Macrophotography in a digital age

• summary
• introduction
• methods
• Olympus digital macro
• Canon macro
• Nikon macro
• see also:
  • my macro photos
  • Olympus Four Thirds macrophotography
  • macro tests - aperture vs resolution
  • my photos using the OM 50mm F3.5 on Olympus dSLR
  • Olympus E330 macrophotography
  • OM macro
  • perspective control lenses
  • web links:
    • http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/tutorials/macro/index.html 
    • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macro_photography 
    • http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~parsog/photo/macro.html
    • http://www.mplonsky.com/photo/article.htm
    • medium format film macrophotography:
      • http://medfmt.8k.com/mf/macro.html     
    • reverse lenses:
      • http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MyOlympus/message/45804
      • http://tinyurl.com/y3zmvp
      • http://www.mplonsky.com/photo/article.htm#rev
      • http://tinyurl.com/y3pwmh
    • galleries:
      • my macro photos
      • macro-photo.org
      • Damen Clarke's gallery
      • insects.org
      • macrophoto club at deviantart
    • microscopy:
      • Olympus and other dSLRs mounted to Olympus BH microscopes via the LM conversion kit
      • dSLRs mounted to Nikon microscopes via the LM V-T phototube
      •  

For ease of use, best combinations are:

• Olympus E3 with Four-Thirds system macro lens +/- macro flash system:
  • articulating live preview LCD screen for ease of use in accurate manual focus and assessment of DOF
  • 5 stops image stabiliser which works with any Four-Thirds mount lens and legacy lenses too if you buy the special lens adapter with a chip with lens focal length information embedded in it - not sure how well it works though.
  • 2x crop sensor for more DOF and more effective working distance from subject
  • fastest AF in low light if you decide to use AF
  • ZD 50mm f/2.0 macro lens is great for macro work down to 1:2 (need extension tube or 2x TC for 1:1) - hopefully Olympus will bring out a new SWD version with a focus limiter for even faster AF.
• Nikon D300 or D3 with Nikkor VR macro lens:
  • non-articulating live preview LCD screen
  • less noise at high ISO, so maybe better for moving subjects without a flash, but if they are moving, you generally need fast AF with a flash so the Olympus E3 will be a better bet.
  • marginally more dynamic range may be important in a few circumstances

Summary:

• digital cameras have made macro work so much easier and more fun.
• there are lots of cheap ways of achieving pretty good macro photos.
• for flash photography:
  • external, off the camera flash photography is often needed and for this TTL flash makes life so much easier, special lens mounted "ring flashes" can also be used but tend to give flat lighting.
  • the main difficulty is ensuring your subject stays in focus - even small camera movement when hand held may put the subject out of focus. It is very hard to achieve hand held at magnifications greater than 1:1, thus use a tripod if possible.
  • consider bounce flash to avoid excessive reflections from shiny subjects.
  • both Olympus & Canon provide either Twin Flash or Ring Flash but either system requires cords and perhaps do not integrate as well with other flashes as does Nikon's wireless i-TTL system although Nikon do not provide a ring flash.
    • Canon's unit does allow it to wireless control other flashes via E-TTL.
• for available light, you will need:
  • a sturdy tripod, preferably with an adjustable stage to help adjust the camera to subject distance
  • a camera that allows mirror lockup to minimise vibrations (or a camera with no mirror at all)
  • if hand-held, an image stabiliser or low noise at high ISO, or both.
• good, accurate manual focus is critical.
• choose camera position, etc to ensure background is not distracting
• of the digital SLR's:
  • the best options would be the Olympus E330, Olympus E510, Olympus E3, Nikon D300, Nikon D3 or Canon 1D Mark III :
    • live preview LCD screen which not only gives the most accurate manual focus available for macro work but allows one to accurately frame (100% view) with accurate DOF preview as well as allowing one to not have to have your eye on the lens. 
    • even better if the live preview screen can be moved out for easier ground level use:
      • Olympus E330
      • Olympus E3
    • better still when not using flash is a camera that allows image stabiliser with macro lenses:
      • Olympus E510 or E3 with ZD macro lenses
      • Nikon D300 or D3 with Nikkor VR macro lens
    • In addition, the Olympus E system allows almost any lens to be used (except Canon EOS). 
    • for hand held available light work the BEST options are either:
      • Nikon D300, or Nikon D3 with Nikkor VR macro lens
      • Olympus E510 or Olympus E3 with its IS combined with ZD 50mm f/2.0 macro lens
      • on a windy day or a moving subject without flash, the Nikon D3 or Canon 1D Mark III becomes the best with its low noise at high ISO allowing faster shutter speeds and maybe one day they will add an IS lens to make it the best for stationary subjects too (Nikon have one).
        • the wireless remote live preview and camera control adds interesting possibilities for nature work.
    • for photomicroscopy, best results with greatest ease of use are with a live view dSLR which can be remotely controlled, has mirror lockup and has HDMI live video out:
      • eg. Canon 5DMII, Nikon D700, Canon 50D, Nikon D300
      • the Panasonic DMC-GH1 may prove to be very useful as it has no mirror, is designed to work in live view and has HD video with HDMI output and a swivelling LCD
      • the Olympus E-30 and E-620 rate highly and have the nice feature of swivelling LCD but do not have HDMI output
      • see http://www.lmscope.com/produkt22/Nikon_D300_LM_Microscope_Adapter_en.shtml 
      • see http://www.lmscope.com/produkt22/Camera_Ranking_en.shtml for rankings.
      • see http://www.lmscope.com/produkt22/Kamera_Ranking_Beschreibung_en.shtml for details on what makes a good camera for microscopy.
  • although great results are possible with the Canon EOS cameras, their electronic coupling makes life more difficult and expensive for various macro options and apart from the 1D Mark III and 40D, the Canon dSLRs do not have good manual focus aids.
    • Canon do make an interesting manual focus macro lens, the MP-E 65mm f/2.8 macro which unlike most lenses does not focus at infinity, but focuses from 1:1 to 5:1 on a full frame camera.
  • the other brands are pretty much equal in terms of macro work, but do not have good manual focus aids unless they have live preview.
• of the macro lenses:
  • unless you need AF, consider using Olympus OM or Nikon F lenses as these can be used on both Canon and Olympus (as well as Nikon/Fuji if its a Nikon).
  • if a long working distance is not needed:
    • Olympus:
      • ZD 35mm f/3.5 macro gives 1:1 and is relatively cheap but still high quality
  • for nature macro work, a long working distance becomes important and usually with some background compression to make the subject "pop" - so many recommend a 200mm equiv. lens as a modern internally focusing 100mm actually becomes 80mm focal length at macro distances.
    • for AF, consider:
      • Canon: 
        • Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L macro USM
        • Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro USM for Canon (or perhaps the 100mm f/2.0 plus extension tubes)
      • Fuji/Nikon: 
        • AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF SWM 
      • Olympus: 
        • ZD 50mm f/2.0 macro and macro of 1:2 - can combine with 25mm extension or 2x TC for 1:1 but not internally focusing.
          • designed for Olympus macro flash with adapter
        • ZD 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 has a close focus of 1.2m and macro of almost 1:2 when using 200mm (ie. 400mm eq.)
          • designed for Olympus macro flash
          • can be used nicely with either Ex-25 extension tube or a 1.4x or even 2x teleconverter
          • see http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1022&message=28794521&changemode=1 
          • and http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1022&thread=28750957 
          • the original version can mount a ring flash but not the newer SWD version!
        • ZD 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 is a cheaper alternative and gives 1:2 macro
        • Sigma 100mm f/2.8 macro
• if you are wanting to use a legacy macro bellows system such as that made for Olympus OM:
  • be aware, you will most likely need a 7mm extension tube as well to allow adequate clearance when mounting the bellows, otherwise the bellows may hit against the camera's flash eg. Olympus dSLRs, Canon EOS dSLRs
  • using the OM bellows on Canon EOS:
    • http://www.acapixus.dk/photography/EOSbellows.htm 

Introduction:

• macrophotography is photography using magnifications of around 1:1 (ie. subject area is same as film or sensor area)
  • the term is usually applied to a range of magnifications from half-life size (1:2) to about 5x magnification (5:1) which on a 35mm film camera means a subject area down to about 5x7mm for the 5x magnification. Higher magnifications are generally the domain of microphotography and use of microscopes.
  • most "macro" zoom lenses are really just close up lenses and only allow magnifications to 1:4 or 1:3 (ie. 1/3rd life size)
  • traditionally with 35mm film photography which has a film size of 36x24mm, this means that the lens system can allow focus at least to a field of view of that same size (ie. 36x24mm) and perhaps even smaller.
  • for simplicity, when talking of magnifications, it is probably least confusing to use this as the standard rather than use the size of the digital sensor, although the latter is perhaps more correct technically.
• the main aspects to look at in a macro system are:
  • magnification - does it suit your needs of magnification
    • this is dependent on both the closest focus point and the lens focal length
  • depth of field:
    • macro work usually results in very narrow DOF which mandates using the smallest apertures such as f/16 to show your subject fully sharp. Smaller apertures risk image degradation due to diffraction effects.
    • software base depth of field adjustment:
      • Helicon Focus - automatically stacks images taken with different focus points to generate an image with much greater DOF.
  • working distance - how close do you need to get to the subject to achieve that magnification 
    • this is dependent on the effective focal length.
    • the greater the working distance:
      • the less chance of scaring a live subject
      • the less chance you will have of getting pollen, etc on your lens
      • the less chance you will have of being bitten by your subject
      • the more flexible the possibilities for lighting the subject.
      • but unfortunately, the flatter the lighting will be with on lens twin light flashes, thus you may need to resort to more cumbersome flash setups, thus the Canon MR24 twin flashes will not be as effective mounted on an EF 180mm macro lens as they would be on a 65mm or 100mm lens.
  • image quality
    • has the lens been optimised for close focus 
    • has the lens been designed for a flat field - in other words, does the point of focus make a flat plane parallel with the film or sensor rather than being a curved plane which would put the edges of a flat object out of focus.
  • ease of use:
    • for live subjects, ease of use becomes very important.
    • manual focus and manual lens stop down takes much longer and you may miss your shot if subject flies away, here AF may have an advantage, although in general, AF is more of a hindrance in macrophotography.
    • using a reversal mount requires adjusting subject distance for focus and requires you to press the lens DOF button to achieve stopped down apertures during the exposure.
    • using extension tubes for manual lenses may require you to press the lens DOF button to achieve stopped down apertures during the exposure.
    • the BEST combination for live subjects without flash would be either:
      • the Canon 1Ds Mark III with its live preview (only manual focus) and low noise at high ISO allowing faster shutter speeds + Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L macro USM but you may want to use this combo with a tripod.
      • the Nikon D3 or Nikon D300 with its live preview (only manual focus) coupled with a Nikkor VR macro lens
      • the Olympus E330 with its tiltable live preview LCD in mode A allowing live auto-focus and you to not have to have your eye in the viewfinder with ZD 50mm f/2.0 macro.
      • the Olympus E3 with its tiltable live preview LCD for MF and built-in IS for ANY lens eg. OM macro lens or ZD 50mm macro.
  • tilt lens for adjusting plane of focus:
    • these are manually focussed and manually adjusted lenses but not easy to use
    • consider the Nikon as it can be used on either Nikon, Canon or Olympus dSLRs.

There are several ways to achieve macro photos:

• add a close-up filter or macro adapter onto the front of your existing lens
  • generally this will give you the worst quality but it may be your only option with cameras with fixed lenses or those on a limited budget.
  • with the main lens focussed at infinity, adding a close up lens will allow closer focus depending on its diopter value:
    • 1 diopter => 1m
    • 2 diopter => 0.5m
    • 4 diopter => 0.25m
  • When the main lens is focused at its closest normal focus point these distances are somewhat reduced. Maximum magnification depends upon the focal length of the lens in use.
  • these simple lenses introduce some astigmatism and distortion that is directly proportional to their power, it's best to stop the lens aperture down by 2-3 stops (say from f/2.8 to f/8) when shooting with close-up lenses, especially those with higher diopter numbers.
  • Rules for stacking close-up lenses: Place the highest-power lens closest to the camera lens, then the next highest, etc. and avoid stacking more than two close-up lenses if possible.
  • A minor downside is that your camera won't focus to infinity with a close-up lens in place.
  • LMScope high quality macro/micro adapter fits onto almost any lens of focal length 20-90mm via a step down adapter to its 37mm thread:
    • LM DSLR 80mm macro:
      • 12.5 dioptres thus allows macro down to 3.12x
    • LM DSLR 40mm macro:
      • 25 dioptres thus allows macro down to 6.25x; more expensive and bigger;
• add an extension tube or bellows between the camera body and your lens.
  • this will give better quality, but you need to increase your exposure a little as your effective f/ratio increases, for example adding a 25mm extension tube is approximately equivalent to 1 aperture stop down in exposure, and putting a OM 50mm macro lens at closest focus (equiv. to 25mm extension tube in itself) which adds 1 stop in addition to the 1 stop of a 25mm extension tube.
  • In the old days you had to manually calculate this effect (and still need to today if using a flash that doesn’t have TTL control) but with TTL metering the camera automatically allows for this.
  • a minor downside is that your camera won't focus to infinity with an extension tube in place.
  • for Canon EOS SLR’s the only bellows that works is a third party bellows made by Novoflex and very expensive!
  • an extension tube may also mean that autofocus capability is no longer possible and with some lenses focus is not possible (such as fisheye lenses)
    • see compatibility of Olympus Digital extension tubes here: http://www.four-thirds.org/en/products/popup/extension_detail.html  
  • see macro extension tubes for more information.
• use a lens optimised for close up work (ie. a macro lens not a macro adapter)
  • this will usually give the best quality if it is a good macro lens.
• combine 2 and 3
  • this will usually give the best quality and the highest magnification.
• add a teleconverter:
  • although this does not allow you to focus closer, it will increase your magnification at a cost of effective aperture and optical quality.
  • a 1.4x teleconverter will cost 1 F stop in exposure as with a 25mm extension tube on a 50mm lens, and have the benefit of maintaining a good working distance while the extension tube provides in effect a 2x magnification but requires closer working distance.
  • if you are using a Canon EOS 100mm macro lens then normally you cannot put Canon’s 2x or 1.4x convertors behind it because the Canon convertors only work with longer focal length "L" lense. To solve this, put a small extension tube between the lens and the convertor
• reverse your lens:
  • this can be done in one of 2 ways:
    • purchase a special reversal mount for your SLR mount which will have a male filter thread on it of a given size which will allow screwing a lens onto it back to front
      • a 50mm standard lens for 35mm cameras when used on the 2x crop Olympus E-digitals in this way will give a subject image of about 22x28mm at a working distance of about 10cm.
      • shorter focal length lenses will give greater magnification but shorter working distances
      • the 21mm Olympus OM Zuiko gives a subject area of only 5x6.5mm on the Olympus E-digitals 
      • you must manually press the lens DOF preview button to stop down the aperture during the exposure - luckily, the Olympus OM lenses have a DOF preview button
      • focus is not changed much using the lens focus ring and thus you must alter camera to subject distance to achieve focus.
      • special problem with Canon EOS lenses on Canon EOS bodies:
        • this can only really be done through the Novoflex reverse adapter which maintains the electrical connections between the lens and body, but is a relatively expensive solution.
    • purchase a special male-male filter ring adapter which screws onto your normally mounted lens and allows a second lens to be screwed onto it back to front.
      • this is similar to using a close up lens on your main lens.
      • Magnification ratio is calculated by dividing the focal length of the normally mounted lens by the focal length of the reversed lens (i.e., when a 50 mm lens is reverse mounted on a 200 mm lens a 4:1 magnification ratio is achieved).
      • The use of automatic focus is not recommended due to the extra weight of the reverse-mounted lens.
      • The diaphragm of the reversed lens is kept fully open in this mode so it doesn’t matter what sort of lens it is
      • A big advantage of all supplementary lenses is that they do not affect the effective aperture of the main lens.
  • the main problems here are that:
    • it leaves the rear lens exposed and vulnerable to damage
    • you cannot use AF

• in general, best results would be had by using a manual focus system, unfortunately, there is only a couple of digital SLRs optimised for accurate manual focus with Live Preview for macrophotography including the Olympus E330 , Olympus E510,  Olympus E3, new dSLRs from other makers made in late 2007 onwards with live preview..

Micro Four Thirds:

• see lenses for MFT's

• Panasonic Leica-D 45mm f/2.8 OIS 1:1 macro
• Olympus M.ZD macro lens - presumably 50mm f/2.0 coming 2011
• almost any macro lens you would like to use on it!

Olympus digital macro:

• autofocus:

  • Olympus ZD 50mm f/2.0 macro  

    • a brilliant diffraction-limited lens with almost no aberrations - I love it, nice portrait lens too.

    • only 0.5x macro requires macro-extender tube for 1:1

    • 52mm filter;

    • special adapter to fit Olympus ring flash

    • ~$A850

    • http://www.popphoto.com/cameralenses/2422/ 

  • Olympus ZD 35mm f/3.5 macro

    •  consumer-grade lens giving 1:1 macro but not dust sealed ~$A340

    • http://www.biofos.com/esystem/35mc_tst.html 

  • Leica 45mm f/2 macro OIS

    • ie. 90mm macro; coming late 2007

  • Sigma 24mm f/1.8 macro

    • 77mm filter;

  • Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 macro 

    • 72mm filter; 0.52kg;

  • Sigma macro 105mm f/2.8 EX DG:

    • 58mm filter; 0.47kg;

  • Sigma APO macro 150mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM 

    • 72mm filter; 0.92kg; 

  • 1.4x teleconverter - ~$A750

  • EC-20 2x teleconverter -

  • macro-extender 25mm tube - ~$A320

• manual focus:
  • Nikon lenses:
    • AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D  
    • AF Micro-Nikkor 200mm f/4D
    • Nikon manual focus lenses (see under Nikon)
  • Olympus OM lenses:
    • OM macro
    • Olympus E330 and OM macro lensesI
    • E330 with OM lenses
  • many others
• macro flashes for Olympus:
  • Olympus FC01 Macro Flash Controller ~$US300
    • required to control either:
      • Olympus Ring flash SRF-11 with GN 11m $US600 ($A1260 with controller)
        • only compatible with lenses:  ZD 50mm f/2 macro (via FR-1 adapter), 14-54mm, 50-200mm but not the SWD version!
        • also compatible with Olympus C7070WZ  with FR-100 flash adapter.
        • see http://www.olympus.co.jp/en/support/imsg/digicamera/compati/e_system.cfm 
      • Olympus Twin Flash TF-22
        • mount onto ZD 50mm f/2 macro lens via FR-1 adapter (bayonet mount as for ring flash)
        • the Shoe Ring SR-1 allows mounting onto filter threads of either 67mm or 72mm which allows attachment to ZD lenses 14-54mm, 50-200mm, and 11-22mm.
    • can be used with:
      • Olympus Flash High-Voltage Set FS-SHV-1
      • Olympus FR1 Flash Ring Adapter ~$US90
        • allows either flash to be mounted on an Olympus ZD 50mm f/2.0 macro lens
    • NB. these units attach to the lens via the lens front lens hood bayonet mount not a filter thread.

Canon macro:

• magnifications are for 1.3x crop camera unless specified as the 1D mark III is the only Canon so far with live preview (40D and 1DsMIII now also have live preview).
• autofocus:
  • Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro hybrid IS L lens
    • announced Sept 2009 - see here
    • probably the best option for most people who can afford it as easiest to use with AF, good focal length and mage stabiliser at last.
    • 3 position focus range limiter; 67mm filter; 1:1 macro at 0.3m.
    • $US1049
  • Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 macro USM $A999
    • minimum focus 0.31m for 1:1 on a full frame but 1.3:1 on 1.3x crop
    • 600g - perhaps the best option if you cannot afford the new IS version
    • Canon EF-12 extension tube $A159 gives 1.5-0.16x
    • Canon EF-25 extension tube $A279 gives 1.81-0.34x
    • http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/lenses/canon_macro.shtml 
  • Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 compact macro $A509
    • minimum focus 0.23m 0.65x magnification
    • 280g but consumer quality only;
    • optional LifeSize Converter for 1:1 $A440
  • Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L macro USM  $A2699
    • minimum focus 0.48m for 1:1 on a full frame but 1.3:1 on 1.3x crop
    • internal focus; very sharp; 72mm filter
    • probably a bit too long for medical work and heavy (1.09kg)
    • AF a bit slow for mainstream telephoto work especially if it has to search (4-5secs), help it by MF to the correct range then let it AF, action photography is possible, eg. birds in flight.
    • very shallow DOF, bokeh not so good at f/5.6 or smaller when you need it
    • really need a monopod or tripod for macro work given its weight but hand held can be fun
    • more difficult to use than the 100mm macro but the longer working distance is better for live bugs, etc
    • compatible with tele extenders eg. 1.4x TC on a Canon 1D gives an effective 328mm f/4.5 lens with 1.8x macro
    • http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/eos/EF-lenses/EF180mmf35LUSM/index.htm 
    • http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=48&cpage=1&perpage=15&cat=2#poststart 
    • http://www.canon.com.au/products/cameras_lenses_accessories/macro_lenses/ef180mmF35lMacroUsm.aspx 
  • Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM:
    • 335g; inner focusing; 52mm filter; closest focus 0.2m; 0.20-1.28x mag with EF-12 II;
    • $A749
  • Tamron SP 60mm f/2.0 1:1 Di II Macro for EF-S:
    • http://www.dpreview.com/news/0903/09032401tamron60macro.asp 
• manual focus:
  • Canon MP-E65mm f/2.8 1-5x macro $A1750 
    • minimum focus 0.24m but MF only
  • Canon EF TS-E 90mm f/2.8 (tilt shift lens) $A2319
    • minimum focus 50cm 0.38x magnification
    • Canon EF-12 extension tube $A159 gives 0.56-0.18x
    • Canon EF-25 extension tube $A279 gives 0.78-0.40x
  • Nikon lenses:
    • AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D  
    • AF Micro-Nikkor 200mm f/4D
    • Nikon manual focus lenses (see under Nikon)
  • Olympus OM lenses:
    • OM macro
    • using the OM bellows on Canon EOS:
      • http://www.acapixus.dk/photography/EOSbellows.htm 
  • Cambo Ultima35 view camera adapter:
    • http://www.cambo.com/Html/products_photo/set01/english/internet/Item610.html 
  • Cambo X2-Pro view camera adapter for Hasselblad, Mamiya or large format lenses:
    • http://www.cambo.com/ 
  • many others
• macro flashes for Canon:
  • Canon macro Twin Lite MT-24EX $A1600
    • attaches via 58mm filter thread (and optional 72C adapter for 72mm filter threads such as the EF 180mm macro)
    • wireless control of another flash for background lighting by assigning it as a slave in Group C (Groups A & B are reserved for the twin flashes).
    • E-TTL but not E-TTL II.
    • Each head also features a focusing lamp, activated from the control unit, for situations in which you need just a bit more light to pull critical focus. 
    • The depth-of-focus check button (on the 1D Mark II and 10D) activates a modelling flash burst from the heads (as it does with the 550EX) to enable you to check your shadows and ratio.
  • Canon macro Ring Lite MR-14EX $A1150 ($A749 new Ebay)
    • attaches to the EF 100mm F2.8 Macro USM, EF 50mm f2.5 compact macro, MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x and also the EF 180mm f3.5L Macro USM (with adapter ring 72C)
    • GN 14; 
    • the ring has separate left and right flash tubes, and the light level can be set independently for each up to a 6-stop range. This permits creating modelled lighting effects.
    • it has incandescent modelling lights built-in activated by pressing DOF preview button
    • This unit can act as either a wireless slave or a master flash in a multi-flash system.
    • E-TTL but not E-TTL II.
  • Sigma EM-140DG Macro Ring Flash - see below under Nikon

• remember 1.5x crop if used on DX cameras;
• see http://www.nikonusa.com/template.php?cat=1&grp=5 
• auto-focus:
  • AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D  
  • AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D ED
    • in 2008, Nikon updated their 60mm macro lens by adding 2 aspherical lenses to reduce aberrations, improved coating to reduce flare, additional ED glass to reduce chromatic aberration, 9-blade diaphragm for better bokeh, IF design so lens length doesn't change and SWM AF for quiet AF.
    • 1:1 macro; 62mm filter;
    • http://www.dpreview.com/news/0801/08012908nikkor60micro.asp 
  • AF-S DX Micro-Nikkor 85mm f/3.5G VR
  • AF Micro-Nikkor 200mm f/4D
  • AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF SWM
    • VRII - 4 stops; non-rotating front with 62mm filter; 1:1; 9 blade diaphragm; 790g;
    • AF does not work with teleconverters but VR & AE do.
    • no aperture ring so can't be used on Canon or Olympus usefully.
  • Tamron SP AF90mm F/2.8 Di Macro:
    • this version introduced late 2008 
    • built-in AF motor allows AF use on entry level Nikons 
    • 1:1 macro on FX with closest focus of 0.29m
    • The AF mode does not function when the NII mount is used with the early AF cameras with the built-in AF motor.
    • The NII mount in the Di series are not equipped with an aperture ring.
    • original SP 90mm macro lens developed in 1979, revised in 2004 for Di (designed for digital - mainly meaning new coatings to reduce internal flare)
    • http://www.dpreview.com/news/0809/08090205tamron_af90mm.asp 
  • Tamron SP 60mm f/2.0 1:1 Di II Macro for DX:
    • http://www.dpreview.com/news/0903/09032401tamron60macro.asp 
    • built-in AF motor allows AF use on entry level Nikons 
• manual focus:
  • Micro-Nikkor AI-S 55mm f/2.8

  • PC Micro-Nikkor 85mm f/2.8D:

    • tilt-shift macro lens which can focus to 3.9cm for 1:2 macro. Can stop down to f/45.

    • manual aperture stop down button; 77mm filter; 775g;

    • introduced in 1999;

    • http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/PC_Nikkor/index5.htm

  • Micro-Nikkor AI-S 105mm f/2.8
  • see other PC lenses 
• macro flashes for Nikon:
  • Nikon R1C1 Wireless Close-up Speedlight System:
    • includes 2 x Nikon SB-R200 twin lights:
      • can be tilted up to 60deg towards lens & 45deg away from lens
      • 6sec recycling time; white LED target light;
      • 3V CR123A lithium battery;
    • includes Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander
      • infrared to 20m for SB-800, SB-600 flashes & 4m for SB-R200
      • i-TTL flash ratio control
      • Auto FP High-Speed flash sync available for compatible cameras
      • AF assist illuminator
      • 3V CR123A lithium battery; 160g;
    • optional:
      • Nikon SX-1 Master Attachment:
        • accommodates up to 8 x SB-R200 lights off camera or 4 on camera
      • Nikon SY-1 Lens adapter rings:
        • available for 52mm, 62mm, 67mm, 72mm, 77mm filter threads
      • Nikon SW-C1 Flexible Arm Clip
      • Nikon SW-11 Extreme Closeup Positioning Adapter
      • Nikon SW-12 diffuser
      • Nikon AS-20 speedlight stands
      • Nikon SJ-2 Color filter set
    • http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/accessories/r1c1.shtml 
  • Nikon R1 Wireless Close-up Speedlight System:
    • for cameras with built-in Speedlights with Commander mode: D200, D70s, D70
    • same kit as R1C1 but no SU-800 commander although this can be purchased for control of SB-800/SB-600 flashes.
  • NB. no Nikon ring flash available but see:
    • Sigma EM-140DG Macro Ring Flash:
      • dual flash tubes down to 1/64th intensity control; GN 14m; modelling light; high-speed syncro function; exposure compensation;
      • wireless TTL to control a Sigma EF-500 flash unit via cord to hotshoe-mounted controller unit
      • lens adapters for 55mm, 58mm included with optional 52mm, 62mm, 67mm, 72mm & 77mm
      • 4xAA batteries; 430g;
      • compatible with Sigma S-TTL, Nikon i-TTL, Canon E-TTL I/II, Pentax ?