Flower macros in incandescent light

[TomW]

I love to do flower pictures, and I prefer natural light. This winter, I made do by buying cut flowers and doing long exposures under incandescent light: 1/2 to 1 sec, using the remote controller with the G1, closeup lens (+4 B&W), and tripod.

Some examples:

http://members3.clubphoto.com/tom265836/G1_Flowers/photo8.jpg?6781

http://members3.clubphoto.com/tom265836/G1_Flowers/photo23.jpg?6781

http://www.photo.net/photodb/image-display?photo_id=191607&size=md

http://www.photo.net/photodb/image-display?photo_id=195321&size=md

[James]

Hi Tom,

I really enjoy your photos, especailly the white flower.

Keep submitting them for all to enjoy!

[Eric F.]

I too love taking pictures of flowers. They are very cooperative and generally stay still. :)

These samples of your indoor photos are very good. The detail is superior. Would you share the exact settings that your used for these photo's. I would like to try and copy your technique.

I have taken lots of pictures of an azalea here in my yard with G1, +4 lens, hand held. The Red is so bright that it is hard to see detail with your eyes and the G1 has problems with it as well. I have tried every combo on the dial and some exposure comp settings too. Here is a example, it has been sharpened.

If you or anyone else out there have an idea on how to get this photo, I would be very appreciative as it will only last a few more days.

Thanks,
ERIC F.

http://home.att.net/~ozarke/wsb/media/69185/site1050.jpg

[Rick]

Eric,

Very nice shot. The Red over saturation is a problem with CCD's themselves and is caused by the CCD's being very sensitive in the red/near infrared part of the spectrum. It's typically called Blooming in video circles. This has been a very large problem with CCD based video cameras for a very long time. There is another discussion on this board in relation IR or infrared sensitivty and filtering for it.

This is one of the principle reasons I am interested in whether Hot Mirror filters will work effectively to reduce this red blooming on the Pro 90. It may or may not, I guess as the other poster said were going to have to wait till someone buys a filter and tests it.

Have a good one.

Rick

[Rick]

Tom,

These are great I especially love the Blue (Iris?) flower.

Rick

[TomW]

Thanks for the compliments...

Hi Eric-- I've seen this issue with red flowers. I think it's a metering problem. For some reason (likely the stuff Rick writes about) the G1 meter overexposes red, so you get those magenta highlights or worse in bright light. The best I've done with these is to switch to manual and use a faster shutter speed. That corrects the worst of it. The LCD will show when you hit the "right" exposure, (say 1/500 at F8) then bracket around that value (1/400 and 1/640).

The flowers and some of the camera settings in my first post are:
Calla lily, B300 lens, F8, 1/2 sec, 102mm
White lily, F6.3, 1/2 sec
Second white lily, F8, 1/3 sec, +4 B&W diopter, 102mm
Delphinium (single blossom), F8, 1/2 sec, +4 diopter, 102mm

I often use F8 in macros to maximize depth of field, especailly when blurring the background isn't necessary: here I had control over the background indoors. But all of the F8 in these is just chance, I use a full aperture range in macros of flowers.

My focus technique with extreme closeups is to use manual focus, set at the minimum focus range, then move the tripod and camera until I hit the right spot. I use the digital zoom trick (hold the set button while flicking the zoom switch) to temporarily zoom in to check the focus, then switch back to regular zoom and check th composition. THe digital zoom image in the LCD is crude, but useful.

[Eric F.]

Thanks Tom and Rick,

Your response is sincerely appreciated.

I have noticed that the colors that are mainily red tend to be a problem as Rick expained. So I guess I would be interested in the filter that is needed. Have you or others found that this picture could be taken in lower light or cloudy sky? I am going to try it out this evening and will see. Will post if it is better.

Thanks Tom, for your focus technique. I had read on the "other" forum about using the digital zoom, but had forgot the benefit and had not tried. I will give it a try now. I have had the G1 for 3 months now and have yet to experience all the features, much less knowing when to use them. All these years with a point and shoot mentality has made me lazy on processes. I have taken over 1000 pictures with the G1 and gotten a lot of "keepers" which make me want to get more and better. I have your reply printed out and will be using it to capture some photos as soon as I have time.

PEKKA, if you are reading this, this exchange makes me want to thank you for this site.

[Davestr]

Hi I love the flowers. I was also considering buying B&w close up lense but thought the 10x Your thoughts? I took same tipe lilly last nigt with my flash in the kichen. I will post later .
Davestr






Eric F. wrote:
Thanks Tom and Rick,

Your response is sincerely appreciated.

I have noticed that the colors that are mainily red tend to be a problem as Rick expained. So I guess I would be interested in the filter that is needed. Have you or others found that this picture could be taken in lower light or cloudy sky? I am going to try it out this evening and will see. Will post if it is better.

Thanks Tom, for your focus technique. I had read on the "other" forum about using the digital zoom, but had forgot the benefit and had not tried. I will give it a try now. I have had the G1 for 3 months now and have yet to experience all the features, much less knowing when to use them. All these years with a point and shoot mentality has made me lazy on processes. I have taken over 1000 pictures with the G1 and gotten a lot of "keepers" which make me want to get more and better. I have your reply printed out and will be using it to capture some photos as soon as I have time.

PEKKA, if you are reading this, this exchange makes me want to thank you for this site.

[TomW]

Eric, I tried some red tulips over the weekend. You can do it, but I found I had to use faster shutter speeds than the meter recommended. Does the color look OK?

http://www.photo.net/photodb/image-display?photo_id=214481&size=lg

Davstr, give the +10 a shot. I have the +4 and the +2, gving me +2, +4, and +6 with them stacked in combination. That gets me close enough for flowers. The + 4 roughly doubles the size of image without the closeup lens, and brings you to about 4 inches away. At +10, you'll be real close, a couple of inches away, which can be awkward. You can experiment with combining the diopter lens with a B300, which gets you further away from the subject. You may have to use a tripod at +10 magnification.

[Eric F.]

Tom:

Thanks for the reply again!!:p

The color of your tulips are very good. What shutter speed did you use? What was the light, sunshine or artifical? Did you have in MANUEL or Tv mode?

I finally got a couple of good pictures with a little post processing!

I have taken several closeups with the b-300, but have not taken the time to try with filters. What is your opinion of quality, ease of settings, etc. compared without the b-300?

There is so much to experience with the G1 it is amazing. I have spent a lot of time and still there is so much left. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, that's what makes my G1 so fun.:D

I am going to post a picture that I took this weekend in the Photo feedback, which reflects my biggest interest. Check it out and let me know what you think!

[TomW]

I did the tulip picture in bright daylight, not the best time to take a picture, at F8, 1/640 sec. I think the meter told me 1/400 or 1/500. I started out in Av, spot metered a petal, then switched to manual and tried faster shutter speeds. I used manual focus, too.

I've done a few macro shots with the B300, and they look very clear. Probably it's better not to use it for macro (less glass is supposed to be better), but sometimes you need to work from further away. I've taken lots of closeups with single lens closeups filters with great results. Supposedly, the two element Canon closeup lens 250D is best, not the single lens B&W closeup filter I use.

[Davestr]

Here are my promised photo's
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=469205&a=3448419&p=47751939

[Davestr]

Some more links
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=469205&a=3448419&p=47741897


http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=469205&a=3448419&p=47751944

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=469205&a=3448419&p=47741878

[Eric F.]

Dave;

Thanks for the links to some great flower pictures.

You might try to imbed the pictures, the key is under help above. you will need to use the img with brackets on both ends.

I noticed that the red flower picture has the same blow out problem that I have experienced and wrote about above. The G1 takes great macros, but those red are hard to capture. I am interested in trying to get around this problem and the best so far is to use slower speeds in lower light. Hopefully, others will share their secrets of success with the red subject.

[Davestr]

Hi Eric F.

Thank you for the reply. The red tulip was really this color. I have not taken a real red tulip but will get one and follow your advise if I can't get the color right. I took these accept the (red) in my kitchen using the 420 ex and bounching the flash of an umbrella and the kitchen light. I used Tv and played with speed on some did the 1000 to get F8 it good trick I read a forum(thanks to person explaining this).

The (red) tulip was shot in living room with same as above accept there was natural light from outside shining on right side. The F stop was lower. Think F2.5.

I am still learnig but love it.
Dave