CA
  
You are currently viewing the Canada version of the site.
Would you like to switch to your local site?
1 MIN READ TIME

BEST MACRO LENS

For capturing the world up close

1 Nikkor ZMC 105mm f/2.8 VR S

In our initial review, we called this “one of the best macro lenses we’d used”. The quality, build and weight make it a fantastic macro optic.

Unlock this article and much more with
You can enjoy:
Enjoy this edition in full
Instant access to 600+ titles
Thousands of back issues
No contract or commitment
Try for $1.39
SUBSCRIBE NOW
30 day trial, then just $13.99 / month. Cancel anytime. New subscribers only.


Learn more
Pocketmags Plus
Pocketmags Plus

This article is from...


View Issues
Digital Photographer
289
VIEW IN STORE

Other Articles in this Issue


Digital Photographer
Our contributors
© David duChemin KIM BUNERMANN This
Digital Photographer
Future PLC Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1
Gifts & giveaways
2 free ebooks to download The Photographer’s
WELCOME
WELCOME
“In celebration of the launch of our new DP University program, we’ve brought you a premium edition packed full of extras”
IN FOCUS
LEICA’S NEW CAMERA IS ‘THE FASTEST LEICA SYSTEM CAMERA EVER BUILT’
The new Leica SL3-Scombines strength and speed, with features such as 30fps bursts, 6K video, IP54 weather-sealing and up to 96MP photos
7Artisans AF 27mm f/2.8 II: same but different?
Just under a year after the original lens
Canon reveals new RF 16-28mm f/2.8 IS STM
Canon’s latest wide-angle zoom lens gets weather-sealing and afast f/2.8 aperture, all in acompact, budget-friendly package
Voigtländer releases 28mm prime lens
This top-quality prime has a12-bladed iris and f/1.5 maximum aperture, so is it the new king of bokeh?
In other news
More snippets of photography news from around the world
YOUR IMAGES
STORY BEHIND THE STILL
Pictured Fab Four, Valencia “The lucky part was
Pro advice
LIGHT, CAMERA, CREATIVITY!
Peter Fenech joins Bill Ward for exclusive access to his Light &Land workshop to learn the secrets of shooting great abstract cityscapes
SELL YOUR OWN STOCK
Stock photography specialist Joás Souza explains the first steps to creating apersonal stock image collection
Photo CV
We profile an expert photographer’s career journey for insight on becoming established in the industry
Rachel Riley
Location: Northeast England Specialisms: Landscape, aerial, commercial To
Rachel’s photo kit
The essential gear items needed for this tylpe of professional work
Approaching companies
How do you market yourselves and approach companies
Career advice
Claire Gillo speaks to amarketing professional and offers advice on essential kit and dealing with disorganised clients
How do I market my small business?
Marketing expert Emma Dixon shares her top tips for boosting visibility and improving social media algorithms for your business
Get inspired
Pro insights to give you ataste of what to expect at The Photography &Video Show next month
THE TALK: Finding your own voice in photography
CHRISTIE GOODWIN
THE TALK: Astrophotography – our window to the universe
JOSH DURY
The Gallery
World Sports Photography Awards 2025
SHOT OF THE MONTH
WIN! SAMSUNG 1TB PRO PLUS MICRO SDXC MEMORY
THE BEST OF GARDEN ANIMALS
TASTY FRAMES
WIN! Prizes from Affinity
Enter our Captivating Portraits contest before 12th March for achance to win Affinity Photo
Practical skills
VENTURE INTO THE CITY
Discover the excitement of acityscape and plan your next photographic adventure with key advice from Rebecca Greig
Make it modern
Embrace the ever-evolving skyline of amodern city
Pay attention to reflections
Capture the most interesting pictures by embracing the reflective nature of modern building materials
Control light with a Custom White Balance
Balance the tones in your lighting with acustom setting
Adapt to your new location
Each new city you encounter has its own unique culture and qualities that you can highlight in the shots you take
The perfect aspect ratio
Choose the best frame shape for your chosen subject
Take the right kit
Some of the essential gear you need to shoot the city
Get creative
Take your cityscapes to awhole new level with some creative techniques
Essential shots to capture
Get creative with your cityscape and include these key shots
Capture traffic trails
Light trails add an eye-catching element to your night-time cityscapes
Enhance your cityscapes
Use photo editing software to make your cityscapes stand out from the crowd
Top cityscape editing tools
STRAIGHTEN TOOL A wonky horizon will always reduce
WHO NEEDS AI?
Challenge the medium of photography to create AI aesthetics without the use of AI creation programs
Understand aesthetics
Learn technical approaches to replicate AI-generated imagery in your photography
Double up
Combine two subjects to create double exposures
Clean up your images
Eliminate some elements to add agraphic touch
Achieve flawless skin
Give your subject AI-like perfect skin by controlling the light
Block out reality
Shoot macro to reduce reference points
Shift the scales
Create unusual composites that manipulate subjects optically
Create a photomontage
Get creative by constructing aconceptual image using elements from different shots
Create B&W surreals
Ali Zolghadri on photography techniques that leave the viewer questioning their own perception of reality
On the right lines
Include graphic elements to enhance the surrealistic approach
Use the space
Use aminimalistic subject placement and composition
Pro Advice
Ali’s top tips for creating imagery that blurs the lines
Welcome to ‘Magic Realism’
Michael Bross on playing with perspective to create aperception of reality
The retouching process explained
Michael’s post-processing workflow allows him to fine-tune the effects
Pro insight: gaming the system
We talk to Miles Astray , the photographer who tricked the industry by entering areal-life photograph into an AI competition –and winning
PAINTING WITH LIGHT
Dan Mold demonstrates how to create otherworldly light paintings that will leave your friends wondering how you did it
Shooting steps
1 Set up your torch The light orb
The setup
EL WIRE ‘EL’ wire, or electroluminescence wire comes
Top tips for light painting
Follow these six tips to ensure your images work for this technique
Editing steps
1 Load up your layers First, go into
Set the spotlight
Create aDIY honeycomb speedlight grid to illuminate your subject on abudget
Editing suite
Process focus stacked shots
Combine your shots in Photoshop to create asuper-sharp image
Merge HDR shots in Lightroom
Use the adjustments you normally apply to maximise dynamic range
Cleaner images
Use basic tools to create asurreal frame
Social space
MEET THE SPEAKERS
David duChemin , Christie Goodwin and Josh Dury share their passion for their respective photography genres with Kim Bunermann and tell us what we can expect from their talks at The Photography &Video Show
THE TALK: Light, space and time: Camera craft and creativity
DAVID DUCHEMIN
Kitintro
The expert and independent reviews of gear we’ve bagged this issue
THE TUBE MAPPER PROJECT
Luke Agbaimoni photographs London’s public transport network, focusing on symmetry, imperfections and contrast
New kit and reviews
Photo Kit Leaderboard 2025
Our real-time report on the very best gear available for you right now
KEY SPECS
What features should you expect as standard in acamera today?
Canon EOS R5 Mark II
The updated EOS R5 might just represent the pinnacle of mirrorless camera technology
BEST FULL-FRAME CAMERA
If you’re after maximum quality images, its larger pixels mean that afull-frame camera is the best place to start
PROPRIETARY LENS MOUNT COMPATIBILITY
Demystify the diversity of current lens mount systems
BEST APS-CCAMERA
+10 POINTS 1 Fujifilm X-T5 Retro power
BEST MICRO 4/3 CAMERA
OM System OM-1Mark II
ESSENTIAL AF FEATURES
Keep up with speedy subjects
BEST MEDIUM-FORMAT CAMERA
Fujifilm GFX 100 II This advanced GF-mount camera
BEST EDITING SOFTWARE
DxO PhotoLab 8 The best software for
KIT SHOOTOUT
The best of the rest to consider
Nikon Z8
The Nikon D850 took the world by storm
Canon EOS R3
Other than price, there’s little to separate this
BEST WIDE-ANGLE LENS
For even greater frame width
L-MOUNT ALLIANCE
The L-Mount is oddly underrepresented in the photographic
REAR FILTERS
Many lenses with large front elements, such as
BEST STANDARD LENS
Essential for all-round use
BEST SPECIALIST LENS
For something alittle different
BEST TELEPHOTO LENS
Zoom in closer to the action
BEST LIGHTING
Take full control of the lighting conditions
BEST FILTERS
1 Urth Magnetic Circular Polarizing (CPL) SPECIFICATION
BEST TRIPOD
Using atripod is the key to sharper shots
Leica Q3 43
Gareth Bevan finds out if anew longer lens makes for an appealing upgrade
Blackmagic Pyxis 6K
Rob Redman discovers apotential powerhouse camera for filmmakers
Tamron 90mm F2.8 Di III Macro VXD
Matthew Richards tests alens that picks up the baton from some legendary macro lenses
Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 LAB
This lens looks and feels ideal for full-frame portraiture, says Matthew Richards
ADVERTISEMENT
MPB
mpb.com
PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW
photographyshow.com
Magazines direct
magazinesdirect.com
Digital Photographer
magazinesdirect.com
THE BRAIN TUMOUR CHARITY
thebraintumourcharity.org
Digital Photographer
www.magazinesdirect.com
GO COMPARE
Digital Photographer
Visitbit.ly/DPbackissues
Digital Photographer
HTTPS://BIT.LY/DPBACKISSUES
WEX
wex.co.uk/trade-in
Digital Photographer
www.mifsuds.com
recycle
www.recyclenow.com
PHOTOGUARD
www.photoguard.com
Chat
X
Pocketmags Support