60 mm macro or 40 mm macro?

bluespotocto · Aug 26, 2011

I have a nikon d300 with an ikelite housing and DS125 strobe. I have a 5505 ikelite flat port. I have confirmed with ikelite that it will work with the 60 mm, but i am not sure if it will work with the 40 mm? I dont think it will. I have heard great revies about the 60 mm and that it is top of the line macro for underwater. I am wondering if any one has tried the 40 mm and if it is any better? I am thinking about the 40 mm also because it is about half the price of the 60 mm and if it is the same of better why not go with the 40 mm.

Thanks

scubadiveilat · Aug 26, 2011

Nice!

I'd go with the 60MM, immaculate results.

Larry C · Aug 26, 2011

It depends on what you want out of the lens. The 40mm will focus at 6.4" with 1:1 reproduction. The 60mm AF-S will focus at 7.28 with a 1:1 reproduction. That means you must get closer to shy subjects for 1:1 shooting.
On the other hand, with the 60mm, you have to back several feet from the subject to capture a larger subject, such as a 3-4 foot fish or a small school. The 40mm would shoot the same subject in the frame at a closer distance. I haven't used the 40mm, but I have the 60mm and in less than stellar water clarity, you can get half a fish sometimes. When I want to shoot larger subjects, but not use my WA lens, I usually take out my 35mm f2.0, which is not a macro lens, won't do 1:1 and focuses at about 9". I think the 40mm macro might do similar work but still let you get the small stuff. You might even be able to shoot it behind a mini dome for sort of a less than wide angle macro.

bluespotocto · Aug 26, 2011

ok it sounds like I will go with the 60 mm. Its not so macro that if I see like a cool looking Anthias I can still get a good picture of it with the 60 mm right?

John Gulliver · Aug 27, 2011

Check out the shots of white-belly damselfish, anenomefish etc taken with the 60mm D lens here: Macro images Aqaba, Jordan, November 3-10, 2010. View as Slideshow. - johngulliver's Photos

John Gulliver · Aug 27, 2011

To get an idea of just how versatile the 60mm D lens is, check out the next page in the above link. The stonefish was about 18" long (unusually big for a stonefish) and the giant puffer at least 2 feet.

Chuck Tribolet · Aug 28, 2011

I wouldn't put too much stock in there being lots of nice 60mm examples and no 40mm examples because the 40mm just became available this past week.

One advantage of the 60mm is that it goes to about 1.5:1 on a crop sensor while the 40 only goes to 1:1.

Also, you need to check port availability for the 40mm. It wants a shorter port to avoid vignetting and to keep the port away from the subject.

The 40mm does come at a nice price point. I think the D3000 + 40mm would be a greater starter UW DSLR.

John Gulliver · Aug 28, 2011

Chuck Tribolet:
I think the D3000 + 40mm would be a greater starter UW DSLR.

Absolutely, but as Jake already has a port for the 60mm and it seems probable that it won't be right for the 40mm, the 60mm might be a better choice for him. It also seems that the 60mm lens is more robustly made than the 40mm, so it might be a better choice in the long run, especially as the price difference between a new 60mm D and the 40mm lens is now not so big.

bluespotocto · Aug 28, 2011

Even though the price difference is pretty nice i think i am going to go with the 60 mm because i already have the port and that the 60 mm has gotten so many great reviews. Also looking at your photos, John, really helped me decide because I thought that you would be only able to take picture of nudis or smaller but since i will be able to take pics of small fish that should be perfect for starting. Thanks for all the info!!

BluewaterPhoto · Sep 3, 2011

I highly recommend going with the 60mm lens, I think it is a much better focal length for many of the subjects that you will encounter than 40mm. And it gives you more working distance, a good thing. Good luck! - Scott

60 mm macro or 40 mm macro?

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