Macro lens or prime plus reversing ring?

Alun

I was half thinking of getting some kind of dedicated macro lens for my D70s, but then thought about getting a nice bright 50mm prime and getting a reversing ring instead, thus killing two birds with one stone. Seems to be a cheaper option too (depending on the lens, of course).

Any thoughts? I'd lose auto focus which isn't a problem for the kinds of things I'd be doing, but what about setting the aperture .. do I just have to make sure the lens has an aperture ring? Any significant difference in quality between using this option and a real macro lens?

DaireQuinlan

I'd go for the fast prime, but set up with a bunch of macro extenders. Much more flexible than a reversing ring, only a little more expensive, and you can get ones that ought to preserve the auto functions on the lenses. Careful which ones you get for the nikon, there are earlier nikon brand ones that can damage the AF contacts on an AF lens. It doesn't really matter what brand you get, they're all filled with the same low-dispersion air as one another

I've done both, found the reverser a pain. Plus I'm never too happy about waving the rear element of my lens around exposed to the outside world.

Alun

Thanks for that. I'd read about the reversing rings, but not the macro extenders. I'll look into them.

pete4130

Be sure that if you get the reversal ring that you HAVE an aperutre ring on your lens (as in a Nikon D type lens) as the G type don't have aperutre rings and you'll be stuck with f22 for all your macro shots making focussing harder.