Macro Photography...anyone?

[Mousebaby]

Ok, lets start by answering a few questions.

What lens did you use, what shutter speed, and how far away was the camera from the flower???

What aperture as well?

OMG you're kidding me!! Do you know how many pics I took of that flower with different settings? I have no clue which one that was. I am very new at this and am just playing around with the camera trying to get a feel for it. I'm not really sure on how I can take the pics and be able to know what settings I used on what pic. If you tell me how to do it I will more than happily give it a try. I am the kind of photographer like I cook, a little of this and a little of that till its perfect. I don't "measure" anything. Get my drift~

 

[Mousebaby]

Is this the same kind of flower? I shot this the other day but I have a "super macro" mode on my S3 --I also have a macro attachment--maybe I can try it and see what it takes. They really are tiny but very intricate little things.

Exactly the same flower, HOW DID YOU DO THAT??? I now need to find a super macro lense. If I list the lenses I have. Would someone tell me what lenses I need? :shrug:

 

[Mousebaby]

Mouse,
You sure didn't miss by much.
I'm just getting started, but I found the auto focus doesn't work well with Macro, nor my zoom lens.
I ended up using the M switch on my lens, getting close with the focus ring and then physically moving the camera back and forth (exhaling and inhaling) for fine focus.
And maybe try to get more perpendictular to the blossom.

Ok, I did have it on the M switch but it still auto focuses on mine in that mode. Do you think it has a way to turn off the auto focus? I will get my camera and mess with it some more. Thanks for the tips!

 

[Tomcat]

Mouse,
You sure didn't miss by much.
I'm just getting started, but I found the auto focus doesn't work well with Macro, nor my zoom lens.
I ended up using the M switch on my lens, getting close with the focus ring and then physically moving the camera back and forth (exhaling and inhaling) for fine focus.
And maybe try to get more perpendictular to the blossom.

Try backing up a little bit. You may be closer than the lens can focus on. If you're shooting from 6 inches, try from 12 inches.

 

[jbr13]

I don't know what camera you have mouse, if you camera records exif data that is where you can find what setting you were using. Have to check your manual for exif data. You kinda need to remember or be able to find out what settings you used once you get home. So once you find what settings work in a situation, you can do that again in the future. If not you will never know a good starting point and always have to take a bunch of pictures to try to get a good one.

Tomcat hit on one thing that may be happening, but a lot of cameras won't take a picture if you are to close to focus.

Shutter speed being to slow would be my guess. If your cameras shutter speed was down to 1/30th of a second, you pressing the shutter release would cause the camera to move just enough that it would blur the entire image a little.

So, not sure what lens, shutter speed or how close you were, makes it little bit of a guess.

 

[kom526]

Is this the same kind of flower? I shot this the other day but I have a "super macro" mode on my S3 --I also have a macro attachment--maybe I can try it and see what it takes. They really are tiny but very intricate little things.

I have an S5 IS, I select C (custom) then super macro and snap away. I do have a LARGE number of blurry macros to choose from.

 

[Mousebaby]

I don't know what camera you have mouse, if you camera records exif data that is where you can find what setting you were using. Have to check your manual for exif data. You kinda need to remember or be able to find out what settings you used once you get home. So once you find what settings work in a situation, you can do that again in the future. If not you will never know a good starting point and always have to take a bunch of pictures to try to get a good one.

Tomcat hit on one thing that may be happening, but a lot of cameras won't take a picture if you are to close to focus.

Shutter speed being to slow would be my guess. If your cameras shutter speed was down to 1/30th of a second, you pressing the shutter release would cause the camera to move just enough that it would blur the entire image a little.

So, not sure what lens, shutter speed or how close you were, makes it little bit of a guess.

Does any of this help?


File name: tiny_flower.jpg File size: 380522 bytes
File date: 2008:04:21 23:50:16 Camera make: Panasonic
Camera model: DMC-FZ8 Date/Time: 2008:04:20 12:43:43
Resolution: 2114 x 1635 Flash used: Yes (auto)
Focal length: 55.2mm (35mm equivalent: 331mm) Exposure time: 0.312 s (1/3)
Aperture: f/8.0 ISO equiv.: 400
Whitebalance: Auto Light Source: Flash
Metering Mode: matrix Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: ManualAuto bracketing

I was using a tripod and the timer, so I was not pushing the button when it took the pic. Also, it says I used the flash but I did not. So some of this info may not be correct. :shrug:

 

[Joe'smom]

Exactly the same flower, HOW DID YOU DO THAT??? I now need to find a super macro lense. If I list the lenses I have. Would someone tell me what lenses I need? :shrug:

Does anyone know---can you look at the EXIF data on these photo's that are posted? That could tell you what you need to know about aperture, exposure etc. Trust me--I find it more difficult to use my macro attachment but then again--I just got it two weeks ago---it's a Raynox MSN-202 and it makes ants look like dogs!--I have even shot a grain of salt with it--it is extremely powerful--the other thing is and I have a habit of forgetting--auto focus and assist beams often are useless with attachments on--so you may just have to focus as close as possible and then move the camera as someone else mentioned.
I used the P setting with "super macro" one and auto bracketting which gives me three shots all at different shutter speeds so I get a darker shot a lighter one and the original exposure. I had to read the book to find out all this cool crap but I am forever finding new challenges that book cant help you with!

 

[jbr13]

Does any of this help?


File name: tiny_flower.jpg File size: 380522 bytes
File date: 2008:04:21 23:50:16 Camera make: Panasonic
Camera model: DMC-FZ8 Date/Time: 2008:04:20 12:43:43
Resolution: 2114 x 1635 Flash used: Yes (auto)
Focal length: 55.2mm (35mm equivalent: 331mm) Exposure time: 0.312 s (1/3)
Aperture: f/8.0 ISO equiv.: 400
Whitebalance: Auto Light Source: Flash
Metering Mode: matrix Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: ManualAuto bracketing


I was using a tripod and the timer, so I was not pushing the button when it took the pic. Also, it says I used the flash but I did not. So some of this info may not be correct. :shrug:

Yeah, that help some. A few things kinda jump out. First your aperture is at F8 so you should have a pretty good depth of field with much of the flower in focus. Second, shutter speed is very slow. If it was windy or your camera strap is swinging a little bit can cause some blur. Last, I am not sure how close you were to the flower, but the focal length was 55mm.
If your picture is cropped way in to get this image, you may have degraded quality.

For that type image, I would say get a 18 inches or closer, as long as you camera will still focus that close. Shutter speed of higher than 1/30 if on tripod and higher than 1/100 if hand held. Then adjust you aperture to get a good exposure.


My suggestions, maybe some one else will have something better.

 

[Mousebaby]

Yeah, that help some. A few things kinda jump out. First your aperture is at F8 so you should have a pretty good depth of field with much of the flower in focus. Second, shutter speed is very slow. If it was windy or your camera strap is swinging a little bit can cause some blur. Last, I am not sure how close you were to the flower, but the focal length was 55mm.
If your picture is cropped way in to get this image, you may have degraded quality.

For that type image, I would say get a 18 inches or closer, as long as you camera will still focus that close. Shutter speed of higher than 1/30 if on tripod and higher than 1/100 if hand held. Then adjust you aperture to get a good exposure.


My suggestions, maybe some one else will have something better.

I see what your saying and I am taking note of all this. I might have been 6 to 8 inches from the flower and it was on my dining room table, so no wind. I did crop a little but not much. The lense was a 52mm +4 macro.

The other lenses I have are:

+1

+2

and the last one is not marked with anything but Macro Lense 52mm and it's the thickest one I have.

What sizes should I look for to get in on such tiny things?

 

[jbr13]

I really don't know if you need the Macro add on stuff with your camera. In macro mode or super macro you should be able to get that small of a flower, I would think.

Here is a macro of a tulip I took a few weeks ago. This was with a Point and shot that is basically the Olympus equivalent to your FZ8. No additional lenses or anything. Shot in manual mode, and turned Macro mode on. I was pretty darn close to this flower too.

Camera OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. SP560UZ
Exposure Time 0.0166s (1/60)
Aperture f/3.5
ISO 50
Focal Length 9.84mm
Photo Dimensions 2448 x 3264
File Name Tulip.jpg
File Size 3.45

 

[Mousebaby]

I really don't know if you need the Macro add on stuff with your camera. In macro mode or super macro you should be able to get that small of a flower, I would think.

Here is a macro of a tulip I took a few weeks ago. This was with a Point and shot that is basically the Olympus equivalent to your FZ8. No additional lenses or anything. Shot in manual mode, and turned Macro mode on. I was pretty darn close to this flower too.

Camera OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. SP560UZ
Exposure Time 0.0166s (1/60)
Aperture f/3.5
ISO 50
Focal Length 9.84mm
Photo Dimensions 2448 x 3264
File Name Tulip.jpg
File Size 3.45

EGADS!! I need a class or something