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Coastal Optics
60mm f/4 UV-VIS-IR APO macro

Nikon 60mm f/2.8G ED macro

4 APO

Here we compare lens performance on a planar (flat) target at a focus distance that is very close to infinity.

Macro lenses are generally corrected for a flat field (no field curvature) for closeup work, but even world-class lenses like the Leica 100mm f/2.8 APO-Macro-Elmarit-R exhibit significant field curvature when focused near infinity. Therefore it must not be assumed that a macro lens has a flat field for general use at any distance. However, a flat field is a very useful characteristic, because it allows top performance at wide apertures for planar subjects, including landscapes.

Let’s see how the Nikon 60mm f/2.8G ED stacks up against these two lenses:

Nikon 60mm f/2.8D (its predecessor);
The superlative Coastal Optics 60mm f/4 UV-VIS-IR APO macro.

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Diglloyd DAP is DSLR-oriented, but also contains workflow and other topics. Much of the focus is on Canon and Nikon but also Pentax and Pentax medium format.

Special emphasis is placed on lens evaluation, focusing on Canon and Nikon and Sigma lenses, but with a few others like Rokinon/Samyang.

Make better images by learning how to get the best results right away.
Save money by choosing the right lens for your needs the first time, particularly some of the new Sigma Art lenses vs Nikon and Canon.
Workflow discusses image organization, raw conversion and post processing. Many examples show processing parameters for direct insight into how the image was converted.
Jaw-dropping image quality found nowhere else utilizing Retina-grade images up to full camera resolution, plus large crops [past 2 years or so].
Real world examples with insights found nowhere else. Make sharper images just by understanding lens behavior you won’t read about elsewhere.
Aperture series from wide open through stopped down, showing the full range of lens performance and bokeh.
Optical quality analysis of field curvature, focus shift, sharpness, flare, distortion, and performance in the field.

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