Nikon 60mm Macro (Micro-Nikkor)

Manufacturer: Nikon Type: Macro lens Focal length: 60mm (90mm equivalent on DX) Maximum aperture: f/2.8 Generations: AF-D (1989), AF-S G (2008) Mount: Nikon F (both generations) Related Z-mount lens: NIKKOR Z MC 50mm f/2.8 (2021, different focal length)

Overview

The Nikon 60mm f/2.8 Macro (branded “Micro-Nikkor” in Nikon’s nomenclature) is the standard beginner and general-purpose macro lens for Nikon underwater photographers using DX-format cameras. Appearing in over 70 articles and more than 1,300 forum threads across the Wetpixel archive, it has been the most-recommended first macro lens for Nikon DSLR shooters since the earliest days of digital underwater photography.

On a DX-sensor camera (1.5x crop factor), the 60mm becomes a 90mm equivalent — close to what film-era photographers achieved with the 105mm macro on full-frame bodies. As James Wiseman explained in 2002: “The 90mm equivalent given by the Nikkor 60 is a really good one. You can shoot that same 1:1 macro from a little farther out, or you can shoot 1:1.5 — so the lens is approaching what traditional film shooters have come to expect from the 105 — at 1/2 the price” (^[1]).

The lens earned the nickname “the sweet 60” among Wetpixel community members (^[2]). Wiseman consistently recommended it as the first macro lens purchase for Nikon shooters: “The first lens you’ll want to buy is the 60mm. It shoots >1:1 on a DSLR and is more flexible so you can get full fish photos and bigger fish portraits” (^[3]). In 2005, when asked for a first macro lens recommendation for the D70, he simply stated: “For your first lens, I recommend the Nikkor 60mm Micro” (^[4]).

Generations

AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D (1989)

The original autofocus generation, commonly called the “AF-D 60mm,” was the workhorse macro lens throughout the early digital era (D100, S2 Pro, D70, D200, D300). Key characteristics:

• 1:1 maximum magnification (minimum focus distance 0.219m / 8.75 inches from film plane)
• Body-driven autofocus (motor in camera body, not lens)
• Aperture ring (compatible with older camera bodies)
• 62mm filter thread
• Lens extends physically when focusing to close distances
• Focus limit switch: “FULL” range (infinity to 1:1) or “LIMIT” (infinity to approximately 1:2)

The focus limit switch caught out beginners — one user’s frustration was traced to having the switch on “LIMIT” which prevented reaching 1:1 magnification. David Haas warned: “Make sure you have the little switch on FULL range if you want to go to 1:1” (^[5]).

Autofocus behavior: The body-driven AF was faster than the 105mm AF-D due to the 60mm’s lower glass mass. Forum user uwphototech explained: “Because of the greater mass of the 105 lens it does not respond as quickly as the 60” (^[6]). Some users reported occasional focus hunting in low-light conditions, though the consensus was that single-servo AF with center-point selection produced reliable results (^[7]).

Internal focusing note: Unlike the AF-S generation that followed, this lens physically extends as it focuses closer. This means the port must accommodate the lens at full extension (maximum magnification). However, the 60mm’s extension is modest compared to the 105mm AF-D, allowing it to fit shorter flat ports (^[8]).

AF-S Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8G ED (2008)

Announced by Nikon on January 30, 2008 alongside the D60 camera body, with a US retail price of $550 (^[9]). This second generation brought significant improvements:

• AF-S (Silent Wave Motor): In-lens autofocus motor, dramatically faster and quieter than body-driven AF
• Internal focusing: Lens does not change length during focus, simplifying port requirements
• ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass: Reduces chromatic aberration
• Nano Crystal Coat: Reduces flare and ghosting
• G-type: No aperture ring (requires electronic aperture control)
• 9 rounded aperture blades: Produces smoother bokeh
• 12 elements in 9 groups
• Minimum focus distance 0.185m (7.3 inches from film plane)

The internal focusing design was a major benefit for underwater photographers — port selection became simpler since the lens maintained constant length regardless of focus distance. The faster, quieter AF-S motor was less likely to startle skittish subjects compared to the body-driven motor of the AF-D (^[10]).

Compatibility with Nauticam SMC: Nauticam specifically designed their Super Macro Converter (SMC) to work with “short” macro lenses including the AF-S Micro Nikkor 60mm f/2.8G ED, which traditionally had not worked well with super macro accessories (^[11]).

Compatibility with Inon insect eye lens: Nauticam released a dedicated “Insect eye port NR60-MR 130” adapter allowing use of the Nikkor 60mm AF f/2.8 with the Inon micro semi-fisheye relay lens (UFL-MR130) for extreme close-up endoscope-style video (^[12]).

NIKKOR Z MC 50mm f/2.8 (2021)

Nikon’s Z-mount mirrorless system does not include a direct 60mm macro equivalent. Instead, the Z MC 50mm f/2.8 occupies a similar niche as the short/affordable macro option, while the Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S serves as the primary macro lens. The 50mm provides a 75mm equivalent on DX (Z50, Zfc) — shorter than the 90mm equivalent the F-mount 60mm provided on DX bodies. Community discussion of this lens for underwater use has been limited compared to the Z MC 105mm.

The 60mm vs 105mm Debate

The choice between the 60mm and 105mm macro is one of the longest-running discussions in Wetpixel’s history, spanning from 2002 to the present day. The community consensus, refined over thousands of posts, settled into clear guidelines:

When to choose the 60mm

• First macro lens purchase — universally recommended as the starter lens (^[13])
• Low visibility / particulate water — less water between lens and subject means cleaner images. Kelpfish reported from Lembeh: “The suspended particulates on a sandy bottom make it hard to get a clean picture. I did not lose out on a single opportunity with the 60” (^[14])
• Larger subjects — fish portraits, turtles, medium-sized reef fish (^[15])
• Versatility — one user described using it for “everything except wide angle — macro, closeups, fish portraits” (^[16])
• Faster autofocus — particularly relevant for moving fish. Luiz Rocha noted: “An added bonus of the 60 is that the camera’s autofocus is much faster with the 60 when compared to the 105” (^[17])
• Greater depth of field — at equivalent magnification, the shorter focal length provides more DOF (^[18])

When to choose the 105mm

• Skittish/shy subjects — pygmy seahorses, jawfish, blennies that retreat when approached
• Clear tropical water — extra working distance is acceptable when visibility allows
• Pure macro/supermacro — teleconverter and diopter combinations work better with longer focal length
• Strobe positioning — more room between port and subject for even illumination

The lighting argument

James Wiseman made an important physics point that favored the 60mm: with the 105mm at 1:1, strobes must illuminate the subject from approximately twice the distance, meaning (by inverse square law) roughly 4x the strobe power is needed. “With the 105 you basically have to get just as much light into the same place, but from about twice as far away” (^[19]). Forum user scorpio_fish disputed this, arguing that at 1:1 both lenses put you within normal strobe range and that f/22 provided adequate exposure with typical strobes (^[20]).

The practical consensus

Most experienced Nikon underwater photographers eventually owned both lenses, selecting based on conditions and subjects. As user dbh summarized: “When I am not sure which lens to use on a particular dive, I use the 60mm. The 60mm is also good for shooting macro in bad viz or if there is a lot of particulate in the water. The 105 is great in clear water and for shooting skittish subjects” (^[21]).

For those who could only afford one lens, the 60mm was the unanimous recommendation for beginners. TimG advised a D500 buyer in 2017: “I’d suggest a Nikkor 60mm to start with for macro. It’s a great fish portrait lens, very versatile and easier to start with than the 105mm” (^[22]).

Port Requirements

The 60mm macro requires a flat port for optimal results. The narrow field of view of any macro lens means a dome port provides no benefit and introduces unnecessary bulk. James Wiseman stated clearly in 2002: “Dome ports are not meant to be used with Macro lenses. Because the field of view of a macro lens is only a few degrees a flat port is the preferred way to go” (^[23]).

One advantage of the 60mm over the 105mm is that it requires a shorter flat port — the lens is physically smaller and (in the AF-D version) extends less. This makes the overall rig more compact and maneuverable for working in tight spaces like reef crevices.

The flat port also provides a slight magnification effect underwater, which forum members noted as beneficial: “The slight magnification of a flat port gives you a little more working distance on what becomes a very nice 90mm lens” (^[24]).

Port configurations by housing manufacturer

• Ikelite: Standard flat port (#5503.06 for AF-D version). Ikelite also offered an extended dome port option that some users employed unconventionally with the 60mm, though flat port was recommended (^[25])
• Subal: Dedicated macro flat port
• Sea & Sea: Standard flat port with DX-series housings (^[26])
• Nauticam: Standard flat port; also offered the specialized NR60-MR 130 insect eye adapter port (^[27])
• Aquatica: Flat port with extension ring system, allowing fine-tuning of port length. Chris Bangs noted: “I generally try to have the front of the lens as close to the inner port face as possible in order to maximize the working distance” (^[28])

Accessory Pairing

Diopters (wet close-up lenses)

The 60mm pairs well with external diopters for increased magnification beyond 1:1. The shorter focal length means diopters sit closer to the subject, reducing the water column between optic and subject for sharper results at high magnification.

• Woody’s Diopter (Nexus): One of the earliest popular pairings. Users reported no decrease in image quality with the 60mm, and preferred it over the 105mm + diopter combination. Randapex noted: “With the 60mm, cutting down on the water between subject and lens, seems to really sharpen the overall image from what I was getting with the 105mm” (^[29]). John Gonda confirmed: “I haven’t seen any decrease in image quality using the Woody’s with the 60mm — and I use it more often with than without” (^[30])
• Nauticam SMC/CMC: The Super Macro Converter was explicitly designed to work with the AF-S 60mm f/2.8G, providing 2.3x magnification. Nauticam noted this was a breakthrough — previous super macro accessories had not worked well with “short” macro lenses (^[31])
• F.I.T. ACU +16: Adam Hanlon demonstrated this diopter paired with a “Nikon D7000, 60mm macro” producing extreme magnification of tiny blennies (^[32])
• SubSee diopters: Compatible with the 60mm behind standard flat ports
• Inon UCL close-up lenses: Threaded wet diopters compatible with 67mm port threads

Teleconverters

Teleconverters (1.4x or 2x) can be used between the camera body and 60mm lens for additional magnification. However, forum members noted that the 60mm + teleconverter combination results in a very short working distance at maximum magnification, making diopters a preferred alternative for supermacro. Randapex described the Woody’s diopter as “a nice alternative to being so confined when using the teleconverter” (^[33]).

Inon UFL-MR130 (Insect Eye Relay Lens)

A specialized pairing: Nauticam’s dedicated port adapter allows mounting the Inon micro semi-fisheye relay lens on the 60mm for extreme close-up “bug eye” perspective video and stills (^[34]).

Community Reception

The Nikon 60mm macro occupied a unique position in the Wetpixel community — it was simultaneously the most-recommended beginner lens and a tool that many professionals continued using throughout their careers. Key themes from community discussion:

Strengths praised:

• Versatility: works for macro, fish portraits, and larger subjects on a single dive
• Autofocus speed: significantly faster than the 105mm, especially the AF-D generation
• Compact size: smaller rig, easier maneuvering in tight reef spaces
• Image quality: “brilliant” optical performance noted from the earliest digital era (^[35])
• Value: approximately half the price of the 105mm in 2005 (under $350 vs ~$700)

Limitations acknowledged:

• Short working distance at 1:1 can scare shy subjects
• Less background separation (bokeh) than the 105mm at equivalent magnification
• Requires very close approach, which experienced photographers mitigated through careful technique. Kelpfish attributed success to “years of practice on how to effectively approach animals” (^[36])

Usage with key camera bodies:

• Fuji S2 Pro / Nikon D100 (2002-2003): First DSLR era, lens became the DX macro standard (^[37])
• Nikon D70 (2004-2005): Huge adoption wave as the D70 brought DSLR underwater photography to a wider audience (^[38])
• Nikon D300 (2008): Martin Edge used the 60mm as one of his primary lenses, averaging 700 frames per battery charge (^[39])
• Nikon D500 (2016-2017): Still recommended as the standard DX macro lens (^[40])

Timeline

• 1989: Nikon releases the AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D, establishing the 60mm macro category for Nikon SLRs
• 2002: Early Wetpixel discussions establish the 60mm as the recommended first macro lens for the Fuji S2 Pro and Nikon D100 (^[41])
• 2002-11: Forum discussions explore AF behavior, focus hunting, and manual focus workarounds for the 60mm in Ikelite housings (^[42])
• 2004-07: Rich Todd reviews Sea & Sea DX-D70 housing using the 60mm; James Wiseman recommends it in comments (^[43])
• 2005: Multiple Wetpixel threads establish the “60mm first, 105mm second” consensus (^[44])
• 2005-07: Users report excellent results pairing the 60mm with Woody’s external diopter on the D2X (^[45])
• 2008-01-30: Nikon announces the AF-S Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8G ED at US$550 (^[46])
• 2008-04: Martin Edge reviews D300 in Subal ND30 using both 60mm and 105mm lenses (^[47])
• 2010-07: Nauticam releases the NR60-MR 130 insect eye port adapter for the 60mm + Inon UFL-MR130 (^[48])
• 2011-08: F.I.T. ACU +16 diopter demonstrated with Nikon D7000 and 60mm macro (^[49])
• 2013-11: Nauticam releases Super Macro Converter (SMC), explicitly designed to work with the AF-S 60mm f/2.8G — previously, short macro lenses had not worked well with super macro accessories (^[50])
• 2017: Still recommended as the standard first macro lens for Nikon DX shooters entering underwater photography (^[51])

References