…no, not FUJINON XF60mm F2.4 R Macro. It is hard to call this lens not only the best macro lens, but macro lens at all. With 1:2 reproduction ratio and 60mm focal length I would call it rather “pseudo macro”. This is why macro Fujifilm passionate have to invent something on their own. And I invented something like that:
What is it? Far right you can see my X-Pro2. Far left is the AF Micro Nikkor 200mm f/4 D ED. In between – the Metabones Nikon G to X-mount adapter. And below – one of the more important things in the macro setup: macro focusing rail.
The AF Micro Nikkor 200mm f/4 D ED is well known to the older ones and totally mostly unknown to the younger ones. Nikon introduced first version of this lens in 1978. It had manual focusing and reproduction ratio 1:2 with working distance of 71 cm. Version I use is the last version (literally last, as this lens has been withdrawn from the market already), with AF, tripod collar and reproduction ratio 1:1. AF in this lens is a prehistory – there is no internal drive in the lens. Instead there is a screwdriver clutch, allowing the AF system of the lens to be driven by driver inside the body. This means that AF is possible only with the older AF Nikons or current top level ones only. AF is terribly slow, even with top bodies. Needless to say that when mounted on X-Pro2, there is no AF at all. There is even no data transmission or in-body aperture control. There is nothing. Except of one thing: exceptionally good optics, unreachable for many. Hor toes this optics work? You can see below.
Despite the fact that AF Micro Nikkor 200mm f/4 D ED in combination with X-Pro2 doesn’t offer AF at all, focusing in this setup is quite easy. First, X-Pro2 offers great support for focusing, showing in red or blue sharp edges on the screen and in the finder. Second, AF Micro Nikkor 200mm f/4 D ED has very smooth and precise movement of the focusing ring, which is wide and comfortable. First together with second both of them make very nice effect. And if we have focusing rail, we can initially set the focus with rail and finish with focusing ring or we can set the reproduction ration on the lens and focus with rail.
Focal length of 200mm is very useful in macro: first, while photographing bugs, we don’t need to put the lens in the bug’s eye, and second, with this focal length the front lens is far enough from the object that we avoid lightning problems. An this is a real macro 🙂
Unfortunately, Fujifilm has worried me a lot. In the road-map we could see a 120 mm macro lens to be introduced in near future. Sure, it is neither 200mm nor 180mm, but much better than 60mm. But latest rumors say that it will not be 120mm. Instead it seems like just 80mm! Really too bad!
