![]() ![]() Fortunately there are excellent flip mount lens holders now ( Nauticam, Saga, Reefnet) that make this easier than ever. And yes, to equal the maximum reproduction ratio of a cropped sensor camera, a close up wet lens needs to be employed more often. Yes there is some depth of field loss at a given aperture, but maximum reproduction ratio is further from the lens than the 60mm and on a full frame camera, the 105 becomes a superb portrait lens as well as a macro critter lens. Relative reproduction of a bumble bee shrimp with a Nikon 105 lens on an FX sensor (left) and DX sensor (right)įor those with crop sensor experience, the 105mm takes on much of the role the 60mm macro used to, only better. The improved low light AF ability is not just on paper – it is an improvement you can use. That focus light that was nearly essential for a lot of macro shooting becomes more optional with the D4 until things get really dark. The Nikon 105 VR that has always been fast focusing (and sometimes fast hunting) is now just fast and rock solid – almost no hunting. The autofocus which is shared with the D800 is just stunningly good. Most notable is that almost anything you shoot on the D4 works well – really well. What that really equates to is a little redefining of a lens’s use in addition to some pleasant discoveries. In terms of shooting full frame macro, the most obvious thing that occurs is the apparent change in focal length and field of view at a given distance. Even the bulk of the professional rig is quickly forgotten once the proper buoyancy is achieved and I found myself frequently shooting single handed while using my pointer as a stand-off. The AF-On control that is often critical in macro shooting is easily reached while maintaining access to the shutter release. The NA-D4 housing controls are placed so naturally that adjustments are second nature within a couple of dives. Utilizing the D4 in Nauticam housing makes the transition fairly seamless. ![]() As a long time shooter of cropped sensor digital cameras for macro, I was curious as to what the transition to the D4’s full frame sensor would offer. For some, the thought of giving up the crop sensor benefits on their macro lenses is unthinkable. Then came the digital revolution and cropped sensor cameras made these lenses really impressive as we gained relative depth of field and greater reproduction capability. It was not uncommon to see fellow photographers spend an entire dive trip using that one lens. The Nikon lens (like the Canon 100) was (and is) fantastically sharp and even with early autofocus, it worked light years better than other options. One of the most exciting things about shooting a housed camera was the chance to enjoy a long macro lens like the Nikon 105mm underwater. It was no accident that I started publishing my first photos two years later. The improvement in my photography was instantly evident and while I continued to enjoy shooting the superb Nikonos 15mm lens, every other focal length was the province of my housed camera. ![]() I shot my first Nikonos camera in 1973, but it wasn’t until 1992 that I started shooting an SLR camera in a housing. ![]()
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