What is the best focal length lens for macro work?
This is something of a “How long is a piece of string?” question. Macro lenses are available in a wide range of focal lengths; most fall in the range 50mm-200mm, but there are exceptions. For example, although not strictly a macro lens, the 10.5mm Nikkor can focus on objects only a few cm from the front element, so it certainly qualifies as a “close-up” lens, although its magnification at closest focus is not what you would expect from a macro lens. The choice of focal length is very dependent upon the kind of subject that you wish to photograph, the format (35mm, FX, or DX) that you are using, and the kind of effect that you wish to achieve. The considerations here include: If you are photographing nervous or dangerous creatures that might be “spooked” by the close proximity of a lens, then longer focal length lenses are advantageous, as they will give a greater working distance between the lens and the subject. Longer focal length lenses are more difficult to hand-hold than shorter f
