APO (or near) Lenses in Nikon F-Mount

[JKoerner007]

Here's a working definition of APO from astronomy:  An apochromatic system is one in which wave aberrations do not exceed 1/4 wave optical path difference (OPD) in the spectral range from C (6563A - red) to F (4861A - blue), while the g wavelength (4358A - violet) is 1/2 wave OPD or better, has three widely spaced zero color crossings and is corrected for coma.

For D850's stacking to function, you not only need an autofocus lens, but one with a built-in motor.  With perhaps one or two exceptions (like the 50mm f/1.8 AF-S),  lenses with "modern autofocus" employ floating elements instead of focusing as a unit.  Even if each set of moving elements met the above definition of APO, I'm skeptical that a floating element design can meet that definition across a wide range of focus distances.  And that's before thinking about manufacturing tolerances.  So I dismiss the APO moniker on lenses like the Sigma 180mm f/3.5 as marketing hype.  I do own a 180mm f/3.5 and think it's a good lens, but an APO lens it is not.  Autofocus speed is quite slow, and I suspect it would need rechipping to function fully on a D850.

Didn't Zeiss coin the Apo moniker?

The Sigma 180 f/3.5 macro is beneath the Sigma 180 f/2.8 macro, as the tests on the preceding page illustrate, and neither is a true Apo.

However, the Sigma 135mm Art has a slightly worse LoCA score than the Zeiss Apo Sonnar, but a better LaCA score.

[Michael Erlewine]

To sum up what works for me:

Faster glass in a lens means great bokeh, but for my work it also has to be very sharp wide-open and very well corrected at well. That’s the glass that I seek and sometimes find. With fast glass as described above, even though wide open the DOF is razor thin, I can literally paint in focus over a sea of bokeh and be quite satisfied with the results.

Things that also help are a lens with a long focus throw or using the tilt features of a bellows, thus forcing the plane of the focus to compress near and far, making it much easier to stack with fewer artifacts.  In the process of searching out lenses, along the way I have tried all kinds of lenses to see if I could squeeze from them something useful for close-up shooting. 

[JKoerner007]

It appears that the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 Art is the best candidate for the ultimate wide-open (w/ razor-sharp focus) lens. Combined with low CA, and the ability to take advantage of the in-body stacking feature of the D850. I can't think of a better option.

Wouldn't be worth much as a true macro lens, but you're more into close-focus.

With 1:5 magnification, this would mean a 180mm (7.01-inch) subject would fill the 36mm D850 frame, which is about ideal for flower photography.

It is so sharp, you could probably frame a 4" subject, crop, and have better resolution than a common macro lens would give you.

It would be interesting for you to compare in-body stacks of this lens on your D850 to manual stacks with the Zeiss 135 Apo.
(Compare both time + results.)

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Hmm, I really wonder Michael, if automatic stacking using an AF lens and the new D850
could possibly kill the mediative moments of serenity while doing your work?

You made me really think about it, and I asked myself why I do that to me, working with very
fast lenses wide open, hand held to achieve what I am after - and it is exactly that: it forces
me into a certain descipline, it takes all my attention and the world around disappears, it is just
the subject and me which remains for these long moments of flow... I'm sure you understand me very well.

[Michael Erlewine]

Hmm, I really wonder Michael, if automatic stacking using an AF lens and the new D850
could possibly kill the mediative moments of serenity while doing your work?

You made me really think about it, and I asked myself why I do that to me, working with very
fast lenses wide open, hand held to achieve what I am after - and it is exactly that: it forces
me into a certain descipline, it takes all my attention and the world around disappears, it is just
the subject and me which remains for these long moments of flow... I'm sure you understand me very well.

The auto-stacking is probably a harbinger of things to come. We will always find a place for those meditative moments because we depend on them, IMO. Things change, but (as they say) they remain the same.

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

The auto-stacking is probably a harbinger of things to come. We will always find a place for those meditative moments because we depend on them, IMO. Things change, but (as they say) they remain the same.

Sure, we cannot and should not ignore what technology brings us, as long as that doesn't take away important aspects of our life.

[JKoerner007]

Sure, we cannot and should not ignore what technology brings us, as long as that doesn't take away important aspects of our life.

The important aspect is to enjoy nature (or the flower/subject) in-and-of-itself; the advancements we can use to facilitate our ability to best capture the essence of what we admire will not detract from our basic interest and enjoyment. Indeed, continuous advancement will merely amplify our ability to capture that essence which captivates our fancy to begin with.

[Frank Fremerey]

Here are a couple CV shots (a few I may have posted already) to show the subtle, intricate, realistic colors captured by what I believe to be the best walk-around macro I have ever used.


Arizona Mantid ♀ by John A. Koerner II, on Flickr

Honey Bee by John A. Koerner II, on Flickr

It's like you can reach out and pluck them off their perches.

I really enjoy these!

[JKoerner007]

I really enjoy these!

Glad to hear it, thank you!

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

That Mantid is great close-up shot!

[JKoerner007]

That Mantid is great close-up shot!

Thanks!

The subtle, ultra-realistic colors of the Voigtlander are what I enjoy most about this lens

[Frank Fremerey]

Glad to hear it, thank you!

I did a lot of bees for a honey producer for 10 years, but these were more moody shots for the lables. I fact customers criticized the shot where the bee stings were too clearly in focus, like these. My equipment for these started with the D70 & 2.8/60D and ended with the 2.8/60G on the D600, next season I want to try the extended 4/300PF on the D500 and D850 to see if AF can make all the difference here:

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Very nice macro work Frank!!

[David H. Hartman]

Very nice light and composition on the third photograph. The bee is getting down. The poor workers only live about two weeks after they start leaving the hive.

Dave who was a bee keeper for a few of years until he had a reaction to a sting.