40mm f/2.8G AF-S Micro, macro photography got a lot cheaper (Nikon calls their macro lenses ‘micro’).

The 40mm focal length is great for product, bug, portrait and even casual photography. True macro lenses have a 1:1 ratio (also known as 1x magnification), meaning they don’t really zoom in your subject, it’s the glass elements inside that actually make the subject appear as big as it is in real life.

It’s designed for DX cameras (like the Nikon D3400) so AF and image quality are top notch. Focusing is quick and precise, which is a must if you’re photographing moving subjects, and the lens has a closest focusing distance of 6.4 inches.

You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews here.

Nikon 60mm f/2.8G ED AF-S Micro

The Nikon 60mm f/2.8G ED Micro works on both FX and DX models unlike the 40mm above, so if you already own or plan on upgrading to FX in the future, keep this in mind.

With a slightly longer focal length it’s much more appropriate for photographing live subjects (bugs, insects) without scaring them away, and it’s also great for product photography. On DX cameras its field of view is actually equivalent to a 90mm lens!

The image quality and colors are both excellent, and if you’re wondering about more in depth features; closest focusing distance is 8 inches, it weighs 0.93 pounds and has a 62mm filter size. For improved quality there’s also Nano Crystal and Super Integrated coatings.

You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews here.

Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di SP Macro

The Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di SP is designed to focus on all Nikon (FX and DX) cameras and is a perfect choice for both macro and portrait photography thanks to its great focal length.

Its fairly light weight and well built (mostly plastic), but feels sturdy. It beats Nikon pretty much everywhere except for the build quality, but as mentioned before this is really the only disadvantage we could think of. For the price it’s an amazing choice and will cost you less but get you closer to your subject than the 60mm above.

You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews here.

Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro

Looking for an affordable high quality macro lens? The Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM easily takes the number one spot.

Unlike the two lenses above, the Sigma 105mm features Optical Stabilization so you can expect sharper results when shooting without a tripod. This is often helpful if you don’t have much time to prepare for the shot, or you often use macro lenses for non-macro photography. Its closest focusing distance is 12.3 inches, sharpness is top notch and you also receive a lens hood.

You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews here.

Comparison Table

2 More Recommended Macro Lenses for Nikon DSLRs

Nikon 85mm f/3.5G ED VR DX Micro – Slightly smaller max aperture but perfect for non-macro work as well.

Sigma 180mm f/2.8 EX APO DG OS HSM OS Macro – One of the sharpest lenses ever made, and also the most expensive on this list. Still, if you love macro photography and want the best, it’s worth every dollar!