NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S

A joy to shoot with. Absolutely love this lens. This is my new favorite lens for my Z7. This lens has edge to edge sharpness.

My top-performing macro lens.I use this new Z MC 105mm lens on the Nikon Z7 II body and find that it acquires focus fast, even in low light.No detectable aberration, even when the subject is backlit by the sun. I use it as much for video as stills, and my subjects are fast-moving insects such as honey bees.There is "some" focus breathing, so when doing stacked images, fix the focus and then use a macro rail system over focusing with the lens and that won't be a problem.Solid build and I've had it in the rain with no weather seal issues (lens to camera body).I also have the previous FX Nikon 105 (AF-S MICRO NIKKOR 105mm 1:2.8G ED) and this Z-Lens is out-performing that previous lens in every practical way. I won't miss the constant focus and racking noises when trying to get nature sequences with video.I have far more control with this lens and don't mind the size and weight considering the quality of the captured images. I could not give a stronger endorsement, THIS is THE choice for any of your Z-bodies. Perfectly priced. Get one, you won't be disappointed.

Just amazing. Head and shoulders above the older 105 G. The VR seems to be better in conjunction with in body image stabilization. The edge to edge sharpness is amazing. Nikon could have asked for a few hundred dollars more, but at the current price it's a steal. Nikon has been hitting home runs with all the Z mount glass.

Absolutely one of the most amazing lenses I have ever owned. It's tack sharp as advertised and the fast focusing is everything it's hyped up to be. Paired with the Z6II, it will definitely going to ramp up my portrait game!

I preordered the Nikkor Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S lens when it was first announced as I had been wanting an upgrade from my 20 20 year old F mount 105 Micro lens; and boy is it ever an upgrade for my Z7 camera body (and my Z50). The sharpness if outstanding and focus acquisition is quick, although I do use manual focus often with a micro is extreme close-up situations.I’m primarily a portrait professional, and my go-to lens for decades has been my 70=200 f/2.8 zoom. My S version of that really kicks butt, and now I have the ability to achieve much closer focus with my new 105 Micro lens when I want better close-up details. It’ll be great portrait lens as well as a superb Micro tool. Thank you Nikon, as I approach my 50th year as a Nikon owner. You’ve never let me down.

I have, or have used, many of Nikon's Micro and Macro lenses. The MC 105 is one of their best. While retaining the flat field so critical for close up work, they have noticeably improved on color fringing and focus breathing over past micro 105's. The lens also renders details with amazing clarity and has a very pleasant BOKEH. The AF is fast and accurate, although a bit louder than my other Z-lenses. The finesse of the focus-by-wire MF is excellent and the display is helpful determining reproduction ratios for technical work. The lens is also fully integrated with the Z-line cameras' focus shifting features.The lens does show reduced light transmission starting at 1:14 (1.6 meters) dropping from f2.8 to f3. From there it steadily reduces to f4.5 at it's minimum focusing distance of 0.29m (1:1). This is normal for micro lenses and the Z-cameras' metering compensate for this effect.I have used this lens with the R1C1 macro flash commander kit to good effect. The stationary front element makes working with the ring light fitting easy and the 62mm filter threads are welcome.The included lens hood is fairly long but does not particularly hamper using the lens, even at it's closes focusing distance, although it is best suited for use when used as a portrait lens.I am not a portrait photographer, but from my limited testing, it works well as a general purpose portrait lens. Sharpness and BOKEH are still excellent at the mid-focus range, and while not as magical as the 105 f1.4E, it renders a pleasing imkage.The only issue so far is Nikon having given up support for macro photography (>1:1). There are no OEM extension tubes or bellows and the lens depends on electronics for aperture and focus control, increasing the difficulty of using this lens for macro photography. This is unfortunate since the Z-cameras' EVF make high magnification work much easier than SLR's when using adapted rigs.I was pleasantly surprised at the fairly low price point and low weight and have had a good time experimenting with this lens. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to shoot close up and up to 1:1.

Another superbly performing Z mount lens. No regrets after using the lens for two weeks. Sharp, quick to focus, wonderful bokeh. I look forward to many hours shooting with this attached to my Z6. Ordering directly through Nikon proved to be a great option...easy to purchase, great notifications and tracking options..

I keep hearing the term "sharp" coming from reviewers, but that's a relative term. So sticking with relativity, my sample of this lens is nice but not the sharpest tool in my bag. I'd even rate it on par with the previous F version of the 105mm, but not better. If you subscribe to the concept of micro-contrast, then this lens sample is just average. Luckily, I can pull better detail with some tweaking in Capture One, but not natively without post. Looking at results at all apertures, forget about working with stops wider than f/8 to f/11. Diffraction if just too evident and destructive. Focus stacking is the answer, but that's only if you're prepared to spend the time and resources. I'm toying with idea of returning it to the retailer, but then I'll be without a long awaited macro lens for who knows how long. There are two things that I do like about this lens. The first is that it's light with beautifully machined parts that move and work well together. The other is the price. I had anticipated a larger bump in the cost when compared to the earlier version, but Nikon did a good job of holding the line and offering a pretty good value.

I just received my Z series MC105 Macro and went out to capture some images today. I was extremely pleased with the autofocus performance and the end result. The images are tack sharp, excellent color and contrast, and the lens was simple and comfortable to use. I have been waiting for a native macro for my Z7II, and I'm glad I waited.