Genes Home
Offline
Upload & Sell: Off
|
 p.1 #21 · Macro with 60mm + Extension Tube | |
I'll jump in here with some general comments.
1. When chasing little buggers around a tripod doesn't really help much. It is, however, critical when doing static work. For what you are doing a monopod, one with 4-5 sections so that it is really short when compressed, may be a better deal. It will give you a lot more stability, while still letting you move the camera back and forth to control focus.
2. With a 60mm lens you probably don't want to use more than a single extension tube, no more than 15-24 mm. Your photo of the screw head looks like diffraction effects, with possibly some camera shake.
3. I will also second using no more than f/11, f/16 at the most, and the fastest shutter speed you can. A trick I use is taping the little Nikon remote release to my monopod so that I can release the shutter with it instead of handling the camera. I am not as steady as a lot of the younger folk on the forum, so anything I can do to lessen camera shake is worth it.
4. I have had great results with my SB800 flash and the provided diffuser, but I also have the R1C1 close up flash rig with it's two ring mounted baby flashes, and its just a ball of fun to work with -- pricey though. In any event you want the flash set for fill flash, not total illumination. This gives you less of a flash (shorter flash), and a faster recharge rate so you can keep shooting. With the 60mm lens (actually, anything less than about 150mm) you will definately want to use the flash off camera, with a sync cord (Nikon makes several) or a wireless release.
4.b. Look at the Sigma 140 ring flash. Totally compatible with the Nikon system and not a bad price. Also lets you fire either or both of the flash tubes in the ring so you can control lighting and shadows. Just be sure to purchase the correct size mounting ring (see the B&H website).
5. Focus stacking probably won't work for you, as it requires you have a motionless or nearly motionless object.
6. Manual focus vs auto focus is something you need to work out on your own. In bright daylight I will let my 70-200 VR with its 1.4 tele-extender run on autofocus, same for my Sigma 150, but only if I am working off my monopod or a tripod. In anything else I cut over to manual focus and use camera movement to do the final focusing. Everyone is a bit different on this, so play with it till you are happy.
7. My next-to-last suggesstion is probably the most important one. Get a little notepad and a pen to carry with you. Take LOTS of photos, varying one thing at a time. Stop between photo sets and write down your observations and how you took each set of photos. When you upload the photos onto your computer, open the notepad and cross out everything that didn't work well, then make a little "cheat sheet" of what did work in which situations and use that as your starting point the next day.
8. My last suggestion is two fold. Amazon.com for John Shaw's "Closeups in Nature" book. Its old, but its great, walking the basics into the advanced and explaining it all the way. And search out "Dalantech" and "his "No Cropping Zone" on the web. Its a really great series of "how to" do macro work.
By the way, welcome to the forum and to the micro world. Glad to have you here.
|
.
