Nikon 105mm Macro (Micro-Nikkor)

Manufacturer: Nikon Type: Macro lens Focal length: 105mm Maximum aperture: f/2.8 Generations: AF-D (1990), AF-S VR (2006), Z MC (2021) Mount: Nikon F (AF-D, AF-S VR), Nikon Z (Z MC)

Overview

The Nikon 105mm f/2.8 Macro (branded “Micro-Nikkor” in Nikon’s nomenclature) is the definitive macro lens for Nikon underwater photographers, appearing in approximately 60 articles and nearly 600 forum threads across the Wetpixel archive. Spanning three generations over more than three decades, it has been the workhorse lens for shooting small, shy, or high-magnification subjects underwater, from nudibranchs and blennies to supermacro compositions of shrimp eyes and coral polyps.

The 105mm’s key advantage over the shorter Nikon 60mm macro is its greater working distance at equivalent magnification. At 1:1 reproduction, the 105mm positions the camera significantly further from the subject than the 60mm, which provides two critical benefits underwater: more room to position strobes for even illumination, and less chance of frightening skittish subjects (^[1]). As Luiz Rocha noted in 2005: “The 105 gives you more working distance and is better for tiny or wary critters” (^[2]).

Many Nikon underwater photographers own both the 60mm and 105mm, selecting based on dive conditions. The 60mm is preferred in low visibility, for larger subjects, and for fast-moving fish (due to faster autofocus), while the 105mm excels in clear tropical water with small or shy subjects and for supermacro work (^[3], ^[4]).

Generations

AF Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8D (1990)

The first autofocus generation, commonly called the “AF-D 105mm,” was the standard underwater macro lens from the early digital era through the mid-2000s. It featured:

• 1:1 maximum magnification (minimum focus distance of 1 foot / 0.314m)
• Body-driven autofocus (motor in the camera body, not the lens)
• Aperture ring (compatible with older camera bodies)
• 52mm filter thread
• Lens extends physically when focusing to close distances

The AF-D’s autofocus was notoriously slow underwater, particularly in low-light or low-contrast conditions common beneath the surface. The body-driven focus motor caused the lens to rack slowly through its range, though experienced photographers noted this could be an advantage — the slower racking allowed a “half-press” technique to stop focus near the desired point (^[5]). On the Nikon D2X, the AF performed significantly better than on consumer bodies due to the D2X’s superior AF system (^[6]).

Forum user uwphototech explained the physics: “The slower AF response on the 105 is due to the physical constraints of the lens not the light transmission to the AF sensor. Because of the greater mass of the 105 lens it does not respond as quickly as the 60” (^[7]).

Many photographers used the AF-D in manual focus mode for 1:1 work, pre-setting the focus distance and rocking the housing forward and backward to achieve focus. Ryan described his technique: “I’ve memorized the reproduction ratios at different amounts of ‘backing off’ from 1:1 with the various ports I use” (^[8]).

AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED (2006)

Announced in February 2006 and the subject of Alex Mustard’s detailed review in October 2006, this second generation represented a major upgrade. Nikon described it as “the world’s first macro lens equipped with Silent Wave Motor and Vibration Reduction” (^[9]).

Key improvements:

• AF-S (Silent Wave Motor): In-lens autofocus motor, dramatically faster than body-driven AF
• VR II (Vibration Reduction): Nikon claimed “the equivalent stability of a shutter speed 4 stops faster”
• Internal focusing: Lens does not change length during focus, simplifying port design
• Nano Crystal Coat: Reduces internal reflections and flare
• ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass: Reduces chromatic aberration
• 9 curved aperture blades: Produces smoother, more circular bokeh
• G-type: No aperture ring (requires electronic aperture control)
• 62mm filter thread (larger than the AF-D’s 52mm)
• 14 elements in 12 groups

The larger physical diameter created immediate compatibility challenges. Mustard noted: “The first thing you will notice about this new 14 element lens is that it is noticeably fatter than the old lens. This has two consequences for us — the first is that it can cause problems fitting the lens into some housings and existing macro ports (I am using a modified port for my Subal). The second consequence is that the lens has a larger (62mm vs 52mm) diameter front filter than the old 105mm, so close-up filters that you had (such as the 3T and 4T) will not fit on the new lens” (^[10]).

VR performance underwater: Mustard’s testing proved VR was genuinely useful for balanced-light macro photography. Shooting whip gobies at 1/20th shutter speed to produce blue backgrounds: “As usual I shot 8 frames and to my astonishment every single one of them was sharp. I was sold. Vibration Reduction really does work underwater and has a clear benefit for taking this type of shot” (^[11]). The VR was irrelevant for black-background flash-only macro shots.

AF-S trade-offs: The in-lens motor produced dramatically faster autofocus in bright conditions, easily tracking swimming fish. However, when hunting in dark or low-contrast conditions, the speed became a liability: “it zips through the focus range so quickly” that the half-press override technique used with the old lens was no longer possible (^[12]). Mustard concluded that a good focusing light eliminated this issue.

Optical quality: Mustard found the new lens measurably sharper than the AF-D, particularly toward frame corners, with reduced chromatic aberration amplified by close-up diopters. The 9-blade aperture produced “noticeably more pleasing” bokeh than the old lens (^[13]).

Teleconverter compatibility: Nikon stated the lens would not autofocus with their AF-S teleconverters, though third-party teleconverters could still autofocus (^[14]).

NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S (2021)

The native Z-mount version for Nikon’s mirrorless system. Community reports from 2022-2023 indicate:

• Exceptional sharpness, described as “sharper than any lens in my kit” by Larry Hallas (^[15])
• Beautiful bokeh praised by multiple users
• AF hunting issues reported by multiple shooters, with the lens sometimes racking all the way out then back before finding focus. Hallas reported: “It will rack all the way out then back in and then finally grab focus. It doesn’t do it all the time, but enough to be annoying” (^[16])
• The AF issue was believed to be lens firmware-related rather than camera AF system-related, as other lenses (including the AF-S 60mm via FTZ adapter) focused faster on the same body (^[17])
• Works well paired with Nauticam SMC-1, described as “stunningly sharp pics with beautiful bokeh” (^[18])
• D850 shooters transitioning to Z9 reported the Z MC 105mm as their standard macro lens replacement (^[19])

Port Requirements

The 105mm macro requires a flat port (not a dome port) — a point that catches beginners. One forum member who purchased a dome port for the 105mm was quickly corrected: “The 105 needs to sit behind a flat port, NOT a dome!!” (^[20]).

Port configurations by housing manufacturer

• Subal: Offered dedicated macro ports with optional manual focus knob or autofocus configuration. The AF-S VR version required a modified port due to its larger diameter. Paul Kay noted that Subal built specific “manual or autofocus port for the Nikon lens” (^[21])
• Aquatica: Flat port with extension ring for 105mm. The standard 60mm flat port plus extension ring accommodated both lenses (^[22])
• Light & Motion Titan: Macro port accommodated both 60mm and 105mm (with extension ring) (^[23])
• Jonah: Flat port with extension ring specific to 105mm (^[24])
• Seacam: Flat port system; the MIP80 macro port (2014) was specifically “optimized for 85mm-105mm macro lenses for both Canon and Nikon” with a tapered design for better strobe access (^[25])
• Sealux: PS series flat ports with conical taper from 126mm at housing to 92mm at glass, improving strobe positioning for macro work (^[26])
• Nauticam: Port system with specific macro port and extension rings; widely used with the 105mm VR for the NA-D750, NA-D810, NA-D850, and Z-series housings

The internal-focusing design of the AF-S VR version simplified port requirements since the lens no longer extends during focus, but Mustard noted that “your port should leave 2cm of clearance in front of the lens if you want to use a dioptre” (^[27]).

Accessory Pairing

Teleconverters

The 105mm paired with teleconverters was a foundational supermacro technique. Common combinations:

• 105mm + 1.4x TC: Produced approximately 1.4:1 magnification at minimum focus. Kenko 1.4x Pro was the most popular third-party option. Maintained reasonable image quality (^[28])
• 105mm + 2x TC: Produced approximately 2:1 magnification. Kenko 2x was commonly used since Nikon’s own TCs were not officially compatible with the 105mm. An 11mm subject could just fit in the frame at maximum magnification (^[29])
• Light loss: 1 stop with 1.4x TC, 2 stops with 2x TC
• Diffraction concerns: At effective apertures of f/45-f/59, diffraction significantly degraded resolution. Thom Hogan identified f/11 as the diffraction limit on the D2X sensor (^[30])

Close-up diopters (wet lenses)

The 105mm is the reference lens for most wet macro diopter systems:

• Nikon 3T/4T/5T: Screw-in diopters (52mm thread for AF-D). The 5T was frequently used by Mustard in his VR review (^[31])
• Woody’s Diopter: Popular in the 2005-era supermacro community. Combined with the 105mm and 2x TC on a D2X to achieve approximately 3:1 magnification (^[32])
• SubSee: Achromatic wet diopter system, available in +5 and +10 strengths
• Nauticam SMC (Super Macro Converter): The Nauticam SMC-1 became the standard supermacro companion for the 105mm VR from approximately 2012 onward, delivering high magnification with excellent optical quality. Fabian Schorp used the 105mm + SMC-1 combo with the D750 in Lembeh (^[33])
• Nauticam CMC (Compact Macro Converter): Smaller alternative to SMC for when extreme magnification is needed
• Inon UCL-67: Multi-element wet diopter (equivalent +15 diopter) specifically tested and spec’d for “100mm range macro lens” — delivering 2.76x magnification with 52mm working distance when used with the AF-S VR 105mm at minimum focus (^[34])
• SAGA Trio: Switchable wet macro system (0, +5, +10, +15 diopter) explicitly “designed to be used with macro lenses as the Canon 100mm or the Nikon 105mm” (^[35])
• Seacam MIP1 Acromat WetMacro: Friction-fit diopter for Seacam’s MIP80 port, delivering approximately 2x magnification, optimized for 85-105mm macro lenses (^[36])

Supermacro stacking

The most extreme magnification setups combined the 105mm with both a teleconverter and a diopter. Rand McMeins pioneered this technique with the D2X, using “105mm + 2x teleconverter + Woody’s dioptre” to achieve approximately 3:1 magnification on the APS-C sensor. His work earned the top award in the Turks and Caicos postage stamp competition (^[37]).

However, stacking multiple optical elements introduced trade-offs. Forum member acroporas tested multiple lenses and found: “I found that with all the lenses at any aperture, more detail was captured by using teleconverter or diopter than with both” — suggesting that combining TC and diopter degraded quality more than using either alone (^[38]). Matt Segal disagreed regarding individual components, noting “I have seen no reports from any individual that the addition of Woody’s diopter leads to any noticeable (real-world) loss of sharpness” when used alone (^[39]).

Community Discussion: 105mm vs 60mm

The 60mm vs 105mm debate is one of the most recurring topics in the Wetpixel forums. The community consensus, formed over thousands of posts:

Choose the 60mm when:

• It is your first macro lens (nearly universal recommendation) (^[40])
• Shooting in low visibility (shorter water column between lens and subject)
• Shooting larger subjects (fish portraits, large nudibranchs)
• Needing fast autofocus for moving subjects — “the 60 is a lot faster than the 105, maybe twice as fast” (Luiz Rocha) (^[41])
• Greater depth of field is needed at equivalent framing

Choose the 105mm when:

• Shooting shy or skittish subjects (more working distance)
• Shooting very small subjects at high magnification
• In clear tropical water (the extra water column is less problematic)
• For supermacro work with teleconverters or diopters
• Wanting smoother background blur (longer focal length compresses perspective)

James Wiseman advised: “The first lens you’ll want to buy is the 60mm. Eventually, you’ll end up getting the 105 — I’m sure of it — but I wouldn’t recommend it as your FIRST macro lens” (^[42]).

On FX bodies, the field-of-view dynamic shifted. With the D750, Fabian Schorp noted that “the 105mm macro on FX achieved equivalent field-of-view to a 60mm on DX” and missed having a 60mm for larger subjects (^[43]).

DX vs FX Considerations

The 105mm behaves differently on DX (APS-C) and FX (full-frame) sensors:

• On DX: The 1.5x crop factor gives an effective field of view equivalent to approximately 157mm, providing tighter framing of small subjects without additional accessories. Borut Furlan’s testing showed DX sensors provided an inherent depth-of-field advantage for macro work at equivalent magnification (^[44])
• On FX: True 105mm field of view. Shallower depth of field at equivalent magnification requires stopping down further, but provides larger individual pixel sites for better high-ISO performance

Borut Furlan specifically chose the “AF-S Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 VR lens for macro photography on both systems” (D2X and D3) in his 2011 DX vs FX comparison test, calling it the standard lens for evaluating macro performance across sensor formats (^[45]).

Alex Mustard summarized the practical significance for lens selection: “I could do many trips with just Sigma 15mm and Nikon 105mm” — positioning the 105mm as one half of the essential two-lens FX underwater kit (^[46]).

Alternatives and Competitors

• Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM: Updated in 2011 with optical stabilization and HSM autofocus. Some users reported equivalent optical quality to the Nikon at lower cost, though Adam Hanlon noted: “the focus in low light is often very slow or impossible. I assume because Sigma has to ‘hack’ into the autofocus system” (^[47]). Forum user matetes disagreed, finding “Sigma’s optical quality is as good as Nikon’s, if not better” (^[48])
• Sigma 150mm f/2.8 macro: Greater working distance but larger, heavier, and with reported AF speed issues similar to the Nikon 105mm AF-D (^[49])
• Nikon 85mm f/3.5G DX Micro: DX-only alternative offering greater working distance than the 60mm in a smaller package. Forum user Draq noted: “Since getting the 85, the 105 doesn’t get much use” due to faster focus and compact size (^[50])
• Canon 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM: The Canon equivalent; Adam Hanlon found its autofocus “much faster and better for underwater shooting” than the Sigma 105mm (^[51])

Notable Users

• Alex Mustard: Wrote the definitive underwater review of the AF-S VR version (2006); shot extensively with the 105mm VR on D2X, D700, D750, and D4 systems
• Alex Tattersall: Used 105mm VR with D750, Nauticam SMC, and Retra LSD Prime Snoot in Lembeh/Manado for widely praised macro work (^[52])
• Rand McMeins: Pioneered supermacro stacking (105mm + 2x TC + Woody’s diopter) on D2X; won Turks and Caicos postage stamp competition (^[53])
• Martin Edge: Used the 105mm with Subal housings across multiple Nikon bodies (D200, D300, D7000) in his role as underwater photography educator (^[54])
• Fabian Schorp: Shot the 105mm with D750 and Nauticam SMC-1 in Lembeh, documenting the FX macro workflow (^[55])
• Borut Furlan: Used the 105mm VR as the reference lens for his DX vs FX macro comparison testing (^[56])
• Stephen Frink: Used the 105mm Micro-Nikkor with the Seacam D1X from early 2002 (^[57])

Timeline

• 1990: Nikon releases AF Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8D, establishing the focal length as the standard long macro for Nikon underwater photographers
• 2002-03: Stephen Frink uses 105mm Micro-Nikkor with Seacam D1X housing, documenting early DSLR underwater macro workflow (^[58])
• 2003: Multiple housing manufacturers (Aquatica, Light & Motion, Jonah, Subal, Seacam) offer flat ports with extension rings for the 105mm on D100/D1X systems (^[59], ^[60], ^[61])
• 2005-02: Rand McMeins demonstrates supermacro technique: D2X + 105mm + 2x TC + Woody’s diopter, sparking extensive forum discussion (^[62], ^[63])
• 2005-06: Borut Furlan publishes working distance tests comparing 60mm and 105mm underwater behind flat ports, confirming objects appear 1.33x closer underwater but not 1.33x bigger (^[64])
• 2006-02: Nikon announces AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED — world’s first macro lens with SWM and VR. Alex Mustard comments “I’ll be having one of these!” (^[65])
• 2006-10: Alex Mustard publishes comprehensive underwater review on Wetpixel, confirming VR works underwater and recommending the lens for macro-focused shooters. Port compatibility concerns noted for Subal users (^[66])
• 2006-11: Subal and Aquatica show updated ports for the AF-S VR 105mm at DEMA 2006 (^[67], ^[68])
• 2011: Borut Furlan uses 105mm VR as reference lens in DX vs FX macro comparison between D2X and D3 (^[69])
• 2014-04: Seacam releases MIP80 macro port and MIP1 Acromat WetMacro, optimized for 85-105mm macro lenses (^[70])
• 2014-11: Alex Mustard reviews D750 with 105mm VR in Nauticam NA-D750 housing in the Red Sea (^[71])
• 2015-02: Fabian Schorp documents Lembeh macro shooting with D750 + 105mm + Nauticam SMC-1, establishing the FX macro workflow (^[72])
• 2016-11: SAGA Trio macro lens system released, specifically designed for use with Nikon 105mm and Canon 100mm macro lenses (^[73])
• 2017-02: Inon UCL-67 released, spec’d and tested with AF-S VR 105mm delivering 2.76x magnification (^[74])
• 2021: Nikon releases NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S for Z-mount mirrorless system
• 2022-04: Adam Hanlon and community report AF hunting issues with Z MC 105mm on Z9; lens firmware suspected (^[75])
• 2023-02: Community poll shows Z MC 105mm + SMC-1 and D850 + 105mm VR as leading macro configurations. D850 users transitioning to Z9 adopt the Z MC 105mm as standard (^[76])

References