Sigma 150mm macro lens

[Lee70]

Hi all,

I have just received my Sigma 150mm macro lens and would be very grateful for some help in regards to setting up my subject so i get the best shots i can.

It is the first macro lens that i have owned and only decided to get it after seeing some of the shots on this site.

So as you can appreciate i am very new to this so please forgive me if i ask a (Homer Simpson) question (DOH!!!).

Thanks
Lee

[Lancashire Lad]

Hi Lee,

It might be worth doing a series of comparison shots at different f numbers, all using the same subject. Preferably something small with lots of fine detail. (An insect or small flowerhead maybe).

Most lenses have a "sweetspot" range of f number which gives the best rendition in terms of resolution etc.

I use a Sigma 180mm and find that f16 - f22 gives about the best with my particular lens, albeit that sometimes these f numbers don't give me what I'm looking for in terms of depth of field - So you have to make your mind up dependent upon exactly what your subject / intended image requires.

I don't know what your subjects are likely to be, (I'm into flowers & fungi), but I find that manual focus allows much better control of the exact focussing plane. I can determine exactly where the focus lies, rather than relying on the lenses autofocus system, which occasionaly wants to focus on another part of the subject.

I would also strongly recommend the habitual use of a good solid tripod. But I accept that if your subjects will be moving around, that might not be viable.

Good luck with your new toy.
Regards,
Mike.

[Lee70]

Thanks for the advice Mike.

I'll get in the garden as soon as it's stopped raining and try some shots as you suggest.

I do have a tripod but i think it's a little large for macro work.It's the Vanguard Tracker 3.

I am able to mount my camera upside down on this which lets the camera hang between the legs and gets me closer to my subject but then i struggle to adjust the camera.

Is it worth investing in a smaller one which allows me to work in a better postion just for Macro work?

I find the macro shots of insects absolutely fasinating as it lets you get up close and personal with things you normally just dismiss.

Bear in mind i know nothing at all about wildlife,i can just appreciate the beauty of it no matter if it's a plant or animal.

I would think that if some of these bugs could talk they would say we are strange looking critters too.

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally Posted by Lee70

....I am able to mount my camera upside down on this which lets the camera hang between the legs and gets me closer to my subject but then i struggle to adjust the camera.

Is it worth investing in a smaller one which allows me to work in a better postion just for Macro work?..

Hi Lee,

I know the problem. I have a large Manfrotto tripod - absolutely rock solid, smooth as silk action, but it won't collapse low enough for most of the macro work that I do.

The problem with some of the small tripods, is that they won't be man enough to support your camera plus the Sigma. (The weight of both will be quite significant).

I ended up buying a Velbon Sherpa 600R specifically for my macro work. It comes with a tripod bag, has a quick release plate, removable centre column, and three leg angle settings, which allow it to give a lowest camera height of about 250mm above floor level. Using this, I find that I can always get my D80/Sigma 180mm combination into the required position without too much problem.

In your case though, If you are primarily interested in insects, a tripod of any description might cause problems. (Physically getting everything set up before the insect chooses to go elsewhere).

You might need to go into the realms of hand-holding, using flash to stop movement. Other Wabbers may be better placed to advise you on such set-ups, as I don't use flash at all.

Regards
Mike.

[Mike Jackson]

With my canon 100 macro I'm finding that I can get some reasonably sherp shots hand held in bright sun but anything else and the shutter speed is to slow and I;m getting camera shake. I've tried with a tripod but unless the insect is obliging enough to stay still there are still issues.

I've been out today experimenting with my new Sigma ring flash and initial reults on the camera LCD are looking good. I'm setting the aperture and shutter speed I want in manual and letting the flash take up the slack. I may post later to say all my photos were rubbish.

[Lee70]

It's just stopped raining so i've been into the garden to try a hand held shot.

I know it's not the best but i'm quite happy for my very first attempt.

[Lee70]

Here's it at 100% crop.

[Mike Jackson]

As a comparison here's one I took using the flash. F20, 1/100 ISO 400. It's a little noisy but I reckon that may be due to using ISO 400 so I'll try with ISO 100 next time.

[Geoff F]

With my Sigma 180 macro I do the majority of work at ISO 800 so you shouldn't get too much problems at ISO 400 providing your other settings are correct for the situation.

I use always use a good heavy tripod with multiple leg positions which can be stretched out, spiderlike, to get low; and a repositionable centre column. The main problem is that by the time I have adjusted and positioned my tripod the subject has flown away.

Small tripods do have their place, particularly for flowers and they are much easier to carry around; but generally, I find them too low for insects.

Average camera settings are very variable but I rarely go below F11 and prefer F14/F16 to get a decent depth of field. I like to have a reasonable shutter speed even when using a tripod, say 1/200, because although the tripod is reasonably steady, depending on the ground, the subject is frequently blowing about in the breeze.

In reality this means using Aperture Priority Av setting or sometimes full manual control.

Most of the time I prefer manual focus as auto can be unreliable and prefers to focus on a hard twig instead of a soft insect.

Dark images often come out a bit noisy and the only real alternative is to use flash. Most of the time, I flash manually but it does take a bit of experience to work out those optimum settings. Generally I leave the aperture and shutter speed alone as I consider them to be unalterable settings and simply adjust the ISO to suit.

One tip, learnt from experience, is when using manual focusing and flash - keep your hand clear of the line of flash while adjusting the lens. I find that, particularly on windy days or with a subject that won't sit still, I continuously tweak the lens focus to keep it absolutely sharp.

And of course, the simple advice is - keep shooting.

[Ollie]

Well I think Geoff has summed it up very nicely in his post and there isn't a lot I can add. I use the Sigma 150mm macro with flash and the settings Geoff has mentioned for his 180mm macro apply equally as well to the 150mm.

I also rarely shoot below F11 and the majority of my shots with the 150mm are at F16 with ISO 400 and I find noise levels very acceptable at these settings with flash.

Another great bit of advice from Geoff is keep shooting it doesn't cost you anything only your time.

Enjoy the lens.