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05-01-2011, 09:47 PM   #826
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QuoteOriginally posted by Rupert Quote
Gilzuma....what a gorgeous flower bloom shot! Love the soft flowing color...spectacular!

Otis is still here enjoying every shot you guys post.....he has managed to get a little more comfortable, so keep them coming as he looks in!
LOL! Love the Otis pix. You using a 55-300, or what?

05-01-2011, 11:37 PM   #827
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QuoteOriginally posted by jstevewhite Quote
Gorgeous macro, Skymist.

*My* 70-300 Tamron won't come CLOSE to that resolution. Even shooting off a tripod, mirror up, and downsampled to web sized, my 70-300's shots look soft at the long end.
I had some softness at first too doing these bee shots, but was able to avoid it mostly. I had to go back for a second day of shooting. Try stopping it down to at least F/9 by setting your K-5 ISO to 800-3200, then go for the highest shutter speed which you can manage. If it's still too fuzzy, maybe something's not quite working right.
05-02-2011, 08:21 AM   #828
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QuoteOriginally posted by Skymist Quote
I had some softness at first too doing these bee shots, but was able to avoid it mostly. I had to go back for a second day of shooting. Try stopping it down to at least F/9 by setting your K-5 ISO to 800-3200, then go for the highest shutter speed which you can manage. If it's still too fuzzy, maybe something's not quite working right.
It's just soft. I've done the ruler trick to see if it's FF or BF, but even the part that's in sharp focus, isn't. I've tested from f5.6 down to f22. It gets sharper up to F11 and then starts falling off (predictably). But at no point is it as sharp as your bee picture here. If I back it down to, say, 180, it's MUCH better. Are these macros shot at less than 300mm? (that's where my problems are)
05-02-2011, 01:50 PM   #829
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QuoteOriginally posted by jstevewhite Quote
It's just soft. I've done the ruler trick to see if it's FF or BF, but even the part that's in sharp focus, isn't. I've tested from f5.6 down to f22. It gets sharper up to F11 and then starts falling off (predictably). But at no point is it as sharp as your bee picture here. If I back it down to, say, 180, it's MUCH better. Are these macros shot at less than 300mm? (that's where my problems are)

No, I doublechecked and these are all max telephoto in macro mode, 300mm. Perhaps your lens has got a problem of some sort, or mine is abnormally sharp. I got mine on Ebay for $115 a few weeks ago. I've been shooting like crazy with it. The non-macro shots are good too, such as birds. Here is a bumblebee shot which I verified was shot in the same conditions. You can see pretty clearly the focus zone in this shot, and separate out the focus blur (lower flower) from the motion blur (bee's feelers for example - this bee "shakes its head" at high speed when feeding and the blur shows it - I should have gone to 1/1000s or faster).

Detail this shot: Pentax K-5, 1/500th sec, 1600 ISO, F11, using Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 LD Di macro in macro mode, with "C" autofocus and manual exposure. Cropped slightly.



05-02-2011, 02:18 PM   #830
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QuoteOriginally posted by Skymist Quote
No, I doublechecked and these are all max telephoto in macro mode, 300mm. Perhaps your lens has got a problem of some sort, or mine is abnormally sharp. I got mine on Ebay for $115 a few weeks ago. I've been shooting like crazy with it. The non-macro shots are good too, such as birds. Here is a bumblebee shot which I verified was shot in the same conditions. You can see pretty clearly the focus zone in this shot, and separate out the focus blur (lower flower) from the motion blur (bee's feelers for example - this bee "shakes its head" at high speed when feeding and the blur shows it - I should have gone to 1/1000s or faster).

Detail this shot: Pentax K-5, 1/500th sec, 1600 ISO, F11, using Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 LD Di macro in macro mode, with "C" autofocus and manual exposure. Cropped slightly.
Thanks for taking the time! I think I've discovered my issue. Mine is *much* sharper when focused very close than when focused at a distance. Mine is also not the one with "macro" mode; it only goes down to ~1/5. So that probably matters, too. It's ok; I got my 55-300 today, and it's a MUCH better lens for shooting at birds:




I've got Bigma, and a 50-135, but I've been looking for a lightweight X-300 zoom for some time, and all of them were *terrible*. The 55-300, it seems, is not *terrible*
05-02-2011, 03:43 PM   #831
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QuoteOriginally posted by jstevewhite Quote
Thanks for taking the time! I think I've discovered my issue. Mine is *much* sharper when focused very close than when focused at a distance. Mine is also not the one with "macro" mode; it only goes down to ~1/5. So that probably matters, too. It's ok; I got my 55-300 today, and it's a MUCH better lens for shooting at birds:...
I've got Bigma, and a 50-135, but I've been looking for a lightweight X-300 zoom for some time, and all of them were *terrible*. The 55-300, it seems, is not *terrible*
Ok, I did this shot using the same Tamron lens, at 300mm, not in macro mode. Still fairly sharp. Is it possible that the Tamron 70-300mm was improved when they introduced the one with the macro switch? Distance was about 10ft. Pentax K-5, at 1/1000s, F/11. Male House Finch, on the rigging of a sailboat. Lighting on this shot is wrong, most of the bird is in its own shadow. Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 LD Di macro in non-macro mode. Autofocus-S, Program AE.

05-02-2011, 04:04 PM   #832
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A few shots from yesterday...









05-02-2011, 06:07 PM   #833
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street art (DA21) and macro (rev. FA 35)...

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05-02-2011, 06:54 PM   #834
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QuoteOriginally posted by jstevewhite Quote
LOL! Love the Otis pix. You using a 55-300, or what?
Otis sends his thanks and best regards! Yes, I am shooting a lot with my Bigma, always have since I got it several years ago. Squirrels love it, the big ol' lens makes them feel important, not that they aren't anyhow!

Here is a little "Christmas Squirrel"...he was born the week of Christmas 2010. Normally Squirrels give birth in the Spring, but here where they have grown up with plenty of fine food 24/7 365, they are likely to give birth anytime.
Best Regards!
[IMG] [/IMG]
05-05-2011, 06:58 PM   #835
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Vervet monkey mother and babe, in South Africa (K5 and DA*60-250)
05-05-2011, 07:05 PM   #836
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Great shots...keep them coming! I told Otis you guys dropped a few shots on the ground, and he is checking it out......
[IMG] [/IMG]
05-05-2011, 08:52 PM   #837
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QuoteOriginally posted by bjdavey Quote
Vervet monkey mother and babe, in South Africa (K5 and DA*60-250)
Oh, that's just gorgeous. I'm envious of that 60-250, too. I've often wished I'd gotten it instead of the 50-135, but hey, I love that one too.
05-07-2011, 12:34 PM   #838
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Some swedish ants

Last edited by Purusam; 01-06-2012 at 03:30 PM.
05-07-2011, 12:37 PM   #839
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QuoteOriginally posted by Purusam Quote
Some swedish ants
Very sweet macros. That's flash, right? A diffuser over on-camera, maybe? It's not flat like a ringlight - it has nice modeling and crisp highlights. Which lens?
05-07-2011, 01:44 PM   #840
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Spring has finally arrived in northern Sweden - and with it came my K-5. I hesitated a long time before I finally decided to sell my K20D and buy a K-5, but now I can say it was the right decision. I could not be happier.
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