Hover - natural light

[LindaB]

Only took this by natural light as a test shot after changing the picture style on my camera, but it turned out rather nice I thought.

It was enjoying a freshly opened poppy early yesterday morning.

Also, I cant seem to find this hover in my book but I know its a common one - its the thin white lines that I cant find a pic the same of - anyone know which one it is please

100m macro - not cropped, taken in Av mode:
http://www.pbase.com/lindabuckell/image/99128541.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/lindabuckell/image/99128502.jpg


Linda

[Bill Pham]

like the first one best Linda.

Bill

[SwingBopper]

Linda, these are both very nice captures; but #2 looks a little soft. I also have a 40D and was wondering what picture style were you using. I occasionally get slightly OOF results using autofocus - tends to front focus a bit. Were you using AF too?

[LordV]

Lovely natural light captures Linda. Looks like a smallish dronefly to me - Eristalis sp.

[LindaB]

Linda, these are both very nice captures; but #2 looks a little soft. I also have a 40D and was wondering what picture style were you using. I occasionally get slightly OOF results using autofocus - tends to front focus a bit. Were you using AF too?

Hi there and thanks for your comments.

Re the picture style, well after reading some bits on the camera section on here, I changed it to 'Faithful' and increased the sharpness setting (its either 4 or 5, will have to check as I am at work at the moment).

I think with #2 and appearing oof, its probably because of using F4 and being that bit further away from the poppy that the edges are oof but the fly in the centre is ok I think. Yes, I used auto focus - I always do - and I have had a lot of shots that arent as sharp as I would have expected them to be, but I have put that down to me and the extra weight of the camera as I have used the 350D for a long time now which is a lot lighter.

My main problem has been the metering - I have had lots of shots where the outer edges have been vastly over exposed which rarely happened with either my 300D or 350D. I am not blaming the camera rather blaming myself for not grasping yet how the camera is reading the situations. I am using evaluative metering so it should be ok.

I would be interested to know your thoughts on what I have said and what you have found also.

Thanks. Linda




Lovely natural light captures Linda. Looks like a smallish dronefly to me - Eristalis sp.

Thanks Brian - yes I was wondering if it was a drone fly but couldnt find this one anywhere.


Linda

[SwingBopper]

I'd suggest you check for focus accuracy. I took a newspaper page, flattened and set on a piece of cardboard at a 45 degree angle to the camera sensor plane (camera on a tripod of course) and positioned so I could fill the frame vertically. I picked a line of the newsprint dead center in the frame and used autofocus (central focus point only) to take a shot wide open at f2.8. Took the shot and sure enough the next closer line was in better focus than the center line. Then I just experimented with camera on tripod focusing on various subjects at various distances with AF, then switching to MF and once again I could see a better focus by tweaking the focus ring a tad. So now I use MF whenever I'm shooting macro, or close to wide open in low light. This test gave the same results no matter which lens I tested. The OOF is slight; but noticeable.
As for metering I always use center weighted. Having outer edges overexposed is perplexing. I can't think of why that might happen. Could you post an example or PM me with one? I'd like to see the effect. Is it lens dependent? Do you use a UV filter? I do not use a filter on my 100mm macro - I know it's risky.

[LindaB]

I'd suggest you check for focus accuracy. I took a newspaper page, flattened and set on a piece of cardboard at a 45 degree angle to the camera sensor plane (camera on a tripod of course) and positioned so I could fill the frame vertically. I picked a line of the newsprint dead center in the frame and used autofocus (central focus point only) to take a shot wide open at f2.8. Took the shot and sure enough the next closer line was in better focus than the center line. Then I just experimented with camera on tripod focusing on various subjects at various distances with AF, then switching to MF and once again I could see a better focus by tweaking the focus ring a tad. So now I use MF whenever I'm shooting macro, or close to wide open in low light. This test gave the same results no matter which lens I tested. The OOF is slight; but noticeable.
As for metering I always use center weighted. Having outer edges overexposed is perplexing. I can't think of why that might happen. Could you post an example or PM me with one? I'd like to see the effect. Is it lens dependent? Do you use a UV filter? I do not use a filter on my 100mm macro - I know it's risky.


Thanks, all that info re focussing is really interesting and I will certainly do some testing when time permits - this is usually difficult as I work full-time and have to do the usual jobs at weekends etc, so will have to fit it in as and when I can.

I dont use a UV filter at all, I bought an expensive one a couple of years ago to fit on my 70-200 F4L and I did find it actually affected the quality of the shots so I havent used it any more. Again, it was only slight but after searching around, I knew it wasnt in my imagination.

I dont think the metering is lense dependent because the 3 lenses I use all the time - 100mm and 60mm macro, plus the 70-200 F4L - have all had a similar thing. I havent uploaded any of the pics obviously, but I think I can find a couple that this happened with so will be in touch, probably not tonight as I have things on but over the next few days Ill send you a couple. I probably just need some guidance lol.

I thought with macro in Manual mode, the camera defaulted to evaluative metering - have I misunderstood that?
I will certainly try the centre weighted though and see how that comes out.

Will be in touch and thanks again for your input.

Linda

[johnkermit1]

nice shots Linda.

i find that every now and then my AF works...but i usually move my camera in and out til i can see the parts in focus i want. it is rather difficult with my lens, as im sure it is with all macro lenses.

[LindaB]

nice shots Linda.

i find that every now and then my AF works...but i usually move my camera in and out til i can see the parts in focus i want. it is rather difficult with my lens, as im sure it is with all macro lenses.

Oh thanks for that. I dont really think there is an issue with the AF on my camera, as I mentioned above to the other guy, I think its more me and the heavier 40D lol.

Linda

[johnkermit1]

i agree. i just have trouble with it focusing on soething in the foreground mainly , . .like protruding antennae...lol thats my only problem :-)

[DaveBinks]

Nice shots Linda, #1 my favourite.

[LindaB]

i agree. i just have trouble with it focusing on soething in the foreground mainly , . .like protruding antennae...lol thats my only problem

LOL - well be thankful for small mercies ay :lol:

Actually, I just looked at your gear list and I see you have listed the Gary Fong diffuser - which one? Have you got/tried the little pop up diffuser he has? I have just asked on the flash forum about it as I thought it might be handy to have.

By the way, whats your first name?

Linda


Nice shots Linda, #1 my favourite.
thanks Dave :D

Linda

[johnkermit1]

Hi Linda (its John by the way - sorry . .. my formalities are not so formal..lol)

that diffuser is actually under my WISHLIST...lol - i use a coffeemate bottle diffuser. on the onblard flash of the S3.
the WISHLIST is basically MJ's setup....but with a 40D. ;)

[Sugarman]

Love the shots, Linda!

[LindaB]

Hi Linda (its John by the way - sorry . .. my formalities are not so formal..lol)

that diffuser is actually under my WISHLIST...lol - i use a coffeemate bottle diffuser. on the onblard flash of the S3.
the WISHLIST is basically MJ's setup....but with a 40D. ;)

oh yeah, silly me :lol: :lol:
So far I have got one very unhelpful reply to my question on the flash forum, so I might just buy it anyway because I feel the onboard flash does have its uses.


Love the shots, Linda!

Thanks very much Sugarman :D

Linda

[alliec]

Lovley captures Linda, spent some time looking for an ID on this one but came up empty.

[lcpete]

Hi Linda love the first shot lovely light
Pete

[LindaB]

Lovley captures Linda, spent some time looking for an ID on this one but came up empty.

Thanks Alistair. Also, thanks for trying to find it too, isnt that strange that neither of us can find the exact one, but thanks for trying :D

Linda


Hi Linda love the first shot lovely light
Pete

Thanks Pete, yes, I like the first shot too :D

Linda

[bandit 1]

Hiya Linda,

Dunno how but I missed this earlier on, the posts seem to be comming faster than I can keep up, not hard in my case, lovely shots I like em both, somehow the colours & the slight softness in #2 appeal to my eyes :D

Cheers for now
Mark

[LindaB]

Hiya Linda,

Dunno how but I missed this earlier on, the posts seem to be comming faster than I can keep up, not hard in my case, lovely shots I like em both, somehow the colours & the slight softness in #2 appeal to my eyes :D

Cheers for now
Mark


Hi Mark - no worries, I have trouble keeping up too sometimes :lol: :lol:

Thanks for your nice comments - yeah, I thought #2 was quite nice to look at too - I dont think they always have to be high in magnification and ultra detail to be a pleasing shot.

Linda