Anyone doing macro with mirrorless?

I mean I wouldn't think there are any differences between DSLR and mirrorless... But I thought I would ask if there were any adjustments to make if going from one to the other.

I've been out of the hobby for about 5 years, and back then, I loved playing with macro. Total amateur, but I enjoyed it. Now I am buying a new kit and just looking for anything I need to consider regarding macro. I know the new RS 100 lens is due out at the end of July, that will be my target glass if I go the mirrorless route.

Thanks!

Unless someone proves me wrong with specific circumstance description, there ought to be ZERO functional difference in macro with dSLR vs. macro with mirrorless.


It COULD be, however, that 100mm EF macro and 100 RF macro optical implementations are different, so the true FL at macro distance is not the same in the two lenses...e.g. true FL in 100mm EF at macro distance = 70mm, while true FL of 100mm RF at macro distance might hypothetically be 65mm, so the actual distance from subject to focal plane is not identical (as it would be, if true FL were identical in the two lenses)

Dynalmadman wrote in post #19241339
I mean I wouldn't think there are any differences between DSLR and mirrorless... But I thought I would ask if there were any adjustments to make if going from one to the other.

I've been out of the hobby for about 5 years, and back then, I loved playing with macro. Total amateur, but I enjoyed it. Now I am buying a new kit and just looking for anything I need to consider regarding macro. I know the new RS 100 lens is due out at the end of July, that will be my target glass if I go the mirrorless route.

Thanks!

Yes,

I stopped using my full frame Canon dSLRs for this and went mirrorless and much prefer it. The difference for me is that the result from AF and the result from MF are consistent, because WYSIWYG in both the EVF and the LCD on the back with the same mechanism of AF (if used). Unlike with the dSLR, this was not possible, unless you used LiveView (LCD) only as the OVF would not guarantee focus when using AF (if you did). Sometimes the light is not correct for using the full LCD at different positions, so using the EVF is a huge help there. And having real time focus peaking in the EVF or LCD with manual focus or even AF is a huge help to know where your depth of field is falling to keep something in focus. I generally do not use AF. I almost always am MF. I mostly use my lenses parked at minimum focus distance and move the camera forward/backward to pass the subject through my field of in-focus and I like to see that real time on my EVF/LCD with focus peaking so I can see for sure what is happening, zero guess work.

I mostly use a manual lens (50mm) with an extension (16mm) and a TTL flash with a big diffuser (a styrofoam plate) and I like that I get WYSIWYG exposure on my LCD to see ambient light so I can adjust my focal-ratio as needed for DOF and ambient light and then expose the subject with flash; and I see the DOF at the focal-ratio I'm going to use, F8 to F11 in my case, so I can see exactly where focus is and where it falls off on the subject. I used to do the same thing on my Canon full frames, but it was more difficult due to limits of live view (if wanting to see WYSIWYG) and focal-ratio when the image is made, and the big limits of the OVF when not using the LCD, as it wasn't exact.

Fuji X-T1
Rokinon 50mm F1.2 lens
Meike 16mm Extension
Flashpoint Zoom LiON TTL Flash

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MalVeauX wrote in post #19241382
Yes,

I stopped using my full frame Canon dSLRs for this and went mirrorless and much prefer it. The difference for me is that the result from AF and the result from MF are consistent, because WYSIWYG in both the EVF and the LCD on the back with the same mechanism of AF (if used). Unlike with the dSLR, this was not possible, unless you used LiveView (LCD) only as the OVF would not guarantee focus when using AF (if you did). Sometimes the light is not correct for using the full LCD at different positions, so using the EVF is a huge help there. And having real time focus peaking in the EVF or LCD with manual focus or even AF is a huge help to know where your depth of field is falling to keep something in focus. I generally do not use AF. I almost always am MF. I mostly use my lenses parked at minimum focus distance and move the camera forward/backward to pass the subject through my field of in-focus and I like to see that real time on my EVF/LCD with focus peaking so I can see for sure what is happening, zero guess work.

I see you are light years ahead of my abilities, but I understand what you are saying about the viewfinder and WYSIWYG focus. It certainly makes the mirrorless seem to win out.

Thank you for the excellent, detailed response,
Michael

I find that there are benefits to shooting mirrorless. First, there is no need to lock the mirror or shoot in live view to limit shake. Second, with manual lenses that you must focus stopped down, you get a bright, properly exposed image to focus upon in your electronic viewfinder. Lastly, as I do a bunch of focus stacking, the in camera focus stacking program of my R5, acquires the images in a fraction of the time as there is no mirror or shutter slap and I don't have any settling time. The result is that I have fewer stacks that are ruined by wind or changing light.

Aside from the cost of a new bodyI see no disadvantages to shooting macro with mirrorless, with the possible exception of shooting fast moving subjects in which you may get a rolling shutter effect.

Irwin

So the R5 has in camera focus stacking? I knew it had focus bracketing but didn't realise Canon finally had stacking too.

I also switched from dSLRs (most recently a 6D) to the mirrorless R about a year ago. For most insect and spider shots I use manual focus with the lens set a the minimum focus distance and I move the camera to achieve focus, and "focus peaking" is another useful mirrorless feature worth mentioning:

https://snapshot.canon​-asia.com …aking-manual-focus-easier

Example image:

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2mDR​hmQ

racketman wrote in post #19304035
So the R5 has in camera focus stacking? I knew it had focus bracketing but didn't realise Canon finally had stacking too.

You are correct - Focus Bracketing but no in-camera stacking as far as I understand.

The Canon EOS R5 has Focus Bracketing, but the image files cannot be stacked in-camera. Canon recommends that the files are taken into Digital Photo Professional and processed using the Depth Compositing tool. I have done this for stacks of 50 shots and it takes 10-15 mins to render the final image.

I have stacked 10-20 shots in PS CC and it runs more quickly.

Cheers

Dennis

I am more interested in focus peaking than focus bracketing. I have gotten so use to shooting single frames that stacking does not really offer me anything. But getting an indication in the view finder of where the focus is falling would definitely help. Gonna wait and see if Canon releases a crop factor mirrorless camera, and hopefully they will come out with an RF version of the MP-E.

I recently picked up an Olympus body for macro and was disappointed to learn that focus peaking only came one when moving the focus ring. Is this the case for Canon mirrorless cameras?

Agreed, Focus peaking with a mirrorless is great for macro shooting, something not available with the OVF of a dslr. I set my peaking highlight to yellow, and it is very clear to me now what in the frame is focused.

thomas-b wrote in post #19305377
I recently picked up an Olympus body for macro and was disappointed to learn that focus peaking only came one when moving the focus ring. Is this the case for Canon mirrorless cameras?

No with canon, you can just move and see what is in focus with that feature enabled.

One of the least expensive methods of canon mirrorless to do macro shooting is with an M series, like the M50 or M6II.

I have just gone mirrorless. With the rf 100mm f2.8 being my 2nd purchase after the rf f24-105 f4. Looking forward to giving it a run shortly. Pity it’s not in the equipment list to add to your profile gear.

The magnification in the rf 100mm is increased by a furher 0.4 compared to the 1-1 of the EF lens.

Jake01 wrote in post #19320796
I have just gone mirrorless. With the rf 100mm f2.8 being my 2nd purchase after the rf f24-105 f4. Looking forward to giving it a run shortly. Pity it’s not in the equipment list to add to your profile gear.

Welcome to the forum Jake01
Pekka is a busy bloke but he asked here for people to ease his load and add suggested gear
https://photography-on-the.net …showthread.php?​p=19319497