What to do for better macro?!

[Dillybythesea]

Having saved up diligently for ages, I'm wondering what would give the best hope for improving my macro photography - including working on some aspect of my proficiency?!

I have a Canon 50D, and a Canon macro 100mm 2.8 USM (no IS). I don't use the onboard flash because of the harsh highlights you get, and hardly ever have time to set up a tripod. Sometimes on a bright stillish day I can get nice shots of larger insects - say 12mm+, including in flight - but more usually get disappointing detail, and/or minuscule dof, especially in anything smaller and moving.

If I used all my savings in one go I could spend £600-700, but should I get a diffuser and use the onboard flash more first; might a different lens make a difference; or a twin flash unit; or???

I'd be very grateful for any advice!! Rhona

[Joel.W]

If you arent using a flash you will be using a wide aperture, right down towards the 2.8 end and that will seriously reduce your depth of field so small movements of the subject or the camera will result in an already narrow focal plain somewhere you dont want it. I agree that the onboard flash isnt great, have you considered using a flashgun off the camera? You can get a suitable flash fairly cheap and non brand cables and a bracket to support it would be pretty cheap. You would probably be able to get it all for less than £100. I made my own diffuser out of a cardboard box, some foil and a plastic milk bottle and it works great! I have the same set up as you and usually have the setting of f/8 - 11. Shutter speed of 160 - 250th sec and ISO usually around the 400 mark! With an off camera flash the results are really good. Depth of field is usable and the flash means motion blur of camera or insect is frozen. If you are after more magnification you could look into extension tubes (some have electronic connections so you can still auto focus and change the aperture etc) but if you are just starting out, a bigger f stop, and faster shutter speeds are what is required and an off camera flash is the way to go! hope that helps,

Joel

[Dillybythesea]

That's a really helpful answer Joel, and sounds like a very affordable option to try - so thank you!!

I had assumed that a bracket off to one side would be hard to balance, given I'm usually leaning into a hedge, holding my breath and swaying to and fro desperately trying to get focus - but you make it sound quite manageable.

Also it's interesting to know that you go for ISO 400, where I've been hoping 100/200 would be OK if it's sunny - but to get f8-11 at those shutter speeds (that I too use) sounds a real treat!

It gives me great hope! (I do know that everybody battles in their own way with the same parameters, and a lucky shot is just that, and a joy nonetheless - but this is such an inspirational website for discussion of such issues, and I appreciate your response.) ATB, Rhona

[Jim Ford]

If I'm using flash for macro, I use one of these:

Metz Flashguns for Canon Nikon Pentax cameras - metzflash.co.uk

It only uses 2 AAA cells, so is pretty light.

This is the sort of shot it's good for (best viewed at the larger size):



Jim

[glsammy]

Joel is right. I use a lambency diffuser with my 150mm macro lens. I tend to shoot at F16 for the majority of my macro shots, with the diffuser this works well. I used to use an extender bracket but I stopped using that last year and just mounted the flash directly onto the camera. I noticed no great difference in the lighting effect.
You don't have to buy an expensive flash. I tend to use mine on manual mode anyway. It's easy to take a test shot of the area you will be shooting and adjusting the flash accordingly.
Last year I bought a cheap flash (from that famous auction site) to use as a supplementary one with my Canon flash. I tried it with my diffuser as the main flash and the results were excellent. If you want to go that route, obviously make sure the flash gun is designed to work with your make of camera, and it has adjustable power output.

Here's a shot I took last year, using my Canon flash with the diffuser.



That was F16, ISO 400.

[Geoff F]

First of all Rhona.

Try a bit of exposure compensation with your in camera flash. Somewhere around minus two thirds to minus 1. It will help to remove the harshness.

Use full manual camera settings, not auto or semi auto like Tv or Av. Your shutter speed will be limited to 1/200 (subject to camera). So set a suitable speed for the scene. Set an aperture of say F11 to F14 or even F16.

Try an ISO of 200. Increase to 400 if absolutely necessary but I find in most cases 200 will work fine.

Try a few experimental shots and adjust the flash output compensation as required. Flash output should be auto adjusted to suit the ambient light. You may need to adjust the compensation as the subjects and light change but you will soon get used to this.

An external flash unit, like a Speedlite, does have some additional improvements but isn't essential. The power is better and the angle of light helps to prevent some problems.

Use the same settings that I mentioned and ETTL metering. An external unit should be easier to make quick compensation adjustments.

I have tried soft box type diffusers but find that for quick in the field photography a straight flash unit plus some flash compensation usually works just as well and is simpler when you are shooting through 'holes in the undergrowth'.

A bit different when shooting 'studio shots' though.

I did consider a ring light but thought it wouldn't be strong enough for the way I work (my Speedlite is now held together with glue and silicone filler) also I don't want anything which looks like a pair of scary eyes on the end of my insect lens. That is also part of why I prefer to work without a softbox etc on my flash for 'real life' quick shots.

But I would say the most important item of all is a tripod. Eventually you get used to quick assembly, if you have one of the simpler designs for leg locking. And although it may initially be difficult to move around that is something which soon comes with practice.

Yes I did find having to set up the camera position with 2 locking handles took time and lost me shots; but I now use a quick grip ball head with a large easy grip operating handle. Just release the trigger and shoot.

In fact, I reversed the camera attachment plate so I can line up my camera with my left hand while my right index finger is always on the shutter button.

At one time I tried cable release but found it was too difficult and when shooting at reasonable shutter speeds, to counter wind or subject movement, there wasn't any difference in quality.

[Dillybythesea]

Gosh – what bags of help, and hope - and not looking like costing anything like what I feared it might! So thank you all muchly!

A quick look at Metz makes them look much better value than Canon, Jim, and that’s a great shot to sell the brand! I shall investigate.

Also thanks for ‘lambency diffuser’, which I haven’t heard of Graham, and you reinforcing the concept of shopping round for flash and not assuming Canon's very expensive twins are the answer - and what a perfect shot of those Common Blues!

And last but not least thank you Geoff! I’ve never played with exposure compensation on the flash, and my attempts with Manual setting have always failed, generally ending up with the camera going on strike, but I didn’t use the flash output as another parameter, nor the ISO.

Also, the one really cheap and unobliging thing I own is my £30 tripod – so I might just start there!

I had a feeling proficiency might be the problem more than the equipment, and now I know it is, and that I’ve got loads to experiment with. I’m very grateful, and definitely owe you all one! Thanks again - Rhona

[Dillybythesea]

PS Having been reading previous threads about tripods, and going through online listings, I'm wondering Geoff if you've got and recommend manfrotto 055X legs and perhaps the 322RC2 heavyduty grip ballhead?

I'm going to practise in the meantime with what I've got, using the techniques described above - thanks again!

[Geoff F]

Yes that is the tripod equipment which I use. Excellent quality but a little on the heavy side and the tripod only folds up to 30 ins long. I strap it to the outside of my backpack (Mini Trekker) so it carriers a lot easier.

For occasional use at this time of the year I also have a Velbon Luxi L which has more leg sections and folds up to 14 ins which fits inside the bag. But although this is handy and lighter in weight it just doesn't come up to the Manfrotto standard.

Some people like a head assembly with slide or micro adjustable gears which does give very fine and stable adjustment. But at the cost of time. So for quick insect photography I much prefer the ball head. Which can also be used to pan for birds etc.

Note what I said about reversing the attachment plate to the other side of the handle to allow for left handed operation. There are threaded holes there under rubber bungs.

However, the alternatives are excellent for studio work or flowers etc when exact precision is more important than speed.

[Dillybythesea]

Thanks again Geoff. It's extremely helpful to have such detailed info, from firsthand experience. I don't picture myself carrying the tripod very far on a regular basis, so weight isn't key, and I can well imagine the advantage of speed of setup. On amazon they show the legs flat on the ground, with the head mounted directly, giving a minimum height of 10cms, but I can't tell what would be the next minimum after that. I'm often hovering around the 20-30cm level - too high for a bean bag but too low for the tripod and wonder if this would be better or worse with the manfrotto, please?