Need Help With Macro (Canon, DSLR, Sony, adapter)

[PhotogGal]

Okay, someday I will take the next step and buy a macro lens and a ringflash for my DSLR (hopefully a new one of those too!), but for now I would just like to master taking macro shots with my Canon SX10 IS and my Canon A590. I absolutely suck at this!

Without having to carry the manual or flip through one of my photography books while out in the field, could someone provide me a simple outline of the steps to follow that I could write on a card to carry with me?

I would love to be able to take some Macro shots while I'm with Bibit this weekend and actually have them turn out. In the meantime, I may just have to practice at home on inaminate objects like FedUp did when she first got her macro lens, but I'm running out of patience with myself on this.

[FedupWNY]

Since having my canon, the macro lens I use most often. (Except the zoom for ducks pictures ) I find myself still practicing to this day. Without a macro lens, it will be difficult to catch a shot like this.

[Charles22]

Taking macros with the 590 is not so easy. The macro focal length is something like five inches. Five inches? That's barely even macro. I find that I can focus better using the manual focus feature, but it's more time consuming.

Don't forget to set the macro mode!

Taking good macros with a P/S camera benefits from some simple techniques:
Use

• lots of light
• a tripod (or steady your camera with a book or something)
• self timer helps eliminate shake due to operator
• aperture changes amount of subject in focus
• Try taking photos in low light with a long shutter time and illuminate your subject with a flashlight. You can get some nice lighting effects, particularly soft shadows and sharp highlights.
• You can increase the amount of bokeh by using the macro and zoom together (step back from your subject).

Macro donts:

• Don't take your pics on the bed, your lap, or on the carpet. Gross. Find an attractive stage for your pics.
• Don't try to take macros of objects you are holding. Do you think your hand is that still?
• Don't post blurry macros!! No one hates that more than me.

[LaoTzuMindFu]

Its darn near impossible to get good macro shots from a point and shoot. Even with my DSLR it has take me months and months and months of shooting to to get somewhat decent shots. Still, I have about a 10% - 15% keeper rate which means the other 90%-85% of the photo are all sent to trash bin.

Its all about getting the right light, aperture, focus, composition and especially having a steady hand and/or tripod. This is pretty much the same for all types of photography.

Here's a pic I took handheld of baby preying mantis hatching from ootheca.

[LaoTzuMindFu]

For some reason, when I post here on CD, the colors of the pics seem to be greatly muted. Pic looks much better in Bridge. Those baby mantis are about the size of black ants.

[FedupWNY]

Originally Posted by PhotogGal

I may just have to practice at home on inaminate objects like FedUp did when she first got her macro lens, but I'm running out of patience with myself on this.

With shooting macro, there is a lot of fusing with settings to get the right shot sometimes. Patience is key.

[PhotogGal]

Originally Posted by FedupWNY

With shooting macro, there is a lot of fusing with settings to get the right shot sometimes. Patience is key.

Hmm. I think if I work on my patience level first, ALL my photography might improve by a huge percentage.

Charles22, you do not have to worry about me posting blurry macros. If I don't think they're worthy, I won't bother sharing them with anyone else unless I'm looking for a critique.

Thanks, everyone who's offered suggestions and references so far! I'm blessed to be amongst you in this special area of CD. For the most part, it's the friendliest and most helpful group of people I've ever encountered.

[EinsteinsGhost]

I don't have experience with A590 but used to own its great grand fathers (or mothers, as the case may be), the A60, A70 and A75. They performed well in macro mode, and I'm sure A590 can too.

Yes, lighting is key, especially if you're going to take hand held shots. Otherwise tripod is a must but pray that it ain't windy (a major problem on most days here in Dallas area).

But as far as things that you can control, I will advise...
- Turn AiAF (auto focus) Off. This will let the camera focus in the middle of the frame and you can always re-compose your shot with the focus "held" (shutter lightly pressed). There's a feature in my Sony F828 that I absolutely adore... I can select virtually any point in the frame for focus without moving the camera. It is one of those things I'm missing in newer cameras (even from Sony), as is the IR capability.
- Select Macro Mode
- Manual Mode or Aperture Priority (if you don't want to deal with shutter speed)
- Select the largest aperture (lowest f-stop value). This is usually possible (most cameras) only at wide angle.
- Do not zoom as it will reduce aperture, increase chance of shake, increase depth of field (unless you want to, certainly an option in some cases). Instead, keep the camera at wide angle and you should be able to position the lens within about two inches from the subject. If you zoom, this distance actually increases (along with other things that go with it).
- Avoid flash. If you must use it, then you may want to do so at maximum zoom so your picture, or a part of, isn't washed out.

PS. You may already know, but Canon offers add-on lenses for their A-series cameras. I used to have their their telephoto (2.4x) and wide angle (0.7x) lenses, bought used for a lot less than retail (usually about $90-100 each). For example, "Canon TC-DC52" (the telephoto converter) will increase your maximum zoom from about 140 mm to about 336 mm (2.4x). Canon WC-DC52 (the wide angle converter) will reduce your wide angle from 35 mm to 24 mm (0.7x). And then there is a macro lens too (Canon 250D 52 mm). An adapter is also required. I might have couple of these laying around somewhere, and will look for them this weekend.

[PA2UK]

Originally Posted by DaBeez

For some reason, when I post here on CD, the colors of the pics seem to be greatly muted. Pic looks much better in Bridge. Those baby mantis are about the size of black ants.

Sounds like a color space issue. How do they look when you upload to other areas on the net? When it comes to web viewing, you should have your color space set to sRGB. Adobe RGB looks good in PS/Bridge and is better for printing - but anywhere outside PS/Bridge it will look flatter/muted.

[Bull Winkus]

Originally Posted by PhotogGal

Okay, someday I will take the next step and buy a macro lens and a ringflash for my DSLR (hopefully a new one of those too!), but for now I would just like to master taking macro shots with my Canon SX10 IS and my Canon A590. I absolutely suck at this!

Without having to carry the manual or flip through one of my photography books while out in the field, could someone provide me a simple outline of the steps to follow that I could write on a card to carry with me?

I would love to be able to take some Macro shots while I'm with Bibit this weekend and actually have them turn out. In the meantime, I may just have to practice at home on inaminate objects like FedUp did when she first got her macro lens, but I'm running out of patience with myself on this.

The Canon SX10 IS should be an excellent choice for macros. In macro mode it can focus an image as close as touching the lens.

Do some practice shots in full auto and look at the settings the camera used for ISO, aperture and shutter speed. Then experiment with your own modifications to the settings to see what image quality you get. Generally with macros you'll want low ISO and low (wide) aperture. Shooting with a tripod, speed is less of an issue.

The more you play with it, the better you'll get. Think of it as a musical instrument for the eyes. Practice, practice, practice.

Your camera has selectable autofocus points. If you'd prefer to use autofocus with your macros, learn where that function is adjusted and play with the adjustment before each macro to fine tune your ability to quickly put the focal point where you want it.

Also, play with the evaluative, center-weighted, and spot metering options. Knowing how to use this will help you get the exposure just right for the image you want.

Most of all, have fun with. It's a creative process that gives back with every bit of effort you put into it.

Good luck and show us some pictures!