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| 1 | 2 | 3 |  » Stats |
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| | Welcome to our newest member, redfrag | |  | 
01-10-2009, 10:14 PM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2009 Location: Sunny Lancashire
Posts: 588
| | | Macro with no flash
I took these last week to see just how far I could push the f number on macros without using a flash.
It was a very sunny day and pretty still too so I turned off the flash and had an experiment.
These were the best I managed and I only got as high as f8.
I didn't up the ISO (kept it on 200) as the A700 tends towards the noisy side and noise and macro don't make good bedfellows!
The DOF is fairly shallow but sometimes it's acceptable to be a bit 'arty' as well as scientific I suppose!! Some people like it so much they bang on about 'Bokeh' - I don't know why but the expression quite irritates me  
The first hoverfly was only 0.5 cm and I used auto focus.
I don't know what the insects are (only hover and fly) but I love taking their pictures!
Any critique or discussion welcome!
Acher    
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02-10-2009, 05:29 AM
|  | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Hastings, East Sussex
Posts: 374
| | | Re: Macro with no flash
Looks like you've got the focus just about right there. It's amazing how shallow the depth of field is with macro. When I first started shooting macro I didn't have the ring flash and kept getting the focus point sjlightly out and would end up with part of the wing incredibly sharp and the eyes out of focus. |
02-10-2009, 07:05 AM
| | New Member | | Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 4
| | | Re: Macro with no flash
Those pictures are lovely and most interesting. Thanks for posting them.. |
02-10-2009, 10:35 AM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2009 Location: Sunny Lancashire
Posts: 588
| | | Re: Macro with no flash
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Jackson  Looks like you've got the focus just about right there. It's amazing how shallow the depth of field is with macro. When I first started shooting macro I didn't have the ring flash and kept getting the focus point sjlightly out and would end up with part of the wing incredibly sharp and the eyes out of focus. | What - like the ones I binned?? LOL Even with a sophisticated flash that's the hard bit if you want a shallow DOF. A steady hand is needed ...or tripod.
An added difficulty with insect macro is that it's not always feasible to use a tripod or beanbag and these were taken sitting in front of the plant and leaning forward with my elbows on my knees. It was agony! I was like a stranded whale trying to get back up too
Cheers all!
Acher
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If you don't get everything you want, think of the things you don't get that you don't want. |
02-10-2009, 01:32 PM
|  | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Leigh, Lancashire
Posts: 5,601
| | | Re: Macro with no flash
Quote:
Originally Posted by acherontia What - like the ones I binned?? LOL Even with a sophisticated flash that's the hard bit if you want a shallow DOF. A steady hand is needed ...or tripod.
An added difficulty with insect macro is that it's not always feasible to use a tripod or beanbag and these were taken sitting in front of the plant and leaning forward with my elbows on my knees. It was agony! I was like a stranded whale trying to get back up too
Cheers all!
Acher | That sounds just like me  
Pauline |
02-10-2009, 05:30 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2009 Location: Sunny Lancashire
Posts: 588
| | | Re: Macro with no flash
Quote:
Originally Posted by PMG That sounds just like me
Pauline | Murder ain't it?? I generally have to ask for help or roll on my tum, then hands and knees and hope I can make it from there!! Tt's even harder when the ground you want to put your hands on is full of prickles......
Acher
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If you don't get everything you want, think of the things you don't get that you don't want. |
02-10-2009, 06:16 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: SW London
Posts: 2,050
| | | Re: Macro with no flash
Just think - once you have the op done you'll be able to tuck your ankles up round the back of your ears
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02-10-2009, 06:24 PM
|  | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Scotland/Spain
Posts: 5,611
| | | Re: Macro with no flash
Quote:
Originally Posted by loripo Just think - once you have the op done you'll be able to tuck your ankles up round the back of your ears |
Too much information
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As you get old three things occur. First your memory goes, and I can't remember the other two... |
03-10-2009, 01:06 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2009 Location: Sunny Lancashire
Posts: 588
| | | Re: Macro with no flash
Quote:
Originally Posted by loripo Just think - once you have the op done you'll be able to tuck your ankles up round the back of your ears | Oo er missus! Not sure if I could ever do that, although I believe my OH could and he walked about on his hands as party trick. Gross. This was well before he knew me though LOL
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03-10-2009, 02:58 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: SW London
Posts: 2,050
| | | Re: Macro with no flash
When I was a child I did ballet, tap and acrobats! I could then lie on my tum and touch the back of my head with my feet But have since found out that it indicated a too bendy spine as a result of which a xray I had done a few years ago showed I had some fused vertebrae at the lower end which causes sciatica from time to time. I can still touch my toes, or put my hands flat on the floor, but my friend says thats because I have short legs
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