Camera Labs

Hi all,

Recently purchased the EF-S 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM lens but feel that I'm still missing the mark when it comes to quality, particulary in regards to sharpness of my images. Would appreciate some help in regards to the following questions to do with macro shots.

1. Am i shooting too slow ? Both images taken at 1/50 second, f/2.8 no flash. Is this too slow with a 100mm lens ? I've read as a minimum shutter speed should be equivalent or quicker than focal length.

2. This ant was moving around a bit and I had my camera set up on a tripod that at the time was used as a monopod to follow the ant around. Would this be considered a stable enough platform ?

3. Would an IS lens made a difference to these shots and resulted in a sharper image ?

4. These were shot on an EOS 1000D, both on AF. Should i start learning how to manually focus on small subjects such as this ? The camera at some stages had trouble finding the ant - would a better camera hunt and focus easier or is it the fool behind the camera taking the photo's and trying to blame the camera at fault ?

PP - cropping only.



IMG_4365 by Chopper267, on Flickr

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IMG_4363# by Chopper267, on Flickr

If the subject isn't moving, and you're shooting supported, you can get away with longer exposures. It would be safer to use a faster shutter here. I can't see what ISO you used, but raising that can help otherwise flash does help. An IS lens can only help if the subject isn't moving.

AF is unreliable in this condition. The subject detail is small compared to the AF sensor area, and combined with shallow depth of field, it can be quite hit and miss. For more in focus, stop down a bit more.

_________________
Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Thanks popo,

to tell the truth I was that excited to see this little guy coupled with the fact that it was my new len's first outing I didn't even look at shutter speed (amatuer mistake I suppose) and just went by ear thinking that the shutter 'sounded' quick enough. ISO was set to 100.

Only to add to the good advice From popo.
Watch also for air movement. Even a very slow breeze could ruin your focus with long exposures like 1/50. Use a remote shutter release or the self timer . Just after sunrise insects stay put but only a few minutes of direct sunlight and the critters acquire enough energy and start flying or moving around. You may use this to your advantage, even place the insects in another position to take a shot with better background etc, they will happily pose for you if you move them gently.

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Radu
Canon PowerShot S100
Canon 50D , SIGMA 10-20 f3.5 ,Canon EF 24-105 L IS USM, Canon EF 100/2.8 macro Canon EF 50/1.4 ,Canon EF 85 f1.8,Canon EF-S17-85 4-5.6 Old Tamron 28-300 inherited from my Canon Rebel G film camera
Canon580EXII
http://www.errre.net

I agree focusing can be tricky, definitely need reasonable shutter speed and do consider using a flash.

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Canon Powershot S95, Canon 7D, 15-85, Canon 85 1.8 USM, Sigma 30 1.4, 50mm 1.8, Canon 100 2.8L IS Macro, Canon 70-300L IS USM+Kenko 1.4 Pro 300DGX, Canon 430EX II and RS 4 Classic

In the ISO, personally I'm happy leaving it on auto-ISO. Certainly a setting to 400 would help a lot with insignificant degradation in image quality. It gradually drops as you go above that but it is a balance of whatever it takes to get the best of a given situation.

_________________
Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.