What aperture

[Dave66]

Hi All

I am thinking about photographing dragon fly's and butterfly's. I'm looking for a macro lens. Can you tell me what aperture you use when phtographing insects. I took some photo's of butterfly's last year but i found it difficult to keep it all sharp. There are a lot of loch's where I live, dragon fly's and damsel's are abundant. Any advice would be appreciated.

Ta

Dave.

[squishy]

generally if you're shooting close you want a small aperture (large F/number) to maximize the amount in focus, but sometimes you'll have to go larger than you want to get a fast enough shutter speed or drop the background to a satisfactory level (though that usually isn't a problem with macro). you might just have to experiment to find an aperture range that works for you.

if you can't get the whole insect in focus, just make sure the eyes are. if the eyes are in focus, a small DoF is often OK.

hope that helps

[Dave66]

Thanks Squishy, thats a great help. I don't have a huge amount to spend on a lens, about £200 on ebay. Could you recommend a lens for around this price. It's for a Canon 350D

Ta
Dave.

[nutmeg]

I've taken a lot of photos of dragonflies and butterflies using a Sigma 105mm - not sure what they go for these days, but you might just find one within your budget.

[Dave66]

Thanks Nutmeg. I was hoping I could afford a Sigma or a Canon.

Dave.

[Ollie]

Hi Dave,

The Sigma 105mm is a very good lens as is the Sigma 150mm. the 150mm gives a bit more working range meaning you don't have to get quite as close to the insect as the 105 but it's doubtful if you will find a second hand one within your budget.

However the 105mm is still a fine lens and with that bit of extra care in approaching your insects you should get good results with it.

As for aperture values, it all depends on the position of the insect in relation to the lens. If the insect is parallel with the lens you can get away with a larger aperture (smaller f number) down to probably f9 and still get the whole insect in focus. The apertures I tend to use the most for dragonflies, butterflies etc are f14 /f16

Squishy is right about getting the eye in focus. It's often very difficult to get everything in focus with a dragonfly with outstretched wings but if the eye is sharp you can often get away with the end of the wings or body being slightly out of focus. Practice and experience will soon let you decide on what aperture value for any particular situation.

Hope this helps

[pressld2]

Hi Dave,

I do a lot of macro photography when the insects are active and use a Sigma 150mm macro lens. This is a great lens and pretty sharp at every aperture but it's peak of sharpness is at f8/f11. I normally shoot at f11 but sometimes I'll open it up for artistic effect and sometimes I'll stop down to f16 for a smidgen more depth of field. I very rarely use anything smaller than f16.

Just a small word of caution: I find that on all but the very sunniest of days, shooting at f11 or f16 means using flash. So when you've got your macro lens you'll probably want to start saving for a ring flash or similar.

Dave P.

[Dave66]

Thanks for all the info guys. Definitely pointing me in the right direction. I really appreciate the advice, one of the many good things about this website. People are always happy to help.

Thanks again

Dave.

[Geoff F]

The other item which I would consider essential is a decent tripod. You can get something acceptable, albeit lightweight, for a little under £100.

One tip I find makes all the difference when using shallow aperture macro lenses is to get your camera angle correct to minimise the depth of subject. I usually take one photo from any angle, just in case the subject flies off, then try to work my way around to the best angle. With long bodied insects like these, it is well worth taking the trouble to get absolutely square with the subject. Either side or front/rear view.

I went for a Sigma 180 macro lens to get better working distance, but this is a heavy and expensive lens. The previous suggestions are fine but, if possible, I would get the 150 mm.

When possible, I use an average aperture of F11 and adjust the ISO settings to get an acceptable shutter speed. Remember that if the subject is moving around, for example due to wind movement, you will need something at least 1/200 but you can reduce this for a still subject if you use a tripod. Excessively high speeds can lose detail and too high an ISO can cause background noise. So it is all a compromise.

ps. Regarding Dave's suggestion about flash. I find that in most circumstances, if I remove the lens hood I can get away with using the in built camera flash, although I normally switch to manual settings which does take a bit of experimenting to get correct. If money is tight, I would rate a tripod above an extra flash.

[squishy]

seconded on the tripod recommendation. the best thing I have bought for my photography (apart from a camera ) was a tripod.