Head-to-head · Best Macro Lenses

Nikon Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S (Z mount) vs Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 Macro GM OSS (E mount)

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 Macro GM OSS (E mount) comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.6 vs 4.7). The gap is mostly about Sony E-mount shooters who want the most capable and sharpest macro lens available — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #3 in Best Macro Lenses

Nikon Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S (Z mount)

4.6

$896.95as of Jun 7

The Nikon Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S is the benchmark macro lens for the Z system, combining S-line sharpness, vibration reduction and a long working distance. Digital Camera World rated it 5 stars ('a stunner'), Cameralabs marked it Highly Recommended, and Amateur Photographer praised its 'excellent sharpness across the frame.' Its only real limitation versus the Canon and Sony flagships is that it stops at 1:1 magnification.

Strengths

— Very sharp across the frame, usable wide open with minimal aberrations
— Built-in VR stabilization (around 4.5 stops) aids handheld macro
— Long 105mm working distance keeps you back from skittish subjects

Watch-outs

— Maxes out at 1:1, not the 1.4:1 of the Canon and Sony flagships
— Premium price for the Z system
— No teleconverter support for greater-than-life-size magnification

$896.95 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Macro Lenses

Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 Macro GM OSS (E mount)

4.7

$1,498as of Jun 7

The Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 Macro GM OSS, launched in late 2025, is the new E-mount macro flagship and the best Sony macro lens to date. Digital Camera World rated it 5 stars ('Sony's best-ever macro'), and Dustin Abbott called it 'the best of them all' among macro lenses he has reviewed. Its 1.4:1 magnification, blistering sharpness and fast AF justify the premium for serious Sony shooters.

Strengths

— Greater-than-life-size 1.4:1 native magnification, up to 2.8:1 with teleconverters
— Exceptionally sharp, near-perfect MTF over the central frame
— Fast quad-XD linear-motor AF, up to 1.9x faster than the FE 90mm

Watch-outs

— Much more expensive than the Tamron and Sigma alternatives
— Newest and priciest E-mount macro option
— Overkill for casual close-up shooters

$1,498 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Nikon Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S (Z mount)

The Nikon Z MC 105mm offers a longer working distance than the Tamron 90mm and Sigma 105mm and adds in-lens VR they lack, but it stops at 1:1 where the Canon RF 100mm and Sony FE 100mm GM reach 1.4:1.

Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 Macro GM OSS (E mount)

The Sony FE 100mm GM matches the Canon RF 100mm for 1.4:1 magnification and beats the strict 1:1 of the Sigma 105mm, Tamron 90mm and Nikon Z MC 105mm; it is the priciest of the E-mount options, well above the Tamron 90mm and Sigma 105mm.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Nikon Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S (Z mount)	Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 Macro GM OSS (E mount)
Mount	Nikon Z	Sony E
Focal Length	105mm	100mm
Max Aperture	f/2.8	f/2.8
Max Magnification	1:1	1.4:1 (2.8:1 with 2x TC)
Min Focus	0.29m	0.26m
Stabilization	VR (~4.5 stops)	OSS
Filter Size	62mm	—
Weight	630g	646g
AF	—	Quad XD linear motor

← See the full ranking of best macro lenses