[TourDeForce]

When my Canon and Nikon buddies try to show off their $900 L and VR lens, I did brag about my $90 lens that I am very proud of.

LOVE IT!!

For the bee photography, you might try using the AF-S focus. It'll get you close pretty quick, then allow you to manual focus for finer detail.

[hinman]

Great shots. What is the shutter speed. I have that lens and am just starting bee photography. Mine are always out of focus.
Thx for any pointers.

Flickr will strip out EXIF from downsized version of the picture. But you can visit my photo set

Bee with Tamron 70-300 Di LD - a set on Flickr

and once you click on a photo, look for 'more properties' link on the right panel which will include the EXIF. Most of my bee shots are done in ISO 400, with f/8.0 and shutter speed roughly range from 1/250 to 1/1000, please look at 'more properties to be sure. Here are my amateur experience with the bee -

• I try to have both eyes open to track the bee movement
• Whenever I move, I point camera into bee's direction to get AF close in range to the bee
• When the bee stops, I turn to get an angle to the bee
• I try to shoot less and practice on accuracy instead of shotgunning the bee
• Avoid wasted pictures when the bees are erratic in the eating. This may be impossible as the bees are always erratic in the eating
• Tried both AF.C and manual, it is much harder to do manual on Tamron as it does not have quick-shift feature
• Try panning upon bee leaving and entering the scene
• In manual focus, I pre-focus object on same plane as the bee and the flower and use similar technique to trap-focus except that the Tamron don't offer quick shift in AF and the trap focus can't be used fully. Relying solely on the beep and focus confirmation lead to many misses. I have better luck with trap focus with other 1:2 macro with Pentax K 100mm f/4.0 and Pentax A 50mm f/2.8

I only shot bees for two times, if you have more tips, we can all make use of some good tips.

Hin

[John Kovarik]

Those 'Bee' nice shots, Hin.............here's a much-battered but still buzzing Bumblebee on my Holly - K20 and DA*200 from about 7' (cropped).


Flickr Photo Download: Still Airworthy

[axl]

great shots,
once again proof that if in right hands Tamron's 70-300 can deliver.
as for your "noise issue": please stop. I think those shots are excellent which ever way you look at them...
BR

[cupic]

Houston we have touchdown

Great use of macro

cheers

[budkid]

Those pictures are nice! Those are all hand held, right?

I picked up this lens a month back. It is a great lens for the price. There is a lot of PF at wide open. SO i shoot my pictures at f8, just like you, and get great results. f8 is just about the best aperture to take pics with this lens.

[pentagor]

Just wanted to bring this thread back to life..

I tried to take a close-up of a bee with Tamy 70-300 and came up with this.



It's not half as good as those by Hin, but it is a start. From 20 snapshots that I made, this is the only one which was "eatable".
It is very very hard, to get the focus right, not to mention, that a bee should be positioned as you like.
And of course, this is very croped.

Hinman: are your pictures croped?

[hinman]

Just wanted to bring this thread back to life..

Hinman: are your pictures croped?

Nice shot you get there. Some of my bee pictures are cropped to show the bee as in #4, #5. I am novice with bee and I keep practicing on accuracy. I tried to shoot less and wait for the right moment and I usually turn my body around the bee so that I don't shoot directly onto the back of the bee. It is harder to do but the turn allow you to see the eyes of the bee. And sometime, I pan and hope for the best with AF.C and high shutter by upping the iso. My Bee In Flight shot are not great but what the heck for $90 lens

#7


#8


#9

[hinman]

After the bee in flight, I go for the bigger objects with birds using the same Tamron lens

Bee Close Up with Tamron 70-300 Di LD 1:2 Macro - Hin's Tech Corner

BIF with Tamron 70-300 Di LD Macro - Hin's Tech Corner

Birds are just as hard if not more, but I use AF.C and change focus from selective center to the default complete multiple AF. I concentrate on panning the bird's movement and let AF.C and complete AF picking focal points for me.

Thanks,
Hin

[jmbower]

I also have the Tamron 70-300mm, and have had nothing but good results with it so far, especially in DoF control.

Everyone I knew who had it complained of purple fringing....as per the original poster, is it just me, or does anyone actually see fringing here? I have not noticed any in my shots with the Tamron, but perhaps my poor color vision is just tricking me once again. It certainly isn't the worst case that seems to get bandied about

Great shots, glad to see I'm not the only one enjoying the lens..,


now we just need Tamron to make a good $140 ultra-wide angle lens...