Newbie macro question

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danny842003

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Name
Daniel
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So totally new to DSLRs and have a question about macro photography.
I have a Canon 550D with a 18-55mm lens. On the side of the lens this has 'macro 0.25m/0.8ft'.
What does this relate to? Is it as I think this lens can be used for macro photography at 55mm when positioned 0.25m from the subject?

Also when trying to shoot in close up mode the flash automatically fires and gives a very poor image. I have tried in manual to increase the f number and and shutter time but seem to be getting everything in focus rather than just the small detail in pin sharp focus you would expect.

Any help very gratefully received.
 
The "macro 0.25m/0.8ft" just means that the closest object the camera can focus on is 0.25m away (I think this is measured from the sensor, not the front of the lens). I would recommend using Av mode to select the aperture, the leave the camera to work out shutter time. If you want a shallow depth of field (I'm guessing that's what you mean by a small detail in focus) you need to use a large aperture (smaller f-number).
 
The problem with macro photography is that the closer you get to your subject, the smaller the depth of focus becomes, even when using small apertures. With true macro, where images are the same size on the sensor as they are in life, the plane of sharp focus is usually as small as a couple of millimetres.
 
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