Lens suggestions for good coral shots?

[TheMikey]

You don't need to get a macro lens with VR or any stabilization really. If your shooting for macro you'll want to have the camera on a tripod anyway at which point you'll switch off your VR setting.

There are a number of lenses you could pick out for your camera. A non-macro lens will still allow you to take very nice pics of your reef tank. My suggestion would be to pick up a zoom lens for your cam in the same price range of the macros you're looking for you'd have a far more versatile lens that you'll be happ with for a number of applications; not just aquarium photography.

I would recommend the 18-105 VR (~$400); the 18-200VRII (~$800); or the 16-85VR (~$900). It all depends on your needs. The 18-200 is nice, but very heavy. The 16-85 is heavy as well, but falls somewhere between a semi-pro and a pro lens for image quality. It's defintely a step up in image quality from the other lenses in that price point.

I'm currently using the 18-105 on my d5000 while on an extended holiday in China. It's got a nice wide angle as well as mid-level zoom. It's also very light for as large a lens as it is. So it's perfect for my needs. That said, my needs are different than yours, so I can't tell you exactly what to do that said, I'd suggest picking it up regardless as it's a real nice everyday lens at a good price. Hope that helps!

[Slick Fork]

For my Sony I've got a 50 or 55mm macro lens, really great for stuff right up against the glass but almost falls behind my Zeis 16-80 for stuff where I'm shooting greater then a foot or so between lens and subject. In hindsight I should've picked up a 100mm macro lens.

Grizz: For Coral, Macro's are cool you can get polyp sized shots! For non-macro photography I would recommend spending some time with the camera and maybe the 18-55 lens and see if there's a zoom level that you spend more time shooting with then the others, then go buy the corresponding lens in that size but as a non-zoom lens ie a non-macro 55mm lens. The fixed focal length will be faster and can handle a larger range of light conditions so will be better for fast moving subjects like fish.