Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens USA
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The Nikon AF-S VR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED brings the benefits of vibration reduction (VR) to the domain of Macro photography. It offers high-resolution, high-optical performance for both digital and 35mm film format SLR cameras. When used with digital cameras, equivalent focal length in 35mm terms is 157.5mm.
This lens incorporates Nikon's second-generation vibration reduction system (VR II) that allows flexible hand-held shooting by stabilizing the image to the equivalent stability of a shutter speed that is 4 stops faster when compared with a conventional lens. This in effect eliminates image blur caused by camera shake, particularly when shooting in low-light conditions.
Note: G-type lenses are fully compatible with all current camera models (as of 01/04). The older camera models F4, N90/s, N70, N8008/s, N6000 will only work in Program and Shutter Priority modes. Note: VR feature will only work with Nikon's F6, F5, F100, N80, N75, N65, D100 & D1 and D2-series (or any newer model) cameras.
Note: AF-S feature is not supported by certain camera models. Please click here for a list of compatible models.
- An ED glass element minimizes chromatic aberration. Nano Crystal Coat drastically reduces flare ensuring finely detailed, clear images.
- VR II (Vibration Reduction) Image Stabilization minimizes image blur caused by camera shake (cancelable)
- Internal Focusing (IF) design for smoother focusing and better body balance
- Built-in M/A switch enables instant switching from autofocus to manual focus
- Silent Wave Motor for ultra-fast, ultra-quiet AF
- The rounded diaphragm (9 blades) makes out-of-focus elements appear more natural
Go To
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Focal Length | 105 mm |
| Aperture |
Maximum: f/2.8 Minimum: f/32 |
| Camera Mount Type | Nikon F |
| Format Compatibility |
Nikon FX/35mm Film Nikon DX |
| Angle of View |
23° DX Picture Angle: 15° |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 1' (30.48 cm) |
| Magnification | 1x |
| Maximum Reproduction Ratio | 1:1 |
| Groups/Elements | 12/14 |
| Diaphragm Blades | 9 |
| Features | |
|---|---|
| Image Stabilization | Yes |
| Autofocus | Yes |
| Tripod Collar | No |
| Physical | |
|---|---|
| Filter Thread | 62 mm |
| Dimensions (DxL) | Approx. 3.3 x 4.6" (8.38 x 11.68 cm) |
| Weight | 1.74 lb (790 g) |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 520 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
99%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Fast / accurate auto-focus (428)
- Strong construction (363)
- Consistent output (326)
- Durable (293)
- Easily interchangeable (265)
Cons
- Heavy (175)
- Slow focus (46)
- Lens creep (6)
- Pricey / poor value (5)
- Tough to attach (4)
Best Uses
- Macro photography (278)
- Portraits (114)
- Low light (99)
- Weddings (91)
- Wildlife photos (69)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Photo enthusiast (149), Enthusiast (91), Semi-pro photographer (85), Semi-professional (61), Pro photographer (54)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (199), Yes (13)
Most Liked Positive Review
A not so hidden gem
I bought this lens primarily for Macro shooting with some double-duty as a longish portrait lens on my D700 and it has not disappointed on either front.Since this is a "Pro" Nikkor...Read complete review
I bought this lens primarily for Macro shooting with some double-duty as a longish portrait lens on my D700 and it has not disappointed on either front.Since this is a "Pro" Nikkor, it comes with all the trappings that entails (Metal barrel and hood, rubber gasket on lens mount for weather sealing).It's a fat and stubby lens that may have balance issues on bodies smaller than a D300. But this is a very minor issue. I walked around all day with this lens with minimal fatigue. The only fatigued things were my eyes from the constant manual focusing!My version is [*] but I have found no issues with it so far.As expected, this is a phenomenally sharp lens and actually works very well as a short telephoto prime.Howver, it shines as a Macro. The focus ring is wide and has a nice movement. It is very easy to manual focus when working at 1:1 distances. I've already gotten quite a few keepers even working handheld. When photographing flowers, I sometimes let the AF get me 90% there and then take over manually for the fine focus. With the focus lock off, the lens will sometimes hunt frantically, however, using the center focus (or any of the cross-type foci) and good technique improves this situation drastically.Speaking of handheld, the VR actually helps quite a bit when you're working at magnifications smaller than 1:1. I've got sharp images (close-up and normal) at around 1/40 seconds without an issue. Incidentally, this was one of the first Nikons to come with VRII. However, if you're planning to do any serious macro work, do yourself a favor and get a good tripod, head and some focusing rails. After getting this lens, I've realized that I only have 1 of those 3 things! Subsequently, I am on the hunt for a good tripod head and some focusing rails myself.The color rendition is very pleasing to my eyes and I have no complaints about the Bokeh. As of this writing, the 105mm VR is my favorite lens. It has not come off the camera since I received it a couple of weeks back.The only complaint I would have is that it doesn't have a tripod collar (definitely not essential) and it doesn't go 2:1 :)
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
Not for me
Sure, this lens is ultra sharp, but there is more to a lens than sharpness. IMHO, this lens is an ergonomic nightmare: it is simply way too heavy and fat for a 105mm...Read complete review
Sure, this lens is ultra sharp, but there is more to a lens than sharpness. IMHO, this lens is an ergonomic nightmare: it is simply way too heavy and fat for a 105mm telephoto. Plus the big bayonet hood makes it look and handle like a 300mm or similar long telephoto.Besides bulk of this lens, I had trouble with focus hunting where it would occasionally rack 2-3 times from infinity to the close limit before finding the focus point. This is unacceptable for a lens at this price point.[...] I dreaded carrying this 1.5 lb brick. I really wanted to like it. The images were great, when it focused.
Reviewed by 520 customers
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Displaying reviews 1-20
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Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Rugged
Cons
- Heavy
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Macro Photography
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens:
Sharp as a tack! I use this lens as my general purpose Macro lens. Many have the misunderstanding that you can use this lens in the macro mode with the VR mode on; Don't. Instructions specifically say not to use VR in Macro mode.
My only complaint is that this lens is large and heavy; otherwise beautiful! I use this lens mainly for travel and nature work.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
- Similar:
- AF 60 mm f/2.8D Macro
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Nice Bokeh
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Macro Photography
Comments about Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens:
Love this lens for macro work on tripod. Excellent manual focus. Can appreciate the VR feature when handholding for portraits. A real gem and a pleasure to use.Don't know why I waited so long to get one.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Nice Bokeh
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Macro Photography
Comments about Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens:
I absolutely love this lens. It's a sweet little lens. I have not found it bulky or too heavy. Crisp shots, great for macros.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
Cons
Best Uses
- Macro Photography
Comments about Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens:
I think this is just the perfect lens for macro photography if you are a NIKON photographer. I haven't had too many chances to use it yet, but I find its the right prime focal length for the portrait photogrphy I want to do as well.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Nice Bokeh
- Rugged
Cons
- Heavy
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Macro Photography
Comments about Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens:
I have been using this as a medium telephoto to capture some images for a web site that I maintain. Clear and sharp. Limited use as a Macro application for now but that will change as the year progresses and the flowers start to bloom. I have done a couple of portraits and I get a sharp image with nice bokeh. The only issue I have with the lens is the weight and bulk but I knew it before I bought it. The ability to switch from to med telephoto to macro is nice, as we.. I would recommend it to serious users. Probably a bit pricey for casual use.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Nice Bokeh
Cons
- Heavy
Best Uses
- Macro Photography
- Portraits
Comments about Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens:
Still getting to know it, but I like the modeling and brokeh for portraits and I'm very pleased with the closeup detail - however I'm now going to need to upgrade my tripod with an articulated arm and a rack to really get the kinds of close-ups I'm looking for. Only downside is bulk and weight.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
Cons
- Heavy
Best Uses
- Macro Photography
Comments about Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens:
I use this for precision pictures of small things: the VR autofocus was what I needed
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Nice Bokeh
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Heavy
Best Uses
- Macro Photography
- Portraits
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens:
When I originally purchased this lens, I wanted to dive into the world of macro photography, but as soon as I took this out on the street to shoot portraits, it really jumped to the next level. People's faces are super sharp and the wide-open apertures of the lens make for awesome bokeh! I keep a UV filter on this lens just to protect the glass elements (Get one from B+W). The lens focuses super fast, but switch the focus mode to "Full", it will take a bit longer.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Nice Bokeh
Cons
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Macro Photography
- Portraits
Comments about Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens:
Just purchased this lens as a replacement for my Tamron 60mm Macro lens. Its quite a bit pricier, but the first images I've taken with it have been sharp as a tack. Unnoticeable distortion, Chromatic abberation, etc. Its a bit heavy, but, its on a tripod most of the time. Very happy with my purchase!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Fast
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Nice Bokeh
- Strong Construction
Cons
- A little heavy as expecte
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Macro Photography
- Portraits
Comments about Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens:
Excellent fit for both portrait and macro photography. High quality in glass, vr when needed in portrait, speed when needed in macro.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
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Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Nice Bokeh
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Candid Portraits
- Indoors/Low Light
- Macro Photography
Comments about Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens:
I like to take pictures of people. I like candid shots. I like to capture their thoughts through their eyes and faces. I like flowers, and bugs are oK. With a close up of a bug or a flower though, it's a new and wonderful world. Have not had much time with lens yet, but can tell this is going to be one of my most favorite lenses, forever! The autofocus is fast and precise. The manual focus is a dream. There's a little weight in this lens but not too much to be uncomfortable holding. To me the weight feels like quality. I have had the most fun with this lens taking photos of tiny little flowers on the weeds in my back yard. I used a small camera bag to to rest the camera on and a remote shutter. Then I layed on the ground to take the photos. Down loaded to my computer and was blown away by the detail. When I took the photos I was just testing the lens and was focused on the flowers. I didn't even think about the background, until I down loaded, blown away again. Some of the back grounds had tiny little flowers which melted into wonderful, creamy, dreany, colorful, and beautiful backgrounds. Beautiful little flowers, beautiful backgrounds, beautiful photos. All I can say is I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
Cons
Best Uses
- Macro Photography
Comments about Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens:
Early days but so far love it. Fast to focus in a variety of lights and really let's you get close and VR works great.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Nice Bokeh
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Slow Focus
- Tough To Attach
Best Uses
- Macro Photography
- Weddings/Events
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens:
This is a one of the great pro lense by Nikon, I have been using this for my extreme close up shots as well as for portrait shoots.
I also use the Nikon 24-70 mm 2.8 G. let me tell you that since i've bought this lens i haven't been using much of the 24-70 mm!
The images are very very sharp!
Bokeh is amazing!!. u can even get bokeh at f/16 for the close up macros.. it is just crazy!
Lens light compare to a 24-70 mm... but not so light. it still has some weight to it..
the minimum distance to the subject is ~ 30 cm.. it's a good distance..does not block lot of the light or disturb the subject (if you are shooting insects etc.) and it's not just a macro lens.. you can use this as portrait keeping with a good working distance to the subject...and i just love it!
Things that i don't like about this lens is the VR II motor makes so much noise sometimes, i have used other lenses with VR..it's no where near noisey as the 105 mm. the other thing is it focus hunts.. if the subject is moving rapidly this is not the right lens for it... to avoid the focus hunt sometimes i don't use the full range.. 0.5 m- infinity if i don't do very close shots..
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Heavy but manageable
Best Uses
- Macro Photography
Comments about Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens:
Best micro lens I've ever used. It is well worth the money and I'm sure will last me a lifetime.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Weak Casing
Best Uses
- Macro Photography
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens:
THE PRODUCT IS IN GOOD CONDITION BUT THE BOX APPEARS TO HAVE HAD MUCH USE, I THINK I SHOULD CARE NIKON INTEGRITY OF YOUR BOXES AND APPLYING FOR A SEAL PACKAGES CAN NOT BE OPEN. FINAL ONLY BY CUSTOMER
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
- Macro Photography
Comments about Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens:
This lens is perfection for macro photographs.
I recently used this lens to photograph a lizard while in Miami and I was able to get extreme close ups without scaring the lizard away, this is due to the fact that it's a 105mm, as opposed to a 70 or less.
Definitely one of Nikon's finest.
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Lightweight
- Rugged
Cons
Best Uses
- Macro Photography
Comments about Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens:
Looked at other brands for Nikon, because I needed a good macro lens. This is a great lens for macro, in addition to being a great portrait lens.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Nice Bokeh
Cons
Best Uses
- Macro Photography
Comments about Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens:
The product is what I need ... Good quality, great price .... I live far away but B & H made possible my purchase.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easily Interchangeable
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Slow Focus
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Macro Photography
Comments about Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens:
I own what you would call some of Nikon's best glass, the 24-70 2.8, and the 70-200 2.8, but I was severely lacking in the macro area until now. This lens helped bridge the gap that I had when needing to focus in close and get incredibly tack sharp macro photos. I love everything about this lens and its not ridiculously expensive either.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
- Portrait
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens:
Very good results using as a general-purpose lens and exelent for macro photografy.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
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What's in the Box
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