How Does the NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S Macro Lens Fare for Flower Photography?

Jun 09, 2026 - 22:08

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How Does the NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S Macro Lens Fare for Flower Photography?

Today, I decided to try something new. So, join me on a walk through the park with the NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S macro lens.

I should start by admitting that I'm pretty much the last person one might expect to be writing an article about doing flower photography with a macro lens. I'm a commercial director and photographer and work mostly in the fashion and athleisure world. Generally speaking, if it's not a human with a face, it probably doesn't get anywhere near the center of my frame. But one thing I've learned after being a professional artist for nearly three decades is that, if the only time you practice your craft is when you are laser focused on your professional niche, you can plateau in your learning. Or, far worse, photography can quickly become little more than a paycheck for you. And that, well, that's a recipe for failure.

So I was oddly overjoyed when I was granted an opportunity to spend some time with the Nikkor Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S macro lens. I rarely have an opportunity with my work to use a macro lens, but 105mm is one of my favorite focal lengths. Also, as the ask was simply to take the lens out and do some flower photography, I figured I could think of a lot worse ways to spend a Monday morning.

Now, a quick disclaimer. As you've no doubt already noticed, I am not a nature photography specialist. So do offer a bit of patience if these flower photos aren't quite built for Home and Garden. But, for me, this wasn't an exercise in portfolio building. Nor was it a clinical examination of specs. Instead, I was bringing the MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S out to see if it could offer something beyond a sharp test chart. I wanted to see if it was an investment that could bring me joy.

Originally, I was supposed to take the lens out to shoot cherry blossom season here in Los Angeles. There was a mixup, though, which delayed my getting to borrow the lens, which meant that, by the time it arrived, the season had passed. So, instead, I decided to take a trip to a local rose garden and see what I could find.

Before taking a single photo, one of the most enjoyable findings was that the MC 105mm, despite being physically larger, is not particularly heavy. This was particularly important for a day spent wandering about under the hot sun when fun and not weightlifting were my priorities.

The next thing you notice is how close a macro lens allows you to get to your subject. If you've never heard of macro photography, it's exactly what it sounds like. A macro lens allows you to reproduce your subject at a larger scale than a traditional lens. In layman's terms, you can fill up more of your frame with smaller subjects. This is what makes things like flowers a good fit because you can (literally) physically move in very close to the subject to draw out the small details that oft go unseen by the naked eye.

The other thing that I greatly appreciated with this lens was the fact that it has autofocus. One thing that takes getting used to is that macro lenses can often be harder to keep in focus than traditional lenses. Things like aperture and depth of field are even more important when you're able to get within millimeters of your subject. This can actually also lead to some amazing bokeh.

While I did intentionally go in search of flowers to photograph, what I hadn't considered was that I'd get a chance to meet all manner of insects who seemed just as interested in the flowers as I was. Having the relatively quick autofocus at hand, I was able to get some great shots of the little critters in action along with the flowers themselves.

As a side note, I went to shoot that day with another borrowed piece of gear, the Nikon Z5II. I've pretty much shot with every Nikon mirrorless camera they have manufactured, but the Z5II somehow slipped through the cracks. I guess it's just not something that has ever been on my radar. But, respect where respect is due, the Z5II is an incredibly capable camera and great value for the money. So, while I still have the camera in hand, I may find myself circling back with you to talk about the camera itself at a later date.

With regards to the lens, it more than delivered on the promise. It's got the creature comforts we've grown to expect from Nikon in the mirrorless age. Tactile rubber for a comfortable grip. Secondary customizable control ring. The MC 105mm in particular offers a focus range limiter switch. This can be very helpful if you already know most of your subjects will fall within a certain range and thus want to limit the amount of area your camera has to surf through to gain focus. If I were a serious nature photographer or simply someone who likes to shoot still lifes of a smaller scale, the MC 105mm, at $896.95, would definitely be something I'd have in my kit.

But as someone who was turning to the lens for another reason, exploration and joy, I was thrilled to be able to take out the lens and experiment with a different way of seeing the world. Paying closer attention to the minute details. Observing the connection between nature and its inhabitants, large and small. And, most importantly, finally stopping to smell the roses.