I See Red

Okay, here's another attempt with flowers using some lighting/tripod suggestions from my Purple Passion post (still playing around with f stops). I bought a Canon 40D and several more-than-I-could-afford lenses hoping to grow into the camera and achieve some sharp photos. I am not there. The sharp focus thing (or lack thereof) is really frustrating. I ordered a 40D specific video that I am anxious to jump into when it arrives. If anyone has suggestions, please help. Thanks. I played around with a flashlight in the second pic

Well, I think the center of the flower should be off center of the frame. Do you sharpen your images? Digital images should be sharpened sightly. Also I still think a tripod would help on the macro shots.

The second one doesn't work for me but the first is pretty nice and way better than your purple passion. It is pretty sharp and probably if you did some sharpening would be even better. I always have a hard time judging my own when it comes to sharpening and just use the auto-sharpen in photoshop 6. Seems to work for me.
I think the composition,(on 1) works in this case and the reds are really nice.
Which of your lenses did you use?
If you want more depth of field(more focus front to rear) you'll need a smaller aperture which will result in slower shutter speeds which is why the tripod Greg suggests in invaluable for close up and flower shots.
Keep shooting!

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Originally Posted by Shebang

Okay, here's another attempt with flowers using some lighting/tripod suggestions from my Purple Passion post (still playing around with f stops). I bought a Canon 40D and several more-than-I-could-afford lenses hoping to grow into the camera and achieve some sharp photos. I am not there. The sharp focus thing (or lack thereof) is really frustrating. I ordered a 40D specific video that I am anxious to jump into when it arrives. If anyone has suggestions, please help. Thanks. I played around with a flashlight in the second pic

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Unless you are using a high shutter speed (results in a shallow DOF) and/or a fast flash, everything must be perfectly still. I just went through this (and am still learning) this fall.

The two things that can move (and maybe a third - you have me thinking) are the lens and the object.

Lens - Use a remote or timed shutter - preferably with mirror lock up (some cameras can't). Use a good tripod. Try looking through the viewfinder, without touching the camera or tripod, during the shot. Can you see the 'view' wiggle after the shot? You may have to hang a weight off of the tripod. Push down lightly on the lens. Does it move? If it can, it will.

Object - Is the base that it is sitting on stable? Is there a breeze? Any room vibration? I can tell when my furnace fan runs through the concrete basement floor. Also the cloths dryer.

Possible third - I hadn't thought about it, but what if your flashlight is shaking? Shadows moving around the shot? I'm going to start a new thread on this.

TF

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Originally Posted by Greg McCary

Well, I think the center of the flower should be off center of the frame. Do you sharpen your images? Digital images should be sharpened sightly. Also I still think a tripod would help on the macro shots.

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Greg: I read the manual re sharpening and have set all my picture style modes (standard, portrait, landscape, neutral and faithful) to the sharpest setting.

I don't have photoshop, etc., but I did, for the first time, bumble through sharpening the recomposed image that follows with the Digital Photo Professional program that came with my Canon 40D.

I did use a tripod. I have a Promaster SystemPRO 2N Professional Tripod (apprx. $150)

More about the lens I'm using to come.

Thank you so much for your time, expertise and willingness to help.


Frog: The lens I used is the Canon Macro EF 1:3.5 L 180mm. This lens gets rave reviews but I am not getting rave results. I spent some time reading in an effort to better understand the lens and found one mistake I am making is I had the range button set in the wrong position. I am a "show me" type versus the "read it" type, so I will have to read and re-read to understand this lens (and camera). I also need to reset my camera and try again. I had a shutter speed of 30; aperture of 32; ISO of 200; white balance is "cloudy"; picture style was "standard" and I used Evaluative metering.

My thanks to you as well for all your help and encouragement.

Old Clicker: You can see my settings above. I am using the 2-second timer and my camera does have the mirror lock-up feature but I don't know how to use it (more reading!). I thought I had a good tripod - it was the most I could afford - but I am not totally happy with it. When it supposedly is locked down, I still can get some movement in the head, not easily, but nevertheless some movement. Not sure what to do about that. Doesn't seem weighting the tripod would solve that problem. As far as any other movement, I don't think that is an issue. This house is on a concrete slab with the heat/air apparatus either outdoors or in the garage. I see your point re the flashlight movement, but I did not use it in my first shot. Tomorrow I will try adjusting the lens length limit button with the in-camera sharpness adjustments and the aperture changes and see what happens. I have been reading but I don't yet understand the auto and/or manual focusing procedures of this camera yet. I took quite a bite when I bought this thing.

Again, my deepest appreciation to you, Frog and Greg for all the brain activity expended on my behalf!

Your aperture was 32? or was it 3.2?

A smaller aperture (5.6 or smaller) would give more dof which may or may not be desirable.
I'm thinking in this case more dof is desirable as the stamens are so much closer than the leaves.
Also think about what focus metering you are using. When I shoot flower(not often anymore) I often use spot focus so I can determine which point of the flower I want sharpest and let the dof take care of the rest.
You're doing the right things and it just takes experimenting.
Keep shooting!

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.

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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.

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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

Thanks TF. I did sit a adjust my diopeter - even painted red marks to ensure the correct position in case of accidental bump.

I thought I was in manual focus, but as I said, I still have a lot of reading to do in that regard. Yesterday I read where somebody said any lens at f/32 will not perform well. He suggested no more than f/16. So I am anxious to try your suggested f/stop maneuver.

My tripod has a quick release also. Maybe that's my problem. I will check that and try weighting it as well.

Nothing like a good challenge to get your blood pumping!


Thank you thank you for your help.