- This topic is empty.
Help with Macro Lens
-
I have a Canon Ef 100m f/2.8 Lens and I just need a little help with mastering the focus on it.
Anybody out there who would take a few mins out to help this little lady out.
ThanksI am also interested in mastering the focus.
Arun Gaur
http://tripolia-indianlandscapeimages.comMacro photography and focusing in macro photography ,can get tricky at times.
The distance between the subject and the front of your macro lens is called “working distance”
If you notice your macro lens it has numbers on the side of the lens and a switch for both (this is the minimum working distance your lens is capable of)How to focus
If you use AF and the camera wont “lock” or “beep” to achieve focus then your camera is too close to the subject,it will “hunt” for AF.
By moving your camera back and forward towards the subject ,you will get into the focus zone and thus achiveing the AF lock.My advice is to switch “off” the AF and go manual focusing, the Canon 100mm is great for this.
Just move your camera or rock your camera until you get the subject in focus, if its a flower thats not moving this is easy enough, but if its a busy insect you could always “pre-focus” your shot. Simply “guess where it will land” and focus non the part and just sit and wait.
Other ways of making the subject sit there is to mix a little sugar and water and place it in a eye dropper and add a few droips to a flower, the bees/butterflies will come to is and be busy drinking the sweetness.Just like to jump in with a small suggestion, if you’re working on a tripod, it can be useful to go into Live View mode if you have it, and then zoom in on your area of interest to make sure it’s in focus, it helps me when I’m doing closeups, anyway.
Start with still subjects to get an idea and feel for focusing and the depth of focus(which can be very narrow on macro lens) then move on to plants/insects etc…
Getting the right depth of focus is always tricky F8 usually gave the best results depending on subject and allowed for some minor off focus shots. As steelydan pointed out manual focusing is also best used for macro work but i found by just using the center focus point on autofocus worked well too. Extension tubes are great add on to this lens also once youv mastered the focusing, youll have to master it with the tubes then :)btw the Canon Ef 100m f/2.8 Lens is also a very good portrait lens and i have also used it for sports ,landscape shots.
A ring flash will help in allowing you to use a smaller aperture & therefore getting more of your subject in focus
Thanks for all your replies. Will try out all the suggestions at the weekend.
Fingers crossed for me !
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
