Close-up shots

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09-16-2010, 02:23 AM
Trowski

Close-up shots

I recently got my EF 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro lens, so I've been having fun experimenting with close-up shots, particularly bugs and flowers. Looking for some feedback on these shots. All of these shots were taken on a Canon 7D with the aforementioned lens.

1/160 @ f/11 ISO 400

http://trowski.com/files/pictures/IMG_0915.jpg

1/160 @ f/16 ISO 320

http://trowski.com/files/pictures/IMG_0563.jpg

1/200 @ f/16 ISO 640

http://trowski.com/files/pictures/IMG_1023.jpg

1/125 @ f/8 ISO 2500

http://trowski.com/files/pictures/IMG_0131.jpg
09-16-2010, 06:24 AM
Elon Gane

Re: Close-up shots

Congrats on the new lens [:D]

I love your first shot! I really like the black background!!

For the second shot, I would like to see it a little sharper and maybeshallower depth of field. But I really like the colors!

I think thethird one is great, really nice colors. But maybe shallower DOF?

For the last one I think I would have liked to see the Honey bee's eye in focus. But getting it right is hard [:P]And maybe A warmer color temperature.

All in all I think your shots are very good [:)] And have fun with your new lens!!
09-16-2010, 07:01 AM
MrGreenBug

Re: Close-up shots

Very nice set! Just like Elon, I like the first photo best! The black background really made the color pop on the bud.

Enjoy your new glass!

- Angelo
09-16-2010, 03:08 PM
Trowski

Re: Close-up shots

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elon Gane

For the second shot, I would like to see it a little sharper and maybeshallower depth of field. But I really like the colors!

I agree about the sharpness, I was just excited to get a shot as the bee was taking off. It's really hard to get good pictures of these guys, since they move around so much.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elon Gane

For the last one I think I would have liked to see the Honey bee's eye in focus. But getting it right is hard [img]/emoticons/emotion-4.gif[/img]And maybe A warmer color temperature.

Again, same problem for sharpness as in the second pic. It was a cloudy day, so I adjusted the WB a bit to warm it up.

http://trowski.com/files/pictures/IMG_0131_2.jpg

Unfortunately it got cold rather quickly here, so I don't know if I'll have more opportunity to practice with the bees (or many other insects for that matter), but I'm sure fall will present its own close-up opportunities.

Thanks for the feedback!
09-16-2010, 03:35 PM
HDNitehawk

Re: Close-up shots

Very nice. I like #3, a little shallower DOF might have gotten a litle better IQ. I have noticed close up I get better results with F stops lower than 16 with my 100mm L IS

Question? Were they hand held or off tripod?
09-16-2010, 04:00 PM
neuroanatomist

Re: Close-up shots

Quote:

Originally Posted by HDNitehawk

I have noticed close up I get better results with F stops lower than 16 with my 100mm L IS

At narrow apertures, a loss of sharpness due to diffraction begins to show up. In theory, anything beyond the diffraction limited aperture (DLA) for your sensor will be affected. For the 7D, the DLA is f/6.8. Within a few stops ofthe DLA, it's not that noticeable - but once you get down to f/14 or so it becomes more evident.

Most of the time, you're not stopping down that far - but in the 'quest for DoF' with macro shooting it's more common. It's also seen in landscape shots (another area when you want deep DoF), but since those are often taken with wide angle lenses apertures don't need to be quite so narrow.

Personally, with my 7D andEF 100mm f/2.8<span style="color: red;"]LMacro IS, I generally try to keep the aperture at f/11 or wider.

One other point for those using a 7D and a Canon macro lens for handheld shooting - if you set your autofocus mode to AI Servo AF, the 7D'sIntelligent Macro Tracking function will help counteract any back-and-forth movement you make while handholding the camera. That feature combined with the Hybrid IS in the 100mm L Macro IS lens means you're controlling for camera shake in all three dimensions.
09-16-2010, 06:12 PM
HDNitehawk

Re: Close-up shots

Quote:

Originally Posted by neuroanatomist

Personally, with my 7D andEF 100mm f/2.8<span style="color: #ff0000;"]LMacro IS, I generally try to keep the aperture at f/11 or wider.

That is my limit to. I will normally take multiple pictures at various F stops of the same subject, especialy if it is an insect that is pointing toward or away trying to get the complete bug in focus, and trying to get the right DOF to catch it. The pics that are keepersmostcommonlyfall between f8 and f11
09-16-2010, 08:21 PM
Trowski

Re: Close-up shots

Quote:

Originally Posted by HDNitehawk

Question? Were they hand held or off tripod?

All of these shots were hand held. Most of the time I was chasing the bees around, something that would probably be difficult to do with a tripod. I'm very impressed with the hybrid-IS on the 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS. I've been able to get a lot of shots that I otherwise would have been difficult to near impossible with a normal macro lens. If Canon ever makes a 200mm (or something close to) macro lens with hybrid-IS I will probably immediately buy it. It wouldn't even need to be that fast - f/4 would be fine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by neuroanatomist

At narrow apertures, a loss of sharpness due to diffraction begins to show up. In theory, anything beyond the diffraction limited aperture (DLA) for your sensor will be affected. For the 7D, the DLA is f/6.8. Within a few stops ofthe DLA, it's not that noticeable - but once you get down to f/14 or so it becomes more evident.

While this is definitely true, at what point does the diffraction actually degrade the image sharpness more than other factors such as hand holding the camera (even with IS)? The advantages of a greater DoF might outweigh a slight loss in sharpness. Shots I took of the bees at f/8 seemed to often lack enough DoF to get a sufficient portion of the bee in focus. I actually did open up the aperture after the butterfly appeared, but I never got a shot of similar quality at a lower aperture, it just didn't want to stay in one spot long enough.

On that note, for the first shot, is there enough DoF? I know this is sort of a subjective question, but would the shot have been more pleasing if the petals on the back of the bud or the stem would have been more in focus?

Quote:

Originally Posted by neuroanatomist

One other point for those using a 7D and a Canon macro lens for handheld shooting - if you set your autofocus mode to AI Servo AF, the 7D'sIntelligent Macro Tracking function will help counteract any back-and-forth movement you make while handholding the camera. That feature combined with the Hybrid IS in the 100mm L Macro IS lens means you're controlling for camera shake in all three dimensions.

I always do this as well. It's hit or miss, but it's certainly better than having the camera in one-shot.
09-16-2010, 08:34 PM
HDNitehawk

Re: Close-up shots

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trowski

All of these shots were hand held. Most of the time I was chasing the bees around, something that would probably be difficult to do with a tripod. I'm very impressed with the hybrid-IS on the 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS. I've been able to get a lot of shots that I otherwise would have been difficult to near impossible with a normal macro lens. If Canon ever makes a 200mm (or something close to) macro lens with hybrid-IS I will probably immediately buy it. It wouldn't even need to be that fast - f/4 would be fine.

Excelent shots hand held. Everything you said in this quote is right on the money, and if Canon ever does make a 200mm macro lens with hybrid-IS mine will be preorderd the day they announce it.
09-16-2010, 10:12 PM
neuroanatomist

Re: Close-up shots

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trowski

at what point does the diffraction actually degrade the image sharpness more than other factors such as hand holding the camera (even with IS)? The advantages of a greater DoF might outweigh a slight loss in sharpness.

There's no hard and fast rule, because 'softness' vs. 'sharpness' depends on what your output will be. Something that looks tack-sharp when posted 800 pixels wide in here may be quite soft if printed at 20x30". You're right that sometimes theadvantages of deeper DoF might outweigh a slight loss in sharpness - it depends on what you're trying to achieve with the image.

If you have an immobile subject, there's a technique called focus stacking that overcomes the limitation by merging the in-focus regions of several images with shallower DoF. There are programs and plugins that automate the process.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trowski

On that note, for the first shot, is there enough DoF? I know this is sort of a subjective question,

Yeah, it is. I like the shot the way it is, personally.