Macro settings for Sigma 150

[colincurry]

I have only recently dug out my Sigma 150 plus Kenko 1.4 TC to try to photograph insects in my garden. When I am out yomping, I rely on my 100-400 to save weight and give me more reach.

I have been using f8 and later today f13.

I understand that there can be problems with depth of field for macro photography, and I wonder which setting(s) those more expert and practised than I use for macro shots?

Thanks

Colin

[colincurry]

If I had read the thread below on the Sigma 150, I would have realised that people use from f14 to f16.

Question answered and test runs to follow.

Colin

[glsammy]

Hi Colin.
Your right in your comments, at least so far as my shots are concerned. I tend to use F16.0, together with my flash gun. I use a flash bracket that raises the flash gun but keeps it central with the lens, plus I use a lambency diffuser.

[Ollie]

I'm more or less the same as Graham except I don't use an off the camera bracket any more as I kept busting cables, so I mount the flash directly on to the camera hot shoe and use the lambency diffuser as well.

Very rare for me to go below f14 and I don't usually go above f16. I find above f16 that the shutter speed is generally too slow particularly on dull days.

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by Ollie

I'm more or less the same as Graham except I don't use an off the camera bracket any more as I kept busting cables, so I mount the flash directly on to the camera hot shoe and use the lambency diffuser as well.

Very rare for me to go below f14 and I don't usually go above f16. I find above f16 that the shutter speed is generally too slow particularly on dull days.

I'm not convinced the bracket makes much difference, it's just that I've got it so I use it. Now I use a battery grip, the difference in height is very small. I also force my camera to only use 1/250sec for flash shots.So far that has never proven to be much of a problem, as obviously the flash adjusts itself accordingly.

[DrNickBurton]

I shoot nearly all my macro at or below f/11 for a couple of reasons:

- above f/11 on my D300, softness from diffraction starts to creep in. At f/16 it's quite noticeable.

- at something like f/8, I have a fighting chance of being able to shoot hand-held.

The thing is, your depth of field is going to very narrow pretty much regardless of the aperture you use. Even at f/22 you don't have much to work with. My advice is to just set something like f/8 or f/11 and concentrate on paralleling your subject with the focal plane.

[pressld2]

I'm a combination of the last two replies!

My default setting is manual exposure, 1/250th of a second (like Graham) and f11 (like Nick). I then leave the camera to adjust the flash power to give the correct exposure.

I sometimes use a wider aperture if I want the effect of a shallow depth of field and I'll occasionally close down to f16, but like the good doctor I think the softening due to diffraction is noticeable at that aperture. I never use smaller than f16.

Dave P.

[glsammy]

Personally I've never noticed any problem with using F16.0 with my 150mm. I'm not saying there isn't any diffraction effect, just that I've never seen them!
For that reason if you look through the few macro shots I've taken you'll hardly see anything other than F16.0 used. Born lazy I am, if I find a setting that works, I leave it that way.
This applies only for my 150mm shots of course. With my MP-e65, that's completely different.

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by glsammy

Personally I've never noticed any problem with using F16.0 with my 150mm. I'm not saying there isn't any diffraction effect, just that I've never seen them!

Same here, I thing the Sigma 150mm does a terrific job at f16

[pressld2]

Originally Posted by Ollie

Same here, I thing the Sigma 150mm does a terrific job at f16

It does, no argument. I've said it before and am happy to say it again - it's a cracking lens at every aperture. But my copy definitely has it's sweet spot at f8 to f11. If I take two shots of the same subject at f11 and f16 and then view them side by side at 100%, the f16 one will be great but the f11 one will be sharp enough to cut myself. When viewed normally at full screen or as a print I can't tell the difference.

It's a matter of personal preference but I usually prefer the extra sharpness at the critical focus over a slight increase in depth of field. And could the camera make a difference? Nick and I are both using Nikon D300s whereas Roger and Graham are both using Canons.

Dave P.