Nikon AF-S FX Micro-NIKKOR 2177 60mm f/2.8G ED Standard Macro Lens for Nikon DSLR Cameras

This is the first Macro (or in Nikon-speak, Micro) lens I have owned (in 45 years of photography). What a treat this lens has been. Its also been a new learning experience for me. I think if this lens were image stabilized, then Id certainly give it 5 Stars! Here are my issues with this lens… While the lens is crisp and sharp (once youve made the mandatory focus adjustments that ALL Nikon lenses seem to require… and why is this necessary, Nikon?!?) Ive found that hand holding this lens to do Macro photography is not too practical. If youre holding the lens close to the subject, say 6 inches away, you must shoot at 1/500 or better still 1/1000 to mitigate any body movement (such as your heart beating). However, if youre shooting at 1/1000, then youre going to be shooting at f2.8 or thereabouts. This will minimize depth of field. Therefore, a tripod is almost a necessity. If image stabilized, then youd be able to shoot at f4.5 or better still f5.6. Other than this, this lens seems like a well-built Nikon plastic lens… its also a bit heavier than the typical Nikon lens in this price category (lots of glass inside). Good color, saturation and contrast, with minimal CA. I am using this lens on a D7100 and overall satisfied and would recommend this lens to anyone with a recent Nikon digital SLR.

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I bought this as compromise between other lens that were considerably cheaper or more expensive, and this lens does feel like a "mid range" model. The level of detail and how close Im able to get to my subjects is astonishing. If youre interested in macro photography, youll be able to do some amazing work limited only by your imagination. The auto focus was quite fast compared to a 55-200mm Nikon lens I had on the camera earlier, though I use manual focus exclusively for the control it offers. The lens feels pleasantly heavy and sturdy. The motion and mechanics when focusing are smooth and relatively quiet. All that said, its not without flaws. I notice green and purple chromatic aberration on a regular basis. It shows up especially in high contrast areas, but even when I make attempts to minimize it by changing lighting, I can still see faint traces of it. Fortunately Lightroom can remove most of the aberration. But I would suspect that if one bought the "next lens up", i.e. the more expensive one, you would not have as much of an issue.

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The build quality seems top notch. Nice texture, fit and finish. The focus ring is perfectly dampend. Sharp images! Love it. I can double this lens as mid-tele portrait as well as a macro. In both cases, it has surpassed my expectations. It hunts for focus in some situations due to not having the focus limiter function (reason for 4 stars). But that doesnt keep me from loving this lens.

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