Tripod with macro of insects?

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rackhs

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Steve
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Hi all,

(sorry, not sure if this is the best forum or photo basics forum, but don't want to double post)

I have a D90 with an old Tamron 90mm SP macro lens. I constantly see some fantastic shots on here of insect macros that I would love to be able to get close to the same level.

Whenever I take them, I seem to really struggle getting clear shots. I am down around F4-F8, ISO at around 200 and swap between manual (on-board only) and no flash depending on light.

The bit I really seem to struggle with is getting it steady as I have been shooting hand held. A lot of the time it isn't so much the side to side movement but more the back to front wobble.

My question is, do a lot of the people who are getting these great macro insect shots use a tripod or just have really steady hands?

Cheers
Steve
 
Insect and Tripods and me dont mix ....... insects keep on moving.

I have found the best results are to shoot in manual mode ... Keep a fast shutter speed to stop bluring, and keep the aperture as narrow as you can to keep the field of depth ..... although if I want anything smaller than f4 - 8 I end up with a flash
 
Hi John,

Thanks for the advice, will see if I can improve some shots :)

Steve
 
My keeper rate has also shot up since upgrading to a IS lens. In fact I have got more sharp shots (hand held in natural light) in the six weeks that I have had the I.S. macro than in the previous three years that I had the none I.S. lens.
Couple the I.S. lens with the special AI servo mode for macro on the 7D and sharp hand held shots become reasonably easy, or at least that is what I have found.
 
Roy C said:
My keeper rate has also shot up since upgrading to a IS lens. In fact I have got more sharp shots (hand held in natural light) in the six weeks that I have had the I.S. macro than in the previous three years that I had the none I.S. lens.
Couple the I.S. lens with the special AI servo mode for macro on the 7D and sharp hand held shots become reasonably easy, or at least that is what I have found.
Click to expand...

:plus1:
 
I always (well, almost always) use a tripod - a big, heavy thing with a central column that can be reversed for working near the ground, and on the central column an arm that can go horizontal (or any other angle). With this I can operate from about three inches above the ground to seven feet or more above ground level.

If the subject and what it is on are completely still I use the self-timer and use a three-shot burst with a 10 second delay. Having pressed the shutter button to initiate the delay, this is a hands-off operation.

If (as is usually the case) the subject or what it is on is moving, then I keep my hands on the camera and fire off repeated short bursts in the hope of getting an image which is tolerably sharp. The tripod helps to keep the picture framed and keep the camera the same distance from the subject. The distance to the subject is important as I use add-on close-up lenses (Raynox 150, Raynox 250, Canon 500D) rather than a macro lens.

I use a focus rail to help with getting the distance to the subject right. (I use it in a crude way by using its quick release lever, rather than the screw mechanism that allows extremely fine control - I don't need that level of fine control and it would be too slow to be practical for my purposes.)

I am currently switching from a bridge/superzoom (Canon SX10is) to a Panasonic G3, but (at least to begin with) I intend to use the same add-on lenses and a similar technique.
 
I never use a tripod for insect macro and rarely have a problem with camera shake. My normal settings are ISO 400, 1/125, f/18-f/22 with a ring flash in E-TTL mode. I'm using the non L canon 100 macro on my 50D normally so my hands must be fairly steady.
 
Hi all, some good and differing advice, thank you.

On the I.S. lens front that Roy mentions, can't really afford to upgrade mine at the moment :( Would like to but 'stuck' with the old 90mm for now - maybe one day though :)

Same really applies to the ring flash that Mike mentions. Would also like to get one of those as I have seen those used quite a lot in macro set ups but again, can't afford one at the moment. Was surprised how much they are! Thought I was onto a winner when I saw ring lights - then realised they weren't flashes and read some reviews.

cheers all.
 
I agree. Tripods and bugs don't mix well. A monopod CAN work but if I really need support I will often use my backpack, but even this can take too much time.
 
Thanks all for the suggestions and advice :)

Will play about with a few and see what works for me.

Cheers
Steve
 
A president, a ARPS, of a photo society that I used to belong to took wonderfull butterfly shots and printed then 16"x12" in colour.

When asked how he kept them still he replied, 'Stick the little blighters in the fridge for half an hour, that soon calms em down'

D in W
 
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