Lets Talk Macro.

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Tim
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I have in my lens collection a Canon 100mm f/2.8 USM but have really struggled to find the results I have been looking for this last year.. :(

I know for fact that dod has returned some exceptional results from his so it isn't the camera or the lens.

Maybe it doesn't suit me I don't know.. :confused- I use a decent tripod and have also tried hand held but never catch the results I am looking for.

Anyhow to step up my enthusiasm in macro I am considering the Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX APO HSM Macro Lens along with a dedicated macro ring light to suit.. :icon_cool Maybe the extra focal length will suit my style.

Has anyone got this lens or can give any info or post any images or findings from this lens..:)

Waits in anticipation.. :thumb:
 
I am not really a macro person myself, i believe CT has the 100mm Canon macro lens too, perhaps he could offer some insight.

Have you posted any pics from the lens to see if anyone can offer any suggestions to technique etc ?

Personally i wouldnt spend on a new lens until i was certain it was not me making a mistake with technique, or that could just transfer to the new lens too.
 
IanC_UK said:
Personally i wouldn't spend on a new lens until i was certain it was not me making a mistake with technique, or that could just transfer to the new lens too.


Totally agree with that comment Ian, I keep telling myself its not the hardware but the user.. :eyesup:

I have read tips on better macro and tried to follow suit but never really had any results as good as dod's etc.

Maybe time is the factor, Looking for insects and bugs can be very frustrating only for the little sods disappear before you get yourself organized.

Examples.
fly.jpg


moth.jpg
 
A macro lens is on my wish list too. I've done a lot of messing about with reversing adaptors and spacer tubes basicly being a cheapskate :)

I've seen plenty of great macro shots too and would like to know the way to go about it. I had noticed that some of the best had a very small aperture and flash to get the light. My own experiments have led me to never attempt a macro below f8 and preferably f11.
 
I have the Canon 180 Ian, not the Canon 100 Macro, which I believe Doddy has. The canon 100 Macro has an awesome reputation, so I seriously doubt there's anything wrong with your lens. Macro is very frustrating and demanding - you can usually expect to take lots of shots for the bin before you get a good one, particularly hand held, as you're often struggling to keep the subject in the viewfinder let alone in focus.at that degree of magnification.Using a tripod and focusing manually is usually the best approach, but if the subject is moving then it's usually a case of going hand held. My hand held success rate lept up when I started using hi-speed sync with the 580EX and I know Doddy's did too.

Here's my dodgy explanation of how it works...


SLR cameras have a focal plane shutter which consists of two blinds. The first blind moves across (or up) to fully expose the sensor, and the second blind moves across(or up) to cover the sensor when the exposure is finished. There is a limit to how fast a shutter speed can be obtained while fully exposing the sensor for the duration of the exposure - usually around 1/200th or 1/250th of a second, although some DSLR cameras manage up to 1/500th. It's this which determines the maximum flash sync speed of your camera - in the caseof the 20D -1/250th of a second. Up to this speed the whole sensor is exposed when the flash fires, and your subject is evenly lit. The actual flash duration is very short, much shorter than the time the shutter is actually open.

When you wish to use a shutter speed above 1/250th of a second (20D), the way your shutter achieves these speeds is the first curtain starts it's travel across the sensor exposing it, but before the sensor is fully exposed, the second curtain begins to follow it across covering the sensor as it goes. The effect is of a moving slit ( the gap between the two curtains) travelling across the sensor which exposes the whole sensor for the required time, but incrementally. As the shutter speed gets faster this slit gets narrower all the way up to 1/8000th of a second. Obviously your flashgun cannot sync with this moving slit - the flash duration is so short you'd have just a narrow band of your shot properly lit by the flash coinciding with wherever the slit was in relation to the sensor when the flash fired.

Hi speed sync is a modern marvel which pulses the flash output from the flashgun in a series of stroboscopic bursts all strung together, which continue throughout the travel of that slit across the sensor, so that the whole scene is evenly lit. Hi speed sync has it's limitations in the distance at which it can operate, so it's best to keep it to reasonable close-ups and a fairly large aperture, except for very close and macro shots where it's extremely useful, but for best results you'll need to increase the ISO as those pulsed flashes are much less intense than one big whack from the flashgun. You'll find you can use a fairly small aperture, but you'll need to experiment to find how small you can go before you get under-exposure.I'd also make sure your flash batteries are fully charged to get the best out of your gun with this technique.

This was a tripod shot with the 580EX mounted in the hot shoe. A macro ringlight would be a big help in eliminating shadows and getting even light distribution, Because I was using a tripod I was able to auto focus right on this guy's head, and he wasn't moving, but for hand held shots and moving subjects you have little or no chance with autofocus.

Crane_Fly_3.jpg
 
here's some off the pbase galleries with the 150mm

http://search.pbase.com/search?q=sigma+150mm&b=Search+Photos&c=sp

Like I said else where the sigma looks like a cracker for the cash, at least as good as the canon 100mm.

I'll share a secret though, I cheat :p I used to own a garden centre but decided to close it for a number of reasons, not least of which was time. However I still enjoy growing things so I kept a smallish polytunnel, it's only about 32ft X18ft. One of the things I do is make a point of growing scented things, they're a magnet for insects. Next year I want to do a series of flower abstracts so I'm planning what I'll be growing at the moment.

So apart from having a steady supply of subjects I've also created ideal conditions, there's little wind, I can control positioning, the seasons a little longer due to the higher temps. The tunnel itself can be part of the background like shown in the shot below. I knew it would be out of focus and the angle I shot at meant there would be fall off from the flash so it looks like it fades from white to dark grey. Some might say it's taking the easy route but I don't really see it as any different to setting up say a portrait in a studio.

A small green house can also give you the same conditions. Just to say though they're not all taken here, I do just go round the garden as well if I can't find what I'm looking for :)

As far as techniques concerned I learnt that from CT,, he explained the high speed synch flash and I just used it. :thumb: There's a thread here somewhere about it.

hoverfly7.jpg
 
A very informative post and an extremely good close-up shot there CT. :thumb:

As the frost has hit us here again today the bugs/insects have disappeared today.:(

I have the 580EX which I now use but can only think about getting a dedicated macro ring light which really must improve things.

Thanks for the info CT, I will read it a second time and take note of what you have said.. :)
 
Hi dod.. :thumb:

Just had a look at pbase galleries and this is the sort of results I am looking for. You can even see the contact lenses in her eyes which is quite amazing.. :icon_eek:

45924064._MG_1656.jpg


Choose how or where you take your macro shots dod I don't call it cheating, You just have better facilities than most I would say..:)

Good luck to you mate..
 
Like busterboy I find photographing Macro subjects frustrating. Either there are no insects or light is so bad that getting a decent shutter speed requires ISO1600+

I'm determined to master it though, next year I'll try some of the techniques mentioned here, so watch this space !! :)


dod said:
I'll share a secret though, I cheat :p I used to own a garden centre [/img]
The secret is out !!
 
dod said:
I'll share a secret though, I cheat :p I used to own a garden centre but decided to close it for a number of reasons, not least of which was time. However I still enjoy growing things so I kept a smallish polytunnel, it's only about 32ft X18ft. One of the things I do is make a point of growing scented things, they're a magnet for insects. Next year I want to do a series of flower abstracts so I'm planning what I'll be growing at the moment.
Bafty crastid! :D

Nowt wrong with a bit of planning. I planted a Buddleia this year, which is a shrub which attracts butterflies like a magnet. It got off to a dodgy start then picked up, so I'm hoping it's going to net me some good butterfly macros next year.:icon_cool
 
CT said:
Bafty crastid! :D

Nowt wrong with a bit of planning. I planted a Buddleia this year, which is a shrub which attracts butterflies like a magnet. It got off to a dodgy start then picked up, so I'm hoping it's going to net me some good butterfly macros next year.:icon_cool

Once it's finished flowering and the leaves have dropped cut it back by 2/3. It sounds hard but you'll get better shape, growth and more flowers :)

If you've got room for another go for the Globosa variety. Yellow pom-pom flowers and they get covered with them, this was outside :p

beeonyellow.jpg
 
Thanks for the horticultural tips - I'll do that. Nice bee shot!
 
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