| Nikkor macro lenses and tilt / shift perspective control lenses
Macro lenses are designed for photographing small subjects at close range, such as flowers or insects. All lenses can take close-up photos, but Macro lenses are optimised for it, and are able to produce much better results.
Typical macro lenses have focal lengths between 50 and 100mm and can also be used for other subjects, although they are designed to perform best at close range.
Note Nikon DSLRs without built-in focusing motors, like the D40, D40x and D60, will only auto-focus with AF-S Nikkor lenses. So if you use an AF Nikkor lens on these bodies, they will be manual focus only.
Tilt and shift lenses are specialist models which can be used to correct distortion, alter perspective or greatly control the amount in sharp focus. They feature dials which allow the lens to be tilted to the left or right, or shifted up or down.
Tilting the lens can allow a large range of distances to be in sharp focus even with a wide aperture, or conversely can be used to minimise the amount in focus. Shifting the lens can allow you to correct converging lines when looking up at, say, a building. Alternatively it can accentuate the converging effect.
Tilt and shift was traditionally a feature reserved for larger format film cameras, but this range allows you to enjoy their benefits on DSLRs. They’re ideal for architectural and product photography, and are manual focus only.
For a full explanation of lens specifications and examples of coverage at different focal lengths, check out our Camera Labs Lens Buyers Guide. |
