[Plantsman]

Hi all, Is anyone into close up or true macro photography 1:1 or greater? - what equipment do you use?
For my part I rarely get closer than life size simply because I don't care for lugging a tripod around. I rely on a steady hand aided by the VR of my Nikkor lens: also I frequently us a ring flash.
This of course is not adequate for true macro, but it's good fun to get close up to those bugs.
The gear I use is - Nikon D90 or D300, Nikkor macro 105mm f2.8 lens, and as mentioned, sometimes a Sigma ring flash.
If I add a 20mm extension tube it gets me greater than life size, but a tripod would be essential. Depth of field would become a major factor.

Close up of a white-lipped snail - Cepaea hortensis


DateTimeOriginal: 2012:08:23 16:14:41
Model: NIKON D90
ExposureTime: 1/60"
Aperture: F29.0
ExposureProgram: Aperture-priority AE
FocalLength: 105.0 mm
ISO: 800
Flash: Fired




Photography is a never-ending journey

[EdMak]

Seem to be doing OK, as you are!! Ed.

[MrB]

That's a lovely shot of the snail, Peter.

I don't suppose subject motion blur would be a problem here but I find that I can't keep myself still enough to get good focus for hand-held close-ups, so I admire your skill and control !

Cheers.
Philip

[Plantsman]

Thanks for the replies, - Just out of interest, the green background was easy; I placed the snail on a small sheet of coloured perspex I found in my daughter's glasshouse.

I keep an eye out for the hairy snail Trochulus hispidus but had no luck yet. That's what I like about nature photography, always a challenge to find something I've not photographed before.

Peter

[WDHewson]

Great shot. I'm not tempted to eat it though!

I like to mix in a lot of macro, a bit of pano, and some broad landscapes. It resembles the way I look at things.

Here's a recent macro on a fence rail just afer taking a sweeping landscape.

[Plantsman]

Nice shot WDHewson
I agree, I think it is good be open to more than one genre of photography. The only problem I have is lugging the gear about to cover all opportunities. It's a sure bet that if I go out with a 18-70mm I will want my 70-300. Getting too old to lug a heavy back pack around: or maybe just too lazy Peter

[Clicker2014]

Very nice photo of the snail! I love macro photography. I use my Canon 7D mostly, but also have a Canon 450D. I have a Canon 100mm 2.8 and an Amaran Ring flash and Canon extension tubes 12 and 25. I still have a lot of difficulty getting depth of field as you can see with this little guy. Once in a while I get enough light working for me, but I have a long way to go. Any suggestions/tips would be helpful. Actually this picture was taken with my old T2i.

[Plantsman]

In greater than life size I would not find depth of field an issue. So long as the focus point is sharp as is the case in your image at the snout and the eyes. There comes a point in macro when it is impossible to get sufficient depth of field to render the full subject sharp. In fact, there are subjects and compositions where out of focus areas enhance the image. Peter

[Clicker2014]

Thanks Peter . Much appreciate the feedback. Do you have a place where you post your images? I would love to see your work. I read your message from earlier... I too have trouble lugging much equipment. I also enjoy wildlife and have to carry a very heavy Sigma 150-500. .. wish I could afford a Canon. I have started carrying two cameras so I don't change lenses so much...There is always a breeze/wind in S.Texas :-(. Anyway thanks again for taking the time to respond. Have a great day!

[Plantsman]

Yes, I agree, the long reach Canon and Nikon are certainly expensive, especially the primes. I certainly find no justification in spending thousand of pounds on a 300mm Nikkor prime, which would be my first choice.
I don't have a dedicated site for my images but all being well I will be posting in the boards here for some time, so if you have any questions about my images please don't hesitate. Peter

[EdMak]

Super pics. Ed.

[Jeffbridge]

Wow, those are amazing.

[Clicker2014]

Thanks Peter
I will watch for your posts. Have a great day!
Cheers, Sharon

[bharrisgp]

Real good work. I use a Tamron 90mm macro that I have had for over 15 years.
First used it on a Minolta 7xi now on Sony a100 and a58 bodies. Never had an trouble getting good micro images. It has 2 settings full and limit. I use it on my a58 that has digital zoom so I can be far away from my subject and still get the macro shot that I want.

[Plantsman]

Real good work. I use a Tamron 90mm macro that I have had for over 15 years.
First used it on a Minolta 7xi now on Sony a100 and a58 bodies. Never had an trouble getting good micro images. It has 2 settings full and limit. I use it on my a58 that has digital zoom so I can be far away from my subject and still get the macro shot that I want.

Hi, nice to know that you are getting some good images. Let us see some of them in the forum; probably the 'Photo Showcase' board unless you want critique on them.

[Steve JC]

Very nice photo of the snail! I love macro photography. I use my Canon 7D mostly, but also have a Canon 450D. I have a Canon 100mm 2.8 and an Amaran Ring flash and Canon extension tubes 12 and 25. I still have a lot of difficulty getting depth of field as you can see with this little guy. Once in a while I get enough light working for me, but I have a long way to go. Any suggestions/tips would be helpful. Actually this picture was taken with my old T2i.



set your aperture around f8-f11 and take a series of shots, each one at a different focal point from front to back until you have sharp focus on your entire subject. In Photoshop, layers, you then combine each shot and you should end up with everything in sharp focus.