D90 and Macro Lens

[cgntoonartist]

Hello,
I am new to photography and to this forum.

I am interested in Macro Photography.

I am going to be buying a Nikon D90 and I was hoping to get the Sigma 105mm EX DG Macro lens with it.
QUESTION:
Because of budget reasons, can I use the Sigma 105mm EX DG Macro for regular day to day photo shots as well or do I really need to get a general purpose lens like the Sigma AF 18-200mm?

I was hoping to get away with buying just ONE lens for now, but I do want to be able to take Macro shots with it.

 

[Sil3ntp8nd8]

I have the siggy and the d90. It works fine as macro. For portrait it would work fine as well, though with the high fixed focal length (105mm), you will get a tight crop on your subject. If you wanted to get the fully body of the subject, then you will have to stand very very far away.

 

[hemdroid]

105mm will be too tight for "regular" daily usage. i have a 50mm and even that seems too tight. get either a 35mm or a standard zoom lens like the 18-200mm you mentioned.

 

[pinkster2008]

Hi

Here is a few samples pictures of my Tamron 90mm macro on my D90 with addiction (2 set of extension tubes + Raynox 250 and Raynox 150)

Enjoy.

0% crop

 

[Michael Carter]

I did a ton of macro jewelry & cosmetic shots for my portfolio and later for clients.

In my experience, the lens doesn't matter that much. Get several extension tubes and then play with wide angles, telephotos, etc.

I used the shortest extension tube I could find for a lot of product shots where I wanted really limited DOF. Did a lot of shots through a huge magnifying glass to get chromatic aberration and distortion, too. You can do a lot with extension tubes - I don't own a single lens considered "macro". they just don't get close enough for me.

 

[Ragunaru]

i have a 50mm and even that seems too tight

I only have the 50mm f/1.8 lens and I'm pretty happy with it. Occasionally I would love to have a bit more flexibility but then again, I can manage somehow.

I actually have a half-working Sigma 10-20mm lens but well, as I said, it's half working so I'm not really using it all that much.

Anyway, one of the lenses I would love to own is the 18-200mm f/2.8 VR II but haven't managed to save up for it yet. That'd be a great for "regular" daily usage, together with the 50mm f/1.8.