Using macro lens (Canon EF 100 mm f/2.8)

YS2003 · Oct 15, 2006

I have tried to take a good macro picture with Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 indoor, using Canon D30. For some reasons, the lens does not focus the entire object as I pratice taking a close up pictures on what I can find on my desk (such as mouse, pens, and etc). Would you have any good tips on this?

Silentwave · Oct 15, 2006

do you mean it focuses on a part of the object and not the rest?

that's how things work. As your focus distance decreases, depth of field decreases. stopping the lens down will improve this to a point. macro lenses are well known for their ability to generate fantastic selective focus- that is part of their appeal.

Abstract · Oct 15, 2006

My tip would be stopping down to like f/8 or f/14 or something, depending on what you're shooting.

sjl · Oct 15, 2006

YS2003 said:
I have tried to take a good macro picture with Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 indoor, using Canon D30. For some reasons, the lens does not focus the entire object as I pratice taking a close up pictures on what I can find on my desk (such as mouse, pens, and etc). Would you have any good tips on this?

Nature of the beast, I'm afraid.

The good news is, macro photography lets you have such fine control over the depth of field, you can get the entire subject nicely in focus while the rest of the image is nicely blurred. The bad news is, to effectively use that control, you need macro lighting, and that is not cheap - $AU1100 or so will get the top notch Canon macro lights (the MT-24EX).

In the absence of good quality macro lights, try to shoot in bright sunlight, and stop the lens down, as has already been said. If all else fails, try cranking up the ISO a notch or two.

Good luck.

YS2003 · Oct 15, 2006

Thanks for the comments on this. I will step down from f/2.8 as the lens is focusing on one single point on the object too much. It is good to know there is nother wrong with the lens. I will try this out during the daylight as indoor shooting is too little light for stepping down to f/8 or more.

ChrisA · Oct 17, 2006

sjThe bad news is said:
You don't need to spend lots of money. You can get very good results with a cheap $40 vivitar non-automatic strobe and using an empty one galon plastic milk jug as a defuser. Or bouncing the stroe off a sheet of white cardboard. Manual strobes work well for subjects that don't move fast and with a histogram display on the camera you can get the exposure perfect n the 2nd or 3rd try.

Also if the subject does not move and you are indoors with no wind you can use very long exposures of a full second or 1/2 second and make use of normal room lights

sjl · Oct 17, 2006

ChrisA said:
You can get very good results with a cheap $40 vivitar non-automatic strobe and using an empty one galon plastic milk jug as a defuser. Or bouncing the stroe off a sheet of white cardboard. Manual strobes work well for subjects that don't move fast and with a histogram display on the camera you can get the exposure perfect n the 2nd or 3rd try.

True, as long as the lens isn't getting in the way of the strobe. The other thing is, if you have light coming from just one direction, you could (not will, just could) end up with distracting shadows, which is why Canon's macro lights are either a ring around the lens, or two angled lights on either side.

Also if the subject does not move and you are indoors with no wind you can use very long exposures of a full second or 1/2 second and make use of normal room lights

Yup. Just make sure you use a good tripod, and a remote shutter release is also useful. See also the mirror lockup function (prevents shake due to mirror slap).

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Using macro lens (Canon EF 100 mm f/2.8)

YS2003

macrumors 68020

Silentwave

macrumors 68000

Abstract

macrumors Penryn

sjl

macrumors 6502

YS2003

macrumors 68020

ChrisA

macrumors G5

sjl

macrumors 6502

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