Macro focus

[David]

I am looking for some help, I have recently purchased a EF-S 60mm 2.8 USM and I am really enjoying using this. The problem is getting the depth of field right. I have mainly been trying to photograph bugs and whilst I am pleased with the results the focus is not quite right. I have the camera in AV @ f/2.8.
I know practise would will help and there are no shortcuts but I would appreciate any advice.

Many thanks, David

[Paul Iddon]

David, f/2.8 will give a focal range for depth of field at fractions of an inch. 2 or 3 millimetres in new money :)

Also, whereas if you focus at 1/3 the way into an image for landscape for example to get all sharp, with macro, the focal plane extends as much in front as behind the focal point.

Even at f/11 you will find that the amount of your subject in focus is very very small.


Hope that helps a bit.

Paul.

[grumpygeorge]

i dont know what you know so i will give a very simple equation and hope its not insultingly simple.

f2.8 means the aperture hole is wide open = lets you get a very fast shutter speed BUT! at the price of only a tiny area in focus = almost no focal length.
f22 means the aperture hole is almost closed = forces the shutter to be very slow AND! you get a huge area in focus = a large focal length.
increase the ISO (the sensors sensitivity to light control) to a higher number will make it more sensitive and that gets a faster shutter speed, BUT! a high ISO makes a grainy/noise image.
a bright light (sun or flash) helps speed the shutter but isnt always an option.

experiment!
experiment by taking exactly the same shot at different settings and compare on the computer.
do it at f2.8 and study the shutter speed.
do it at f13 and study the shutter speed - - (do this at lowest ISO and again at highest ISO)
do it at f22 - - -- - - - - - - - - - - speed.

one thing for sure = we all have to learn another thing = the art of observing DETAIL. so you can start tomorrow by doing this observation test, especially the subtle increasing grainy effect caused by increasing the ISO. and how the shutter speed is affected by changing the f2.8 to higher numbers.

i hope this wasnt an insulting simplistic read for you.

regards
grumpy

[grumpygeorge]

and of course = a slow shutter speed means motion blurr

[neptuno]

My wife has this lens and it gives excellent results. With the narrow DOF involved with macro unless the insect etc is parallel to the lens you are unlikly to get it all sharp. Shoot between f8 - f11, focus on the eye/head - as long as that area is sharp then the rest is not too important. an alternative is to take a number of shots, focussing on different parts of the body and stack them together - but for that you would need the insect to stay still long enough

Stan

[Piano]

I tried focus stacking the other day - its difficult. I ended up with a 32 legged spider with none of them in focus........

[Paul Iddon]

I ended up with a 32 legged spider with none of them in focus........

Love it!


Paul.

[Piano]

Maybe next time if it keeps still Paul -

[David]

Thanks very much, at this stage all help and advice is greatly appreciated. I will try them out at the weekend and post a few for comment next week.

Kind regards
David

[IanClark]

ROFL @ 32 leg spider - That = NIGHTMARE for me... 8 legs is MORE than enough.

David, you've pretty much been given the best answers yet. Paul is our resident Macro Guru.

As has been mentioned, smaller aperture to maximise DoF but you need a strong source of light. Good natural light (in which case, I tend to shoot in TV mode at around 1/350th to 1/400th). Dependant on what aperture you get you might nee to ramp up the ISO to get a smaller aperture. Alternatively, shoot fully manual at 1/200th, F11 and ISO 100. For this, I use an external flash sometimes with the power cranked up or down dependant on what ambient lighting there is.

[Nog]

Alternatively, shoot fully manual at 1/200th, F11 and ISO 100. For this, I use an external flash sometimes with the power cranked up or down dependant on what ambient lighting there is.

+1

Always shoot my macro in manual mode, its too tricky a technique to rely on the camera to choose the right settings. That said I use a ring flash and so have control over the amount of light.

[Mintam]

A 32 legged Spider? Thats a pretty rare creature!

Tony.