Our weekly What’s In My Bag series continues to reveal the cameras and lenses that are favored by photographers. One lens that we see pop up often? The 90mm f/2.8 Macro G (Buy Now). This lens features built-in image stabilization for sharp, clear images at up to 1:1 magnification, even when shooting handheld. Photographers love it because it delivers color‑rich, tack‑sharp detail for macro, product, and even portrait work, but you don’t have to take our word for it. Keep reading as we peek inside these bags to hear from photographers who love the 90mm f/2.8 Macro G.
Photographers Who Love The 90mm f/2.8 Macro G
Kesha Lambert
“I use this lens to capture the small details on the wedding day. An inscription in the ring, the text of hand written bows…so much of the story is in the details.”
Read more in What’s In My Bag: A Sony A7R V, A1 & G Master Kit For Wedding Photography.
Photo by Kesha Lambert. Alpha 1. 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. 1/200-sec., f/2.8, ISO 200
Evan Possley
“A powerhouse for underwater macro. Something about this lens combined with the Alpha 1 produces exceptional results. I also find it very useful for dreamy portraits with amazing bokeh.”
Read more in Explore Evan Possley's Gear For Stunning Wildlife & Underwater Photography.
Photo by Evan Possley. Alpha 1. 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. 1/160-sec., f/13, ISO 250
Kristīne Zāle
“The 90mm f/2.8 Macro G is my go-to lens for macro photography. It lets me get close to insects without disturbing them, step back for flower shots, and maintain a beautiful background blur at f/2.8. I appreciate the additional function button, which makes magnifying the scene for precise focus quick and easy. Whether I’m capturing detailed macro or wider shots, this lens gives me the flexibility and results I want in my photos.”
Read more in What’s In My Bag: A Single Camera & Lens Kit For Vibrant Macro Photography.
Photo by Kristīne Zāle. Alpha 7 IV. 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. 1/320-sec., f/2.8, ISO 640
Matt Kloskowski
“I do enjoy macro photography now and then as well. I can sometimes get lost looking at the photo within the photo and seeing how these small objects that I may normally walk past, can look when I get closer to them.”
Read more in What's In My Bag: A Nature Photographer's Kit That's All About The Need For Speed.
Photo by Matt Kloskowski. Alpha 7R III. 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. 1/125-sec., f/5.6, ISO 200
Aronne Chan
“This is the newest lens I added to my kit, specifically for product photography, like jewelry and food. It does an amazing job capturing fine details and gets impressively close with sharp focus.”
Read more in What’s In My Bag: An Alpha 7R V, G Master & Macro Kit For Hybrid Creation.
Photo by Aronne Chan. Alpha 7R V. 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. 1/50-sec., f/22, ISO 800
Michael Castaneda
“The 90-macro lens is my absolute favorite lens in the bag. For landscapes, the compression from this lens allows me to create unique compositions while still retaining a landscape feel to the scene. It is one of, if not, the sharpest lenses in the Sony arsenal and makes for an incredible portrait and lifestyle lens. I know I mentioned that if I had to choose one for work I would choose the 24-70, but if I had to choose one lens for me, I wouldn’t hesitate to grab this lens.”
Read more in What’s In My Bag: A 2-Camera, 4-Lens Kit For Landscape & Lifestyle Photography.
Photo by Michael Castaneda. Alpha 7R V. 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. 1/500-sec., f/5.6, ISO 100
Sara France
“The 90mm Macro f/2.8 G earns its spot in my kit for its exceptional ability to capture fine details. I use this lens for close-up shots of rings, invitations, and other intricate decorations. Its sharpness and ability to reveal textures make it indispensable for creating stunning detail images that add depth and richness to the wedding images, highlighting the small but significant elements that contribute to the overall story.”
Read more in What's In My Bag: The Top Tools For A Luxury Wedding Photographer.
Photo by Sara France. Alpha 1. 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. 1/500-sec., f/2.8, ISO 200
Anupam Thombre
“This one comes out when I am in the rainforest searching for frogs, lizards, snakes or beautiful insects. This glass is so sharp that I am able to show the details of my micro subjects without any extra sharpening in post-processing. I also whip it out when a friend needs a quick portrait on the field. The 90mm macro is a fantastic portrait lens. The combination of 90mm macro and high megapixel body is any macro photographer's dream come true. I have taken it out in the Rains, on misty and humid forest floors and in extreme heat and nothing has happened to it yet!”
Read more in What's In My Bag: An Alpha 9 III & Alpha 1 Kit For Unpredictable Wildlife.
Photo by Anupam Thombre. Alpha 1. 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. 1/90 sec, f11, ISO 200
Jane Yun
“This macro is incredible. It’s perfect for capturing all of the micro details in an intricate dish and is my favorite when capturing headshots or portraits. It’s sharp and the detail it provides is unmatched.”
Read more in What's In My Bag: 2 Zooms & 2 Primes For Food, Lifestyle & Hospitality Photography.
Photo by Jane Yun. Alpha 7R III. 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. 1/100-sec., f/2.8, ISO 2500
Jermaine Horton
“This one only comes out for details and rings on wedding day, but it's so important to telling the story of the day. I can honestly say this lens is at EVERY wedding as it’s going to give you those macro shots you just can’t get with anything else.”
Read more in What’s In My Bag: A Complete Photo Kit For Capturing Weddings, Portraits & Sports.
Photo by Jermaine Horton. Alpha 9 II. 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. 1/100-sec., f/2.8, ISO 400
Andrew Zimmerman
“In underwater photography there is a general rule, get close to your subject and then get closer. This rule is to combat the effect of the water column which removes color, contrast and sharpness at a much faster rate than air. Many of my subjects are small stream fish perfect for capturing with the 90mm f/2.8 Macro G lens. Its close-focus capabilities allow me to take super sharp portraits of small fish like darters, minnows and sculpin that allow me to get in close.”
Read more in What's In My Bag: An Underwater River Photography Kit To Capture Hidden Gems.
Photo by Andrew Zimmerman. Alpha 7R IV. 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. 1/320-sec., f/5, ISO 2000
Kyle van Bavel
“Capturing the intricate details of nature with the 90mm Macro lens is an absolute pleasure. Its unparalleled sharpness, impressive bokeh and precise autofocus make every shot a masterpiece. With a perfect blend of exceptional build quality and outstanding performance, the 90mm macro lens is a must-have for any enthusiast who appreciates the beauty in the smallest of subjects!”
Read more in What's In My Bag: Two Camera & Lens Setups For Macro, Close-ups & More.
Photo by Kyle van Bavel. Alpha 7R V. 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. 1/400-sec., f/3, ISO 100
Jonas Hafner
“I bought the 90mm f/2.8 Macro G mainly to digitize my film negatives but as it turns out it’s also a great portrait lens and extremely sharp. If I wanna take close up shots this is usually my lens of choice.”
Read more in What’s In My Bag: A Fully-Loaded Kit For Creative Portraiture.
Photo by Jonas Hefner. Alpha 7R III. 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. 1/500-sec., f/3.2, ISO 160
Luis Hernandez
“This was the first Sony lens I ever bought, and it has helped me get some of the best shots I’ve taken yet. Although this is a macro lens, I love the compression it brings when taking landscapes or cityscapes. This lens taught me so much throughout the years, being a prime lens, I had to force myself to look for interesting compositions and adapt to the relatively ‘zoomed in’ views. The 90mm is also an amazing portrait lens, outstanding macro lens, and perfect for product photography. If you’re on the fence about getting one of these, I would definitely encourage you to do so, you won’t regret it!”
Read more in What’s In My Bag: A Two Camera, Four Lens Alpha Kit For Landscapes, Urban Scenes & More.
Photo by Luis Hernandez. Alpha 7R III. 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. 1/200-sec., f/10, ISO 50
Kristen Mendiola
“The 90mm f/2.8 Macro G is the perfect complement to my 24-70mm lens on a daily basis. Whenever I am photographing food, especially fine dining dishes, this lens is always in my bag. It is incredibly sharp and has beautiful bokeh. Nothing else can capture all of the ornate details quite like this lens.”
Read more in What’s In My Bag: A Zoom, A Prime & A Macro For Food & Travel.
Photo by Kristen Mendiola. Alpha 7R III. 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. 1/200-sec., f/6.3, ISO 250
Jay Clue
“For underwater macro life, I love my 90mm. It’s easy to focus on even the tiniest of ocean subjects. But what makes this lens special for me is that I can quickly swap to shooting portraits topside with it, making it less of a specialized lens and more something I can utilize throughout the day.”
Read more in What’s In My Bag: A Dependable Kit For Underwater & Topside Photography.
Photo by Jay Clue. Alpha 7R IV. 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. 1/125-sec., f/8, ISO 1250
Katrina Thompson
“This 90mm fixed focal length macro lens is unreal, and I recommend it to every photographer. This lens offers outstanding image stabilization and resolution at up to 1:1 magnification for safe and gentle shooting distances ensuring I can photograph subjects in an ethical way without sacrificing sharpness. And the elegant bokeh the 90mm macro creates at f/2.8 is second to none.”
Read more in What’s In My Bag: Professional Landscape & Nature Photographer's Simple Kit.
Photo by Katrina Thompson. Alpha 7 III. 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. 1/60-sec., f/8, ISO 250
Richard Condlyffe
“This is my go-to macro lens. With the technology in recent Alpha cameras this lens focuses quickly underwater, which is important in successfully getting the shot. I use it across the whole aperture range; f/2.8 to achieve nice bokeh and blurred backgrounds that make the foreground subject stand out; f/22 when I want to maximize depth of field, and in combination with fast shutter speed and low ISO when I want to limit ambient light and create a darker background.”
Read more in What’s In My Bag: A Photography Kit For All Things Under The Sea.
Photo by Richard Condlyffe. Alpha 7R IV. 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. 1/250-sec., f/13, ISO 100
Nadja Baumgartner
“The 90mm fixed focal length is the ideal lens for macro photography. I still have enough distance to the subject and still have extremely good resolution. It has a particularly soft bokeh and, again, a powerful image stabilizer.”
Read more in What’s In My Bag: A Single Camera, Lens & Flash Kit For Getting Up-Close With Tiny Creatures.
Photo by Nadja Baumgartner. Alpha 7R V. 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. 1/250-sec., f/16, ISO 100
Charyse Schark Reinfelder
"When it comes to capturing intricate details and extreme close-ups, the macro lens is unparalleled. Personally, I find myself reaching for it time and again when shooting my travel content and exploring new conceptual ideas to maximize compression in the image."
Read more in What’s In My Bag: A Photo & Video Kit For Exploring Land & Sea.
Photo by Charyse Reinfelder. Sony Alpha 1. 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. 1/400-sec., f/4, ISO 50
For the best in macro photography, purchase the 90mm f/2.8 Macro G.
Explore the gear used by your favorite photographers in our What's In My Bag series.
