New to Macro - Looking for some help

Just bought that first macro lens? Post here to get helpful feedback and answers to any questions you might have.

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Brandontmyers
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2016 8:11 pm

New to Macro - Looking for some help

Post by Brandontmyers »

Hi All,

I am an amateur scorpion biologist. Weird, I know. In any case, it really got me interested in Macro Photography. After playing around for a bit with point and shoot cameras I decided to get a basic DSLR. Eventually, I picked up extension tubes and other small items, finally picking up a macro lens, diffuser, and speedlight.

Right now I am working with a Nikon D3300 and Tamron AF 90mm f/2.8 Di SP AF/MF 1:1 Macro Lens

Now I know I do not have the best equipment for macro photography, but I feel like my images should be a lot better than they are. I don't know if it is the lighting or what, but I feel like they could be sharper. I am still new to the terminology and the theory behind photography in general but I was wondering if someone could help me get on the right track.


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ChrisR
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Post by ChrisR »

Welcome Brandon

We particularly welcome weird biologists :)

Probably the answer will be one or both of

1) camera movement. What lighting are you using. Tried diffuse flash?
2) Diffraction. What aperture are you using?

Try a marked f/5.6 on the Tamron, with a diffuse flash, of something detailed. I bet it'll be sharp, but you'll then be asking about focus stacking.

Single shots, with the right flash illumination and maybe post processing, you can get sharpish pictures at a marked f/11 or so (which you camera may report as f/22, I'm not sure) a bit larger than web/screen size, but the physics prevents more.


Tried a UV light on these?
Chris R

Brandontmyers
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2016 8:11 pm

Post by Brandontmyers »

Hey Chris,

Thanks so much for the response. For lighting I am using just a small LED clamp light from home depot. I realize this may be causing some issues with lighting but I honestly wasn't sure where to go next for lighting. I am using the following flash http://www.amazon.com/Bower-SFD728N-Aut ... B001RU8HIO with a cloth diffuser that goes over the flash. The light always seems so harsh though.

As far as the marked f/5.6 on the Tamron. Are you saying that I should focus to f5.6 on the actual lens and not the camera? This is where my inexperience plays in. I understand what the f stop and aperature and ISO is on the actual camera but the lens part is way over my head. LOL.

Surprisingly I have no UV shots of the little guys. I use a UV light constantly when it is dark and I am trying to keep track of them. I always thought a macro photo with UV would end up bad.

ChrisR
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Location: Near London, UK

Post by ChrisR »

The flash should be fine, BUT the cloth should go near the subject. So if the subject looks up he sees a big angle of diffuser.
Some cloth is not a good diffuser. Ordinary paper isn't bad; if these are in cages, can you use a paper "tunnel"?

Or bounce the flash off a "ceiling".

Are you saying that I should focus to f5.6 on the actual lens and not the camera?
You SET an aperture.
When you work at 1:1 the magnification means that the effective aperture is 2 stops lower ie f/11. Most manufacturers ignore that, in what the camera tells you. NIKON though, tell you the effective aperture.
So a Canon would say 5.6, Nikon 11.

What a Tamron makes a Nikon body say, I don't know!
If you set 5.6 at infinity, then focus to 1:1 all while pointing at the sky, in manual, does the camera change the readout from 5/6 to 11?
Chris R

Chris S.
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Post by Chris S. »

(Different Chris here.)

Brandon, welcome to the forum! :D Most of us here are a bit weird, so you'll fit right in. Forum member Papillio shares your particular brand of weirdness, and makes riveting images.

You've made a good start, and your camera, lens, and flash are all solid choices. Like ChrisR, I think the next step in your journey is to make your light source appear really big from the viewpoint of the scorpion. I'd strongly suggest you page through forum-member Orionmystery's list of flash/diffuser examples. This will give you lots of ideas for how to diffuse your flash.
Brandontmyers wrote:I use a UV light constantly when it is dark and I am trying to keep track of them. I always thought a macro photo with UV would end up bad.
Remember that the scorpion absorbs UV light and autofluoresces down-spectrum, emitting visible light. So you are effectively taking a visible light picture.

Cheers,

--Chris S.

ChrisR
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Post by ChrisR »

Chris R

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Location: North Olmsted, Ohio, U.S.A.

Re: New to Macro - Looking for some help

Post by Deanimator »

Brandontmyers wrote:Hi All,

I am an amateur scorpion biologist. Weird, I know.
Not weird at all; interesting.

I'm far more interested in invertebrate lifeforms than things like songbirds and the like.

Years ago, I worked in an office park that had quite a few slugs right outside the back door. I wish DSLRs had been as common back then as they are now. I had a couple of 35mm SLRs, but never thought to take pictures.

You're lucky to have interesting arthropods to take pictures of. The only things I see around here are house spiders, and that's on a good day.

I advise you to get a good book on basic digital photography and to watch as many good YouTube videos on the subject as you can. THEN you can focus on macrophotography specifically. I found I took a lot better macro pictures once I understood how to take a decent vanilla photograph.

Until 2008, I'd been almost completely out of photography since about 1986. Relearning the basics of theory has really helped.

Good luck.

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