What Lens And Camera Settings?

[LipCa]

My wife wants a macro zoom for her Nikon.....  I want to make sure we get one that will take good close up pics of gold/coins, etc.

How about posting a good pic and telling what you used to take it?

Finding gold is neat.... being able to show it is good too.

[highpockets]

Nikon's 105mm Micro lens, stops down to f/2.8 and has 1:1 ratio.

 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/424744-USA/Nikon_2160_105mm_f_2_8G_ED_IF_AF_S.html

[roddosnow]

6 hours ago, highpockets said:

Nikon's 105mm Micro lens, stops down to f/2.8 and has 1:1 ratio.

 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/424744-USA/Nikon_2160_105mm_f_2_8G_ED_IF_AF_S.html

+1

great choice you wont need anything else for closeups and it is also a very good portrait lens as well.

If the cost is an issue the Sigma 105 macro is good value around $300 cheaper with very good reviews in comparison to the Nikon.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/806375-REG/Sigma_258306_105mm_f_2_8_EX_DG.html

 

just bear in mind the Nikon will have a better overall quality image for low light or if shooting faster moving objects due to its better performance at the 2.8 aperture (can get around that with flash) you would be splitting hairs with image quality unless you were looking at it at %100 on big print or on your PC)

see the technical comparison below, this site has lots of image examples as well.

https://www.dxomark.com/Lenses/Compare/Side-by-side/105mm-f-2.8-EX-DG-OS-HSM-Nikon-on-Nikon-D800E-versus-AF-S-Nikkor-VR-105mm-f-2.8G-ED-on-Nikon-D800E__361_814_261_814

there are also plenty of reviews on both on B&H 

 

[Glenn in CO]

I use a Sigma 50mm F2.8 DG Macro Lens on a Canon.  Manual mode. Aperture at 7.0, mirror locked. Took around twenty photos, focusing at the point closet to the gold and then a series of focus points taken all the way to the background. Use Combine ZP to focus stack the photos for the final image. Lots of info on the internet on focus stacking programs, lighting, lenses and settings for cameras. Gold is a real son-of-a-gun to photograph because of its reflective qualities with lighting and other factors. Lots of trial and error to get the image you want if you are a beginner, but becomes a little easier as you learn. Here is a gold specimen I photographed using the above settings. Use the zoom feature on the photographs to see the detail.