Gear Review | Nikon Nikkor 60mm f2.8 D micro

Written by Beckie of beckiegkengle.com.

Today I’m reviewing Nikon’s 60mm f/2.8 D micro.

(Nikon refers to their macro lenses as micro, though I am not entirely sure why)

If you own a “Nifty Fifty” you might wonder why you would need this lens. I can’t really tell you why other than by telling you my experiences with both.

The 60mm is so versatile! Not only have I used it as a macro, like it was intended, but it makes a pretty nice portrait lens as well! While it is not as fast as either the 50mm f/1.8 or f/1.4, and can sometimes be slow to focus, it can capture some amazingly sharp images! It makes a great walk-around lens!

The 60mm allows you to get as close as 4″ from your subject. This particular model has a “limit/full” switch. When switched to “limit” (while shooting close up) the lens does not have to go through the whole range of focus to find your subject (essentially taking less time to focus on your subject, and not having to “hunt” for your subject). When switched to “full” (while shooting a subject that is a few feet away from you) it allows the lens to go through the whole focus range to find focus on your subject. This could be why it will sometimes take longer to focus than the 50mm.

This lens has a nice solid build! The front glass is recessed somewhat into the lens body, creating its own built-in hood! Taking into consideration the crop factor, when this lens is used on a cropped-sensor body, it would be the equivalent to a 90mm. On a full-frame sensor, it is a true 60mm. This particular version of the lens will NOT auto-focus on Nikon’s entry-level bodies (D3000, D3100, D3200, D5000, D5100, D40, D40x and D60), however the newer “G” version will focus on the previously mentioned bodies!

If you enjoyed reading my post and would like to follow more of my journey through life in photography, feel free to visit my blog or follow my Facebook page!

 

Note from Amanda: The Nikon 60mm f2.8 is my go-to lens because of it’s awesome flexibility. It has a similar focal length to the 50mm, but I can also get in close if I want to. Whenever I can take only one lens, I reach for my nifty-sixty. 😉

About Beckie

I'm Beckie, a fun, think-outside-the-box mama to 2 miracle children.
I love all things photography, and being able to share in this art with others!
www.beckiegkengle.com

Comments

  1. Thanks for the information. I can never decide on what lenses to get, so this is perfect.

    • Amy, a lot of my lens purchases have been trial and error. I would ask around, but not usually get a lot of help (Amanda turned me onto the 60mm, however!). I’m happy to be able to pass on my information about gear to others, so that they may make informed decisions! 🙂

  2. I love seeing reviews of a lens in use – so when would you choose this lens over the 50?

    • Thank you, TidyMom! For me personally, I would choose the 60mm over the 50mm if I was going somewhere with only one lens. It is a little bigger than the 50, but it would give you the option of having a good walk-around lens, and also have those macro capabilities!

  3. Thanks Beckie! I have the 50mm and I haven’t loved it as much as I thought I would. Maybe the 60 is more my speed. Lisa~

  4. sounds like a great lens, I was just talking to a photographer about a 60mm the other day and he said he loves it over the 50mm.

  5. Wow – great review!! I have been debating the 50 vs. 60 and this really helped!!

    xoxo

  6. I’ve been considering a different lens – this looks like something I need to investigate more. Thank you!!

  7. Looks like a great lens!

  8. Something I will say to all of you…this is a great lens, but it’s not for everyone. I would recommend possibly renting it first. All of my lens purchases have been trial and error pretty much. Some I have bought and returned (or sold if I waited too long to return). I wish I would’ve thought to rent them first.

  9. Thanks for a great review. I find it hard to choose without seeing images and reading experiences!

  10. B&H specs have minimum focus at 8.66″ so I’m wondering if it’s 4 on a full-frame camera?

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