Just starting Macros - First examples.

[wsgroves]

Ok need some technical help.
Took a couple hundred macros today and most of them look like this.
The damn thing is perfectly in focus in my viewfinder, but hardly any of the pix are in focus. I even went up to f11.
I have pix of a still flower thats not in focus. See example.
Makes me so mad because I wasted all that time with hardly anything usable. Not one looks like your nice pix Mt.

What looks like its causing it? I dont really notice back focus. I even tried to focus some manually.

 

[wsgroves]

This one looks horrid 1:1

 

[verysimplejason]

Ok need some technical help.
Took a couple hundred macros today and most of them look like this.
The damn thing is perfectly in focus in my viewfinder, but hardly any of the pix are in focus. I even went up to f11.
I have pix of a still flower thats not in focus. See example.
Makes me so mad because I wasted all that time with hardly anything usable. Not one looks like your nice pix Mt.

What looks like its causing it? I dont really notice back focus. I even tried to focus some manually.

I don't know what your camera is but if you have AFMA, use it. I'm using a 500D but didn't have any problem with my nonL 100mm USM. Also, use at least F9 or smaller aperture, say F11 and so on... to increase DOF. This is the reason why proper lighting is critical. Being able to adjust your aperture up to F22, most of the time is required to have at least enough DOF to make your subject in-focus.

Here are some pics taken at F11.

and my favorite:

 

[wsgroves]

Thanks Jason. I will try even higher f values then. I did take some up to f11.
I used a 7D btw.

Scott

 

[rpt]

Thanks Jason. I will try even higher f values then. I did take some up to f11.
I used a 7D btw.

Scott

You can AFMA your 7D.

 

[verysimplejason]

Thanks Jason. I will try even higher f values then. I did take some up to f11.
I used a 7D btw.

Scott

You can AFMA your 7D.

Two more thing I can tell you is to try perfecting your breathing techniques and back-button focus. I don't know if you already know these but I might as well tell you about it since maintaining focus is much, much harder for macro. In fact, IS won't help you much if you can't maintain your focus point in an area of your subject, say the eyes. I found these helpful for hand-held macro since not all the time you can use a tripod.

For breathing techniques, inhale deeply, take focus and click. The timing difference between your focus and click must be small. this will help you maintain focus on the area you want to focus on.

As for back-button focusing, it's a lot faster to use it so that your focus-and-click routine is faster. Again this will help you maintain focus on the area. One small nudge of your hand and it's out-of-focus that's why a faster focus-and-click is a must. And lastly, practice, practice, practice. I hope that helps and forgive me if you already know about all these things.

http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2011/backbutton_af_article.shtml

 

[wsgroves]

Thanks Jason. It seems the the margin for error with macros is huge. I am going to have to practice haha.
Is there a tripod you recommend specifically for macro work? Im not sure how you would get one of those big honkers down to a flower's level.

Scott

 

[wsgroves]

Ok I have taken you kind folks' advice and shot with flash on, which seemed to work a lot better. I also shot with more dof as the flash made it easier to handhold.
I have attached some pix from today.

 

[wsgroves]

More.

PS don't mine the crops.

 

[rpt]

These look sharp!

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

nice j0ob, you've surpassed me.

 

[Andy_Hodapp]

I would really recommend getting a flash for your camera when doing macro photography. I just got back into doing macro work and recently bought a new flash, my old one broke. The difference is crazy. Here are some of the shots I've gotten with my 5D MKII, Sigma 105mm EX DG Macro and Yongnuo YN-560 II

 

[verysimplejason]

Good job OP! Don't worry about cropping. It's part of photography. Nobody's perfect. Also sometimes, during processing, you'll suddenly realize there's a better framing you can use than the one you used when you've taken your photo. E.g., for those moving insects, sometimes, you don't have any time to re-position yourself or your camera so my technique is just to frame it as close to what I envision it to be and crop it later.

 

[wsgroves]

Thanks for the kind words all. Appreciated!
@Mt. Thanks a lot =o
@Andy. Those are awesome and very sharp.
@Jason. Yea I cropped them for my site which uses 1080p pix so its hard to crop 16:9.