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Nikon Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 review and recommendations for accessories

March 11, 2012

The Micro-Nikkor 55mm was introduced as an automatic lens in 1966, but the optical design was developed in the 50s for the rangefinder Micro-Nikkor 5cm f/3.5. Apart from cosmetic changes there was one importent revision: beginning in 1973 the lens was multicoated. Mine was bought in 1979, just before the successor - the Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 - was announced. Today one can get this lens cheaply on ebay. If you are looking for a versatile macro lens: buy one of these!

The Micro-Nikkor 55mm with the life-size adapter (PK-13 tube). The lens itself goes from infinity to a magnification of 1:2. In conjunction with the 27.5mm long tube it goes from 1:2 to 1:1. Above the usual metre and feet scales you can find two scales with the magnification, the first for the lens itself and one the second for the use in conjunction with the PK-13.

The 55mm is a very compact lens. Thanks to the deep recessed front element you need neither a filter for protection nor a hood.

Using the lens at maximum magnification. See below for the result. Please note: the built-in flash of the camera is very usable for macro work with this Nikkor!

Detail of the Nikon F. See below for a 100% crop of this image.

100% crop. The image was just raw-converted by Nikon Capture NX. No further post-processing was done.

Specifications:

• 5 elements in 4 groups.
• Closest focus is 24.1cm. Maximum magnification is 1:2.
• The working distance at closest focus is approx. 11cm (5.5cm with PK-13).
• This is a manual focus lens.
• Weight including rear cap is 255 grams (the PK-13 weighs 120 grams).
• Filter size is 52mm (non-rotating).
• Length from the camera's lens mount at infinity is about 55mm.
• Diameter is about 65mm.

Positives:

• Pro-built quality.
• Compact and lightweight.
• No hood neccessary.
• Smooth focussing (even after more than thirty years of use without any service).
• The optical performance is on a very high level at every distance, but just stunning in the macro range.
• No CA!
• No focus breathing.

Drawbacks:

• The bokeh could be better.

Alternatives:

• Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8:
  
  The successor of this lens is a great lens, too. I tried it in analogue times. But I found out that the f/3.5 is slightly better for macro purposes. Besides, many people report oil on the aperture blades.
  
  
• AF Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8:
  
  This is Ken Rockwell's favourite. I've never tried this lens, but may do so in the future. It is not so easy to find, because it was only produced for a short period in the middle of the 80s. Focussing goes down to 1:1 without a tube. But it is bigger and heavier than its MF predecessor.
  
  
• AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8 (D):
  
  I tried this lens on my D70 and D200 cameras. Especially in the macro range it produces visible colour fringing. Therefore I prefer the 55mm f/3.5. Handling and build quality are fine.
  
  
• AF-S Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8:
  
  This is the newest lens in this line. I haven't tried it and I do not plan to do so, because in my eyes it has two main drawbacks: Firstly, the distance between the lens and the subject is lower than with the AF 60mm. Secondly, this is the first one that doesn't have a recessed front element, which means you need an additional hood. In sum that means: this lens has a significant amount of focus breathing, which is the more bad at an already realatively short focal length.

Recommended accessories:

• Nikon PK-13:
  
  This is a must-have accessory item to this lens. Using the lens with the PK is as easy as using it without.

Maximum magnification of the combination of TC-16A plus the 55mm f/3.5.

The Lens Scope Converter plus the 55mm gives a great macroscope.

• Nikon TC-16A:
  
  The 55mm f/3.5 works fine in conjunction with teleconverters. I tried it with the TC-14A, the TC-16A and the TC-200. In my opinion the TC-16A is the best one for this job.
  
  It is a special TC announced in 1986 together with the F-501. It "converts" MF lenses to AF-lenses, for example the combination of this converter with a MF 50mm F1.8 makes an AF 80mm f/2.8. That was a nice idea and it works fine within its limits.
  
  But this TC works only with the first generation of AF cameras. The manuals of modern cameras (including all DSLRs) forbid the use of this converter. No problem, it's easy to work around! You just have to disable the electronics. Screw out the two screws pointed by the red arrows. Lift up the complete block and pull out the electronical contacts (blue arrows). Screw everything together again, that's it. The TC-16A has a "screwdriver" AF coupling (green arrow). If you can not focus to infinity you must adjust the TC's focus with a screwdriver.
  
  The resulting 88mm f/5.6 may sound boring, but this combination delivers tremendous image quality (see example under "sample images"). The maximum magnification is approx. 1:1.25, the working distance stays at 11cm. The focus indicator of the D700 works fine with this combination. The built-in flash of the camera works great.
  
  The TC-16A weighs only 170 grams (including caps). The optical design consists of 5 elements in 5 groups. You can get these TCs cheap today.
  
  
  
• Nikon Lens Scope Converter:
  
  The Lens Scope Converter makes a telescope from your telephoto lens. But it also works great in conjunction with the Micro-Nikkor 55mm as a macroscope!
  
  The working distance at maximum magnification is what you expect: 11 cm. What you see through the eyepiece is a circular image of an area on the subject plane that has a diameter of 2 cm. Don't forget to set the lens' aperture wide open.
  
  The Lens Scope Converter weighs 200 grams. Unfortunately it is hard to find and therefore often expensive.
  
  
  
• Going beyond life-size:
  
  For doing that you should reverse the lens in order to maintain the optical performance. For reversing a lens with a 52mm filter thread Nikon offers the BR2A ring. Please note, that you must close the aperture of the reversed lens by hand unless you are not using special equipment for the aperture control. Between the camera and the reversed Micro-Nikkor you should use tubes or a bellows unit. It is a good idea to use a flash for such work. Below you see a setup for photographing with a 4:1 magnification.
  
  

Setup for photographing with 4:1 magnification. Along the optical axis from the right to the left you find the D700, the PB-4 bellows unit, the BR2A reversing ring, the Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 and the BR-4 tube (providing a cable release port for stopping down). In the background on the GorillaPod the SB-700, connected via an SC-17 cable. In the foreground an old AR-7 double cable release for the automatic stop down of the lens. The connection from the AR-7 to the camera is made by two adapters: the MR-3 plus the MC-25. I used live view in this setup. After activating it and magnifying the image I took the cable release in one hand and made the fine-focussing on the tripod mount positioning knob (green arrow) with the other hand.

This image is the result of the above described setup.

Sample images:

Lizard at the beach, south coast of Sweden. D200 @ISO200, 55mm, F11, 1/250 sec..

Flower detail. Nikon D700 + TC-16A + 55mm at maximum magnification, F11, 1/250 sec., with built-in flash.

100% crop of the above image.

Purple-coloured Anemone Hupehensis in infrared light. Nikon D70IR @ISO400, 55mm, F8, 1/100 sec..