Finally Got a Real Macro Lens

After multiple delays due to finances, I finally bought myself a real macro lens, a Tokina 100mm, for my Canon Digital Rebel Xt.

Unlike some of you here, I don't have the menagerie of insects to photograph (almost nothing but wolf spiders). I do on the other hand, have lots of computer and firearms parts, bullets, etc. to photograph.

I'm looking forward to finally being able to do some serious macro work.

I presume you mean in the Winter. Ohio has 164 species of Dragonflies, the whole of the UK has just 57 so i'm guessing you should have plenty of insect subjects to shoot; I seldom shoot outside of Greater London
Loads of good sites listed here:
http://wildlife.ohiodn​r.gov …ns/id%20guides/​pub320.pdf

racketman wrote in post #17454094
I presume you mean in the Winter.

No, I meant in the spring and summer. Other than the odd gnat which is nigh impossible to photograph with extension tubes, I saw NOTHING but spiders, and those in my apartment building. I mostly stuck around my neighborhood, but just around the apartment there's tons of foliage and I live directly above a forest. I guess it was just a bad year here for interesting insects.

We'll just have to see what turns up this year.

I'm in Ohio too! There's lots of wildlife to photograph here including mammals, birds, and plenty of insects to photograph. I see you live in an apartment so you'll have to look up some of the parks in your area. I spend a lot of time outdoors year-round in West-central Ohio photographing birds, and mammals. I just got a 100mm2.8L, and can't wait to use it this spring and summer.

Hi Temma,

I think part of the challenge of insect and spider photography is spotting them. When I have a break from macro and then start up again, it takes me longer to find subjects because I'm out of practice and need to get my eye in again. But once I find one or 2, I'll usually find heaps! So you'll probably find that they are there, but you're not seeing them. Anyway, enjoy the new lens!

Cheers,
Stephen

Beekeeper wrote in post #17454322
I'm in Ohio too! There's lots of wildlife to photograph here including mammals, birds, and plenty of insects to photograph. I see you live in an apartment so you'll have to look up some of the parks in your area. I spend a lot of time outdoors year-round in West-central Ohio photographing birds, and mammals. I just got a 100mm2.8L, and can't wait to use it this spring and summer.

I've gotten plenty of waterfowl pictures in the Cleveland Metroparks, especially by Baldwin Lake and the dam in Berea.

I'd like to do some insect photography, but other than spiders, haven't had much luck yet. As much, and as many types of foliage as we have in Rocky River, you'd think I'd have seen something by now, but apparently there's not much up here. I don't know if I'd have better luck in the Metroparks, although until I got this macro lens, it would mostly have been a moot point. There's probably no way I'm going get a decent insect shot with the 18-55 kit lens or my 70-300 zoom and extension tubes. At least now I can get some distance between myself and my subjects.

Temma wrote in post #17454358
I've gotten plenty of waterfowl pictures in the Cleveland Metroparks, especially by Baldwin Lake and the dam in Berea.

I'd like to do some insect photography, but other than spiders, haven't had much luck yet. As much, and as many types of foliage as we have in Rocky River, you'd think I'd have seen something by now, but apparently there's not much up here. I don't know if I'd have better luck in the Metroparks, although until I got this macro lens, it would mostly have been a moot point. There's probably no way I'm going get a decent insect shot with the 18-55 kit lens or my 70-300 zoom and extension tubes. At least now I can get some distance between myself and my subjects.

Spiders need other insects to survive, so if there's an abundance of spiders, there's plenty of other insects. You need to hunt for them, they don't make themselves readily available for photo-ops. Have you tried looking late in the evening or night? That's when they can be easier to find. However you'll need a flash.

A 100mm Macro is not going to get you that much distance from your subjects. My first macro lens was the Canon 60mm Macro, sold it and now have the Canon 100mm 2.8 USM. I too thought I would gain a lot more distance, not so much. If your really want distance, you need something like a 180mm macro, or extension tubes on a regular lens. Your kit lens and the 70-300 will allow more distance between the lens and your subjects, than a 100mm macro. The extension tubes allow those lenses to be focused closer than their minimums. Unless your talking close-up photography, not macro.

frozenframe wrote in post #17454991
Spiders need other insects to survive, so if there's an abundance of spiders, there's plenty of other insects. You need to hunt for them, they don't make themselves readily available for photo-ops. Have you tried looking late in the evening or night? That's when they can be easier to find. However you'll need a flash.

Judging by what you see in webs here, the only thing they're eating is gnats and the very occasional other spider.

I think I'm just going to have to try the Metroparks. I used to see a lot of wasps/hornets around the apartment in the past but don't recall seeing any last year.

No photos? Arghhhhh.

Strontium wrote in post #17455110
No photos? Arghhhhh.

Lens hasn't been delivered yet. It's supposed to show up at a friend's office tomorrow.

Camera's already on the tripod in front of my homemade white box. It's just waiting for the lens.

I've posted my previous efforts with my current primitive setup.

Reading is not my strong point at this hour, sorry.

Temma wrote in post #17453840
After multiple delays due to finances, I finally bought myself a real macro lens, a Tokina 100mm, for my Canon Digital Rebel Xt.

Unlike some of you here, I don't have the menagerie of insects to photograph (almost nothing but wolf spiders). I do on the other hand, have lots of computer and firearms parts, bullets, etc. to photograph.

I'm looking forward to finally being able to do some serious macro work.

You have lots of firearms and bullets, is what I took from this...lol

Strontium wrote in post #17455164
You have lots of firearms and bullets, is what I took from this...lol

You overlook the computer parts mentioned in the same sentence? There's numerous things that can be used in macro, close-up photography, including firearms and bullets. FWIW I too have lots of firearms, and bullets.

frozenframe wrote in post #17455193
You overlook the computer parts mentioned in the same sentence? There's numerous things that can be used in macro, close-up photography, including firearms and bullets. FWIW I too have lots of firearms, and bullets.

It was a joke. Get real.