My Purple Flower close-up

[ronski]

My power...I mean Purple Flower close-up.
Not sure if this is consider as close-up or macro.
Anyways, C&C welcome.

[pegasus1010]

Not bad, but can make do with more brighter & sharper shot.
Try to go closer.

[ronski]

Originally Posted by pegasus1010 Not bad, but can make do with more brighter & sharper shot. Try to go closer.

Thanks. The shot was taken using a macro filter fitted onto my 18-55mm lens. Thats the best sharp shot i can get.
Any tips on using the macro filter?

[pegasus1010]

what macro filter are u using?

[eddietkm]

Can we have the setting of the camera when you took this shot?

Many thanks

[ronski]

Originally Posted by pegasus1010 what macro filter are u using?

It comes together with a 0.45X Wide Angle lens.
Something like this

[ronski]

Originally Posted by eddietkm Can we have the setting of the camera when you took this shot? Many thanks

-f3.5
-1/200s
-ISO 250
-18-55@18mm
Shoot using Nikon D80.

[OlyFlyer]

Originally Posted by ronski Thanks. The shot was taken using a macro filter fitted onto my 18-55mm lens. Thats the best sharp shot i can get. Any tips on using the macro filter?

Hi ronski,

Sorry, but I think you should check your lenses, camera or the way you take the image. In my opinion any close up lens should produce better sharpness. I just run a quick test using my using my kit zoom and the worlds cheapest close up lens. My results seems to be sharper. Of course, not comparable with a real macro lens, but OK for low budget.

I hope it's OK to post my samples, if not just say so and I delete them.

Anyway, this is the best I got today using a +4 close up lens on the Olympus kit zoom 40-150mm at 150mm.



As you see from the 100% crop below, the sharpness is not great, but OK.



Of course as I said, not comparable with a real macro lens, which the one below is taken with.



There are also more details in the 100% crop, as you can see below.



What I found out is that depending on light and selected aperture, there may be a terrible halo which in some cases disturbs the AF. That halo is not present with a proper macro lens. For comparision, the area which is covered in my images (side to side) is about 35-40mm.

I think you shold check out the reasons for the unsharp image, it may be so simple that you need to use a tripod, but it may be so that there is something wrong with one (or both) of the lenses. I am not familiar with Nikon, but maybe there is also a focus priority setting there, like in the Olympus and if there is, then you may have to set it so that the camera won't trigger the shutter if the sunject is not in focus. I also think that your main lens is not the best performer at 18mm and at f/3.5. You should stop down to f/8 or more and set the focal length to the longest FL. Generally, macro wide open is not optimal.

[ronski]

Originally Posted by OlyFlyer Hi ronski, Sorry, but I think you should check your lenses, camera or the way you take the image. In my opinion any close up lens should produce better sharpness. I just run a quick test using my using my kit zoom and the worlds cheapest close up lens. My results seems to be sharper. Of course, not comparable with a real macro lens, but OK for low budget. I hope it's OK to post my samples, if not just say so and I delete them. Anyway, this is the best I got today using a +4 close up lens on the Olympus kit zoom 40-150mm at 150mm. As you see from the 100% crop below, the sharpness is not great, but OK. Of course as I said, not comparable with a real macro lens, which the one below is taken with. There are also more details in the 100% crop, as you can see below. What I found out is that depending on light and selected aperture, there may be a terrible halo which in some cases disturbs the AF. That halo is not present with a proper macro lens. For comparision, the area which is covered in my images (side to side) is about 35-40mm. I think you shold check out the reasons for the unsharp image, it may be so simple that you need to use a tripod, but it may be so that there is something wrong with one (or both) of the lenses. I am not familiar with Nikon, but maybe there is also a focus priority setting there, like in the Olympus and if there is, then you may have to set it so that the camera won't trigger the shutter if the sunject is not in focus. I also think that your main lens is not the best performer at 18mm and at f/3.5. You should stop down to f/8 or more and set the focal length to the longest FL. Generally, macro wide open is not optimal.

That was the first time I use the macro filter. Wasn't too sure how I should use it so I took it @18mm. Now I know I shouldn't take macro at wide open.

I guess I must try some more takes.
Thanks for your lesson, really learn quite a few things from you. You are such a great help.