just a quick macro without a macro lens...

[wez130]

http://www.wesleybrookes.co.uk/pics2/newfly.jpg

reversed 35-80 lens tecnique on 30D, slightly cropped from the right for composition, slight boost in saturation even though the colour was very good to start and thats it.

[Lady Pitstop]

That's pretty good :thumbs: Horrible things though :eek: up close and when they're buzzing around you :D

[antihero]

nice shot...shame its not a touch sharper.

i've yet to try the lens reversal method

[RobertP]

Try it with the lens at f8 or f11.

Fit the lens normally to the camera and set f8 in aperture priority. Press and hold the depth of field preview button whilst removing the lens. It will stay at f8.

you will get sharper shots and a bit more depth of field. Downside is you will need more light so either use flash or up the iso enough to get a usable shutter speed.

[wez130]

Try it with the lens at f8 or f11.

Fit the lens normally to the camera and set f8 in aperture priority. Press and hold the depth of field preview button whilst removing the lens. It will stay at f8.

you will get sharper shots and a bit more depth of field. Downside is you will need more light so either use flash or up the iso enough to get a usable shutter speed.


It is at F/11 ;), that's why there's quite a bit of DOF, i know the shot is very slightly OOF, i took the shot on my tiptoes looking up on my passionflower climber plant and that was the best shot i got.

And this shot has been here for days with no reply, then suddenly it's ressurected :D

thanks for the comments :)

[RobertP]

And this shot has been here for days with no reply, then suddenly it's ressurected :D


happens a lot lately. Old threads are not dead... just resting :)

[Ajophotog]

Hi Wez, it's difficult to get macros sharp hand held unless you are using fast shutter speeds, the focus area is very shallow and the slightest movement blurs your shot. I use flash mainly unless I can firmly place the base of my camera. A recipe for getting good results are, use flash diffused if possible, put your camera in manual and dial in 1/200 shutter, aperture f:11 and iso 100. Use manual focus then move the whole camera in or out to get you subject sharp.
Try this method on a static subject first to get use to it, then go hunt the bugs :) Hope this helps.

[wez130]

Hi Wez, it's difficult to get macros sharp hand held unless you are using fast shutter speeds, the focus area is very shallow and the slightest movement blurs your shot. I use flash mainly unless I can firmly place the base of my camera. A recipe for getting good results are, use flash diffused if possible, put your camera in manual and dial in 1/200 shutter, aperture f:11 and iso 100. Use manual focus then move the whole camera in or out to get you subject sharp.
Try this method on a static subject first to get use to it, then go hunt the bugs :) Hope this helps.


Thanks for the advise, i've been using this technique for a couple of years now coz i'm too tight to buy a macro lens LOL.

no, i have had some very good shots using this technique i have lots of successful shots using the reverse lens technique, i always use F/11 and flash and adjust shutterspeed accordingly, here are a couple of examples from the past :)

http://www.wesleybrookes.co.uk/pics/fly2_filtered.jpg

http://www.wesleybrookes.co.uk/pics/pics1/tickcreature_filtered.jpg

http://www.wesleybrookes.co.uk/pics/bug_filtered.jpg

[wez130]

all of those shots are full frame too :)

[Ajophotog]

Those are great great Wez, I particularly like your froghopper :) I took a shot very similar the other day.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1329/1303834755_f3f5120ac7_o.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1428/1304714712_b23d826397_o.jpg

You can feel them when they spring off :-)

What lens do you use reversed?

[wez130]

cheap and cheerful 35-80mm canon lens, £25 quid from cash converters when i bought my first dSLR :D

Yours is almost identical to mine, must get around that froghopper :D