revolushun said:
Very interesting photos. I was at SBG this weekend but I couldnt get such a good closeup on the insects. Any advise for a newbie? I'm using a basic FZ20 without any adaptors. Still waiting for my tube adaptor to come in from the mass order heehe :X
Can you give us some advise on how you do it?
Thanks.
Tube adapter only helps to give you more options on filters you can add based on 62mm. You can also purchase step down rings e.g. 62-58mm to allow you to use other filters.
The above shots was taken with 2 close up filters...the Nikon 6T AND the Sigma Achromatic close up lens. This allowed me to have a working distance of about 19 cm.
For Macros, you will need more Depth-of-Field (DOF), so small apeture is essential i.e. larger F number. Hence I always use F8. The down side is that light entering the CCD is less so, you will need more light source.....i.e. need an external flash. Direct flash might be too harsh, so bouncing it will help. A homemade bounce card on the flash can do the trick.
I tend to use MANUAL mode for Macro, and not MACRO mode. Somehow the shots turn out better. Downside is that the EVF will darken, sometimes until cannot see anything....thats one problem with Fz10/20. So either change the ISO higher, or slow shutter speed, or change to A mode compose->focus-> Manual focus-> change to M mode-> shoot! Also depending on situation, I will use Manual focus more often. My last weeks shot on the moth was using auto focus because the subject was cooperative, hanging there through out the shoot.....so can take my time to set up, aim, focus and shoot.
Yesterdays long leg fly was jumping every where....had to use hand held, and use manual focus. I will x12 and fix focus distance first and than SWAY my body together with the camera while depressing shutter half way.....once the fly 'appears' in focus...I depress the shutter all the way......so sometimes sharp, sometimes blur, sometimes wrong part in focus....e.g. the "check my....!" shot. So its a hit and miss....yesterday's series, I took more than 90 shots, and most are blur.
