Macro Photo thread
Discussion
4hero said:
Pete, that bee is excellent! What kit are you using?
Just the Canon 100mm f2.8 macro lens on a 5D (1/80th at f14, ISO320) plus some off-camera flash - You can see the strong shadows are almost sideways across the image. The bee wasn't moving much... it was quite chilled
but flew away a few minutes later 
Welcome Back!
Pete
Here are my very first (feeble) attempts at macro. The lens I used was a Sigma 70-300mm with macro function between 200-300mm. Really struggle with the telephoto lens, because you have to be so far back for it to focus! Are there any cheap alternatives, or can I use my 18-55mm kit lens to achieve macro?
Good stuff Neil, thanks! I'll have to try playing around a bit more with the flash settings. I've been leaving mine (an EX14 ring flash) on ETTL, so might try playing with it on manual settings to see what variation I get.
ETA - Just back from 2 weeks on holiday, so missed both your tutorial and all the drama.
ETA - Just back from 2 weeks on holiday, so missed both your tutorial and all the drama.
Edited by Kermit power on Saturday 8th August 23:33
Kenko extension tubes arrived today so I've been trying those out. They seem to work well with my 24mm Sigma lens which has so far yielded the best results. Still saving for a true Macro lens, but in the mean time this will have to do.
The following shot of Doug was taken using the 24mm Sigma, coupled with the 20mm extension tube.
Clearly the DOF is a problem with this shot. Time and practice and fingers crossed I can get a shot worthy of this thread. Right now however, with the miserable weather and low battery, it will have to wait. Comments and criticism welcomed.
The following shot of Doug was taken using the 24mm Sigma, coupled with the 20mm extension tube.
Clearly the DOF is a problem with this shot. Time and practice and fingers crossed I can get a shot worthy of this thread. Right now however, with the miserable weather and low battery, it will have to wait. Comments and criticism welcomed.
crmcatee said:
Finally had some time to get some images... and good to see 4Hero back...
I tried to tell him to turn round and face the camera, but he wasn't listening... perhaps he was deaf ?
16 Spot ladybird..
Unknown..
Cheers Craig I tried to tell him to turn round and face the camera, but he wasn't listening... perhaps he was deaf ?
16 Spot ladybird..
Unknown..
Nice set of shots there, good to see you are getting the hang of the MP-E. It really isn't an easy lens to get to grips with!
The first is maybe a little camera shy, the aren't always keen on getting their shot taken
The fly in the 3rd shot is a Lauxinid Fly (or Neogriphoneura sordida to you and me
)
4hero said:
Lighting muse be tricky Jim? What do you use, just the light for diving?
Hi NeilI use natural light for some of the super wide angle stuff, but in general I do like to nuke em!!!
Here's me with my rig:
A bit murky, so the picture's not brilliant.
This is the wee chap I was photographing:
I've got two Sea & Sea strobes, which I can turn on and off independently of each other, and twiddle around at various angles depending on what kind of lighting moods I want. They're fully adjustable, with a huge range of f-stops and power levels. I have the camera set on manual, 200iso (which it went lower, but it doesn't), usually 60-100th of a second or thereabouts and whatever f-stop suits. For macro it's anything from f16-f32 (I used to get f64 on the 105mm macro lens!) and for wide angle f5.6 to f11, if I'm using the strobes. I usually set the strobes a couple of f-stops below the camera. If it's wide angle without strobes then I tend set the camera on shutter speed priority. The general rule of thumb for wide angle underwater is to double the lens size (ie, if you'e using a 15mm lens, set the shutter speed to 30th sec) and let the camera set the aperture. It doesn't always work that way, but does more often than not. Or shove it on P mode!! That also works!
Seems my curiosity got the better of me. Whilst experimenting with the effects of aperture on DOF (the book I have on my camera seems to contradict itself on the subject) I appear to have melted my laptop keyboard. Without adequate lighting, I resorted to a desk lamp. Whilst examining my photos and leaving the lamp hovering over the keys, they've slowly began to warp. I am now lacking the following keys:
[
]
'
Hash # is slightly warped, it will annoy me with its raised corner so that needs replacing.
£12 down the pan as I've had to order new ones from ebay.
Anyway I figure its rather abstract and it reminded me of The Persistence of Memory painting of which my father has a print.
Enjoy (as I weep, I am now £12 further away from a proper Macro lens!)
This isn't supposed to be a good photo by the way, don't go comparing it to any of those fantastic underwater one's above!
[
]
'
Hash # is slightly warped, it will annoy me with its raised corner so that needs replacing.
£12 down the pan as I've had to order new ones from ebay.
Anyway I figure its rather abstract and it reminded me of The Persistence of Memory painting of which my father has a print.
Enjoy (as I weep, I am now £12 further away from a proper Macro lens!)
This isn't supposed to be a good photo by the way, don't go comparing it to any of those fantastic underwater one's above!
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