The EF 100mm I had been using wasn't mine, but a loaner. It went away, along with the 75-300mm IS Tele/zoom and wide-angle lens (I forget which one). I was really fortunate to be able to have such nice pieces to start my learning of REAL photography.

So, knowing the day of 'no lenses' would come, I've been putting money aside to replace the loaners.

I went with a Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM. The colors and reproduction are incredible. I need to 'grow into it' and a friend has suggested a way to set it up with a reference subject to learn aperture, DOF, etc. ( His suggestion combined with a 'learning version' idea ripped from Loupey's demos are kind of the way I'm going to teach myself).

Here are my first shots. I've got quite a way to go…


Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT
Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM
Hoya HMC Super Filter UV(O)
Opteka Grip/Battery holder
Canon Speedlite 430EX

You are going to have some fun with that lens! I particularly like the milkweed fly! A quick glance indicates that you might want to increase the exposure a bit ( 1/2 stop perhaps) to just increase what the lens is capable of displaying. Use your histogram.

I've used several macro lenses in this range and they all have a bit of falloff and 'trick' the meter slightly. The histogram can be pushed slightly more to the right to bring out more clarity and color.

Looking forward to more.

Look out loupy, because I think he'll give you a run for that title with my help :wink:

These images are simply put.... $^##& AMAZING!!

I can't wait to see what you produce once the whole new set gets there and you start to master them all :D

What "whole new set"?! Why this is a conspiracy!

CJ, that's some "first lenses" that you gotten a hold of. And a pretty large piggy bank that you've been stashing away to boot :p I've only held 2 in my lifetime and the saleman had to pry it from my hands both times.

Seriously, those are some super sharp images! That piece of lint in the second to last image looks like a freakin' rope!

Better get out and start shooting some more myself. Wait, it's too dark :mad:

What "whole new set"?! Why this is a conspiracy!


Okay, I also got:
Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM Lens
Canon EF 1.4x II Extender

I'm really ignorant to 'high-end' photography, so I emailed Paul and a couple others that I knew, about lens info.


CJ, that's some "first lenses" that you gotten a hold of. And a pretty large piggy bank that you've been stashing away to boot :p I've only held 2 in my lifetime and the saleman had to pry it from my hands both times.

After being loaned the EF 100mm Macro, I didn't want to go backwards. I/we have been putting away money to buy lenses since before I got the camera. I was just fortunate that I was able to use my friends lenses and continue to put away money. (I also incurred debt, I didn't have all the $ just laying around!) I really can't afford this level, but I didn't want to be down the road and 'buy twice' because I did it wrong.

Seriously, those are some super sharp images! That piece of lint in the second to last image looks like a freakin' rope!

Better get out and start shooting some more myself. Wait, it's too dark :mad:

In my case, imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. I see what everyone else is shooting and how they're doing it and try to emulate it. (Hopefully, I'll develop my own style.)

I took my first attempt at capturing flying birds, last evening. That's hard!!!!


Oh, the mites are Winged Aphid larvae… (thanks to T. Beth Kinsey for the id)

Well CJ,

I hope my real word info helped and believe me the pleasure was all mine. I hate to see people waste money of gear they grow out of quickly or worse yet, buy gear they hate.

Amazing stuff CJ. Thanks for showing us what this lens can do. I have been contemplating a switch to Canon, and this certainly adds to my thoughts on the move.

If you get this good of results to far, and have "quite a way to go", I can't wait to see what's next.

Quite the learning curve with this thing. I took 200 shots, thinking, "there's some good ones in there".



No…


Here's the one that looked okay. An unidentified wasp on verbesina enceloides (cow-pen daisy). I should add that the 199 bad shots weren't 'equipment failure', but poor biological interface.



Thanks, again, for all the help.

poor biological interface.


LOL

There's a learning curve with everything. The less passionate you are, the steeper the curve, you'll get it (although this looks fine to me, but what do I know).

200 shots??:yikes:

That's about 2 days work for me, can't find enough subjects.