Gerbera Fire

A few weeks ago I spotted a bargain – a Nikon 85mm f3.5 AF-S VR DX Macro for about 1/3 of the new price.  So I picked it up quick and decided to try it out.  It works fine on the D90, and like most macros, AF is a pain when using it for macro work, so it is better to use manual focus.  I tried it on some gerberas in our lounge room, and while the results look good, I found that the VR didn’t work as well as I thought.   While the claim is 3-4 stops improvement, I found that for macro it really was only 1 stop improvement, and users of this and other Nikon VR macro lenses has seen similar results.  

Still, it is a sharp lens, useful lens that is obviously built down to a price.  Would I spend the $500 on a new one?  That’s a  tough call, as there are several other excellent macro lenses out there for a similar price, including the full frame Tamron 90mm f2.8, the Nikon 60mm f2.8 AF-D and AF-S models.  Shopping used and spending a little more would get you a Tamron 180mm f3.5, a Sigma 150mm f2.8 or a Nikon 105mm f2.8 AF-S VR; all top of the line macro lenses.  However the big differentiator at this price point is VR, and that definitely is worth something.  For me, as I intend to go back to full frame, it has a limited time to spend in my cupboard.