Need help and tips with macro photography

[usarmyhunter]

I just purchased a Nikon Outfit D50 and I want to invest some 300 - 400 dollars in macro lenses or filters need any suggestions...

[usarmyhunter]

I just purchased a Nikon Outfit D50 and I want to invest some 300 - 400 dollars in macro lenses or filters need any suggestions...

"Education is vital, its purpose is to replace and empty mind with an open mind, don't you ever stop educating yourself"

[coldrain]

I do not understand the "or filters" part, but there are very good macro lenses for your budget.

The Sigma 50mm macro lens is a sharp, affordable lens that costs under 250$.

The Sigma 105mm macro lens is very good, and a around 400$.

The Nikkor 60mm micro lens is very sharp and a little above 400$

The Tamron 90mm macro is also very sharp and contrasty and is a bit above 400$

With either of these 4 lenses you will be able to make good macro photos and portrait photos, all are f2.8 and are 1:1 macro lenses meaning you can get a subject the size of the sensor to fill the photo.

[eyelab]

How close do you have to be to the subject to get good crisp close shots? I don't want to be 5" away from a wasp ... :P ... and spiders... i hate them to death... BUT i love taking pictures of them :P Don't want to get to close.

[coldrain]

How close do you have to be to the subject to get good crisp close shots? I don't want to be 5" away from a wasp ... :P ... and spiders... i hate them to death... BUT i love taking pictures of them :P Don't want to get to close.

The manufacturer sites should give you some information on how close you can/have to get to a subject, with the different lenses.

The longer the focal lenght of the macro lens, the futher away you can stay, basically. Sigma has a very good 150mm macro, and Tamron has a very good 180mm macro lens. Both are more expensive than the list above, though.

[Tyger]

if you want more working distance it'll cost you...

HSM 150mm Sigma = 20 cm WD @ $620
180mm Tamron = 26cm WD @ $690

Not precise but here's an idea about WD, depending on the make of the lens.

60mm WD 10cm
100mm WD 15cm
150mm WD 20cm
180mm WD 25cm


Here's an informative thread that can explain some things....

Choosing Macro Lens by Working Distance vs. Price (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=94767)

[cwphoto]

At life-size (ie; 1:1) the working distance is (by definition) exactly the same as the FL of the lens.

[gary_hendricks]

Here are some of my tips for macro photography. hope it helps. :)

1) Set up your subject and background
Set up your subject on its background so that it won't move. I often use bits of modeling clay that can be hidden underneath an object to hold it at the correct angle.

2) Set up your camera
It's fairly easy to set up your camera on a tripod or other support and not have to worry about it shifting. So do so. Make sure that the ground underneath your tripod is firm and solid.

3) Set up the lights
Use your lighting equipment or the existing light to illuminate your subject.
If you have a studio, position two or more lights so that they light up the subject
evenly.

4) Frame your photo.
For any particular magnification, the closer you get, the more emphasis is placed on objects very close to the lens. Don't forget focus and depth-of-field considerations. When shooting up close, only a small portion of your image might be in focus. Make sure that you¡¯ve framed the subject correctly, without accidentally chopping anything off. You often have to use the camera's LCD display to examine your composition because the built-in optical viewfinder doesn¡¯t show the image 100 percent accurately.

5) Shoot
When you press the shutter release button, you might press the shutter release button too hard, jar the camera during exposure, and produce a blurry picture. Avoid blur by using your camera's self-timer to trip the shutter after a few seconds rather than using your finger. An alternative is to use an electronic or mechanical, remote shutter-release control to trip your camera's shutter without touching it.