was using Sigma 105 macro, ISO 200, 1/125s and f9 - with speedlight hand held to the side (not too successfully - as still needed to increase the exposure in software).
Have been looking at going bug hunting around the garden with my grandson. I am told that these things cannot harm us as they cannot bite through skin, but not too sure if I could handle one, they are pretty fast as well. Might have more look with the the woodlice - lol _________________ -----------------------------------------------------
Hi Dave,
The only thing I can recommend, as I'm sure you already know, is to open dof by closing down the aperture to something like f20. Macro lenses don't give you much dof to begin with, and at f9, you have mere millimeters to work with. Of course the trade off will be a slower shutter speed, so if you're shooting hand held, only a significant boost in ISO will allow for the chance to make a shot work.
An alternative might be an extension tube or closeup filter on a telephoto. You might get a little more dof at a reasonable ISO. But you'll sacrifice the 1:1 ratio a true macro can give you.
I envy your 105mm macro - mine's only 35mm. I truly need to get within a 30mm distance to have a 1:1 image - so that usually rules out anything that moves. Believe it or not, I take my best closeups (not necessarily true macros) with my Bigma lens handheld at 500mm!
I was " excited" to have found this fella and in my haste made a number of mistakes - but that old adage still rings true
"practice makes it better" - not using perfect yet....
Bigma lens for macro - now why didn't I think of that. Mind you handholding at 500 - need to get the weight training kit out.
Extension tubes are on my wish (xmas) list - and I now don't have a lens to fit my close up filters as the kit lens has been replaced - so maybe new ones on the same list.
thanks again _________________ -----------------------------------------------------
Dave -
You're right about the practice. Just doing something often can make things routine - I find I don't forget certain camera settings anymore when shooting macro/closeup, and my technique has improved.
The same with using the Bigma. I'm now getting quite good with it handheld and using manual focus. It takes a little practice to find a comfortable way to hold it and make adjustments. Focussing manually is ultimately the best way to ensure a good closeup because its autofocus is slow and can hunt. I do have to boost the ISO a little for handheld (usually 200, sometimes 400). It's nice, in that its nearest in-focus area is roughly 10 feet from then lens at 500mm - you can get decent closeups without disturbing critters.
Have to agree about the manual focussing, I do all macro on manual as the auto focus just isn't accurate enough when 1/2 mm can make the difference between spot on and missed the point of focus. I'm impressed with the focus on your centipede Dave, for a little sod that moves pretty quickly, er, the centipede, that is.
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