Quote Originally Posted by Shebang
I went back and checked my manual to make sure I was reading it correctly and to determine the available aperture range which is 3.5 to 32 in Aperture Priority mode. Then I checked the shooting info displayed on the computer image.

I really was at 32 (thinking that would give me the deepest range of DOF).

You used the words "focus metering" and "spot focus". I am even more confused, as yesterday I read online where someone asked if the focusing marks affected the light metering in any way. Their answer was that it did not.

So, my focusing marks were all in use and, as I said, my light metering was set at Evaluative which, according to my camera, is "an all-around metering mode suited for portraits and even backlit subjects. The camera sets the exposure automatically to suit the scene." (I also have the choice of Partial metering, Spot metering and Center-weighted average metering.)

I know I have a lot more reading to do on my particular camera and its focusing capabilities as well as reading to understand the generalities of focusing...YEOWZERS....

What focusing marks and light meter setting should I be using for my first shot in this post?

Anybody with anything to offer, please jump in.

Thanks.
I have found that I have to use manual focus for close-ups to get what I want in focus. Be sure to set the diopter on your view finder to your vision. Remove the lens, look through the viewfinder at a light (with contacts/glasses if you use them when shooting) and adjust the diopter until the little marks in the viewfinder are as sharp as possible.

Your lens may be sharper at an f-stop of 5.6 to 11 rather than 32. (btw - nice lens.)

Tripod - I have a Slik U8000 and I can see it move even with 10# hanging off the bottom. My old $12 tripod with a 10# weight (the legs bend) actually works better. With the Slik, part of the problem is the quick release. I keep watching my local (no shipping) ebay and ads for a big, heavy portrait or video tripod just for macros.

Keep shooting and see what happens.

TF