AF-S DX Micro-NIKKOR 40mm f/2.8G

I wanted an inexpensive macro lens. This is it.
All the required extra effort and precision needed for macro photography pays off in the end.
Any issues you may experience using this lens are macro photography issues, not lens issues.
Very quickly I realized to maximize this lens, the R1 Wireless Close-Up Speedlight System is a
must(my camera has commander mode). I have taken great shots without the R1, but I recommend it strongly for the light required at smaller aperture settings. Higher ISO speeds defeat the amazing sharpness of this great little lens. Buy the R1, shoot at ISO 100. Don´t tell Nikon how sharp it is...
they might raise the price.
The R1 removes most constraints associated with macro photography. Depth off field is the thing.
An extremely sharp lens. This lens has whet my appetite for the Nikkor AF-S VR II 105mm f/2.8 Micro IF-ED which would be a perfect versatile all around prime lens for portraits and macro.
If I was just starting out and wanted prime lenses, I´d buy the Micro series lenses and have the best of both worlds.

I bought this lens as a macro lens, but soon discovered that I ended up using it for everything. Image quality is unbelievable, and I cannot fault it in any way. This was a pleasant surprise, as I did not expect anything near this standard considering the price.
Build quality is great, and although not built like one of the gold ring lenses, it is on a par with the 35mm f/1.8G and 50mm Gs. Like the 35mm, it is very light and compact, and it makes a nice change to use such a small lens without compromising on image quality!
Focus speed is actually rather fast and very accurate. When using this lens for landscape/portrait shots (with the focus limiter switched on), focusing seems instantaneous.
I have both this lens and the 35mm DX, and can honestly say that I would pick the 40mm over the 35mm every time. It may not be as fast as the 35mm, but the close focusing ability is very useful, even when I´m not doing 1:1 images.
With image quality close to pro lenses, full 1:1 focus capabilities and such a compact body, this has to be one of the best lenses ever!

This is my first macro lens. Brought it home today and couldn´t believe how amazing it is! Lightweight but hardworking. Took stunning close-ups as well as incredible portraits. I really wish I would have bought this lens sooner. I am extremely pleased with this lens, especially for the price.

This lens is a great all around lens! It´s at a decent focal length for DX cameras, has macro capabilities which are even better than I expected, and great background blur! This makes the lens excellent for portraits and macro shots. The barrel extension makes the lens a little long, but that is a small price to pay for the price of the lens, it´s expected. The shallow depth of field can make a lot of the image blurry, so it´s best to stop it down to ~f/4 or so, allowing more of the image in focus, because it gets a little too blurry at f/2.8 at times.
Just one flaw with this product, when at the closest focusing distance, if the camera is facing a downward angle, the shadow of the lens will appear in the photo if using the camera´s built in flash.

This is an easy to use lens for closeups and the sharpness is exceptional....auto-focus is quick and dead on...

I needed an optic to do some general overall closeup work. This lens is great for most everything you´ll need to do. Nikon has done it again with a reasonably priced optic that functions exceptionally well. Light to carry and sharp as a tack. Thanks Nikon!

Great Lens. If you want to walk around and take awesome macros, this lens is perfect. The autofocus is OKAY with that said, the overall quality of the photos for the money is second to none. Great product

I received this lens as a gift after looking for a macro lens. I was surprised by how much clarity and detail can be achieved in a shot! I was also surprised by how light the lens is, perfect for when I am shooting while traveling. This lens really surprised me but by now I should learn to expect nothing less from Nikon!

I was blown away with its capabilities and detail, especially for the price.