Using the Nikon 18-200mm for macro photography
6 June 2009
When I first read about this on Ken Rockwell’s page I didn’t quite believe it. But it’s true. Nikon’s 18-200mm zoom lens can be used for macro photography.
The specifications say shortest focus distance is 50cm. But when zoomed out to 200mm the lens can focus on its subject under 30cm distance. And with a close-up filter (Kenko No.3) screwed on even greater macro magnification can be achieved. It is a cheap alternative to purchasing an expensive macro lens. It also means you don’t need to carry around another lens (I now mostly go out with the camera with just this lens on).
The only drawbacks are its depth of field (f5.6 at 200mm), bokeh (rounded diaphragm) and image quality. Not the best but good for the price.
Here are some test shots I took the other day using f5.6@200mm with close-up filter No.3 (click on images for the original sizes).
These are the kinds of shots you can expect from an inexpensive and flexible lens like the 18-200mm which inadvertently doubles as a macro lens. If you are looking to take award winning professional-like shots then you will need a dedicated macro lens with shallow depth of field (f2.8 or less). But for a weekend photographer like myself I couldn’t be more happy with this versatile and reasonably built lens.
