I love my new macro

Once you go looking for bugs you can never find them. Finally found me a bee that would sit still.

[Peter Zack]

Very well taken shot. Nice colour, bokeh and very sharp. I can see you now, running all over the neighbourhood with the camera pressed to your face like a modern cyclops hunched over looking for critters.

So brag a little what's the new lens? A 105? A little tip, If you are close enough and the lens (take the hood off) doesn't create a shadow, use the onboard flash turned down (-1,2 Ev) to freeze the action. If you have a flash that will fire wireless it's even better, just turn the output down so it doesn't look like a "flash shot"

[Geekybiker]

Originally Posted by Peter Zack

Very well taken shot. Nice colour, bokeh and very sharp. I can see you now, running all over the neighbourhood with the camera pressed to your face like a modern cyclops hunched over looking for critters.

So brag a little what's the new lens? A 105? A little tip, If you are close enough and the lens (take the hood off) doesn't create a shadow, use the onboard flash turned down (-1,2 Ev) to freeze the action. If you have a flash that will fire wireless it's even better, just turn the output down so it doesn't look like a "flash shot"

Yah, Its a sigma 105mm EX DG macro. Picked it up off ebay, still in the plastic wrap, but "used". *Shrug* Thanks for the tip on the flash. I was wondering how I'm going to stop down more and still get reasonable shots hand held. At such high magnification It's hard to avoid blur without a really faster shutter speed. This was at f5.6 I'd like to get down to 11 or 16 handheld.

[aleonx3]

That is a nice macro shot!! how close are you to the bee? I have the tamron SP90mm f2.8, it does not have a lot of room to work with for that closeup shot with live subject.

/Peter, thanks for sharing the tip... I never tried using the flash with macro shot before. Doesn't it scare the bee away and no chance to take another shot?

[Geekybiker]

Originally Posted by aleonx3

That is a nice macro shot!! how close are you to the bee? I have the tamron SP90mm f2.8, it does not have a lot of room to work with for that closeup shot with live subject.

Thanks. I was right at min focus distance. Specs say 12.2" It didn't feel that far though. Luckily this bee didn't care much about me. I got 10-12 shots off before he left.

[d.bradley]

Originally Posted by Geekybiker

Thanks. I was right at min focus distance. Specs say 12.2" It didn't feel that far though. Luckily this bee didn't care much about me. I got 10-12 shots off before he left.

Min focus distance is measured from the focal plane (sensor) not the lens...right? So it'll be much closer to the lens barrel / front element...

[Peter Zack]

They don't even notice. You're more likely to scare them off with the lens too close. In daylight the flash effect is minimal but enough to freeze the subject much of the time.

That Sigma is a great lens and you'll have a lot of fun with it. The toughest thing with handheld macros is the shake and framing the shot with such a thin DOF. As you can see in this shot there is a leaf on the right side that would be better removed. I've often set up the tripod and focused on a flower where bees are landing, then used the cable remote to get the shot. Takes more time but if the bees are active it works well.

[Peter Zack]

Yes the minimum focus distance is from the sensor so you only have about 6 inches from the front element with a lens like the Sigma 105

[Heinrich Lohmann]

Nice shot and congrats on the new lens. Macro is a lot of fun but very addictive.:-)