Macro Without flash

Without flash · 04:08 AM

Most of my macro photos are made with my DIY flash diffuser, I wrote about that in one of my earlier posts. However, I love the ones without flash better, because the background in macros with natural light is so much better! Yesterday and this morning I did some exercises with my Panagor 90mm without flash, and these are some of the results. The bee is shot at f/6.7 or soand ISO200, the hoverfly at f/5.6 and ISO400. Please, let me know what you think!

#1

#2

#3

#4

**Ash** · 07-22-2010, 04:47 AM

You nailed the focus perfectly in #2 - well done Rense.
Beautiful complementary backgrounds with smooth bokeh.
Nicely done.

miss_alexx · 07-22-2010, 05:47 AM

Great series. I really like the second shot. It is really well balanced and I like the background. Thanks for sharing as always.

yeatzee · 07-22-2010, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Please, let me know what you think!

1: looks soft and noisy.... motion blur the culprit or just super small DOF?

2: sharpest, but DOF is to small.

3: Soft... appears to be motion blur?

4: seems slightly soft also.... again motion blur and/or small DOF?

Paleo Pete · 07-22-2010, 04:06 PM

I like them all, don't ask me to pick a favorite. You nailed the focus on the honey bee's head pretty well. Nice shots, they all look good.

As for the comments above, I'm going to say it's DOF every time. DOF especially in the honey bee shot is almost nil, it looks like. A lot of my shots are like that, shooting a foot away at f 4 the DOF is maybe a half inch. This looks like the same or less.

charliezap · 07-22-2010, 05:43 PM

Hi Rense.Very nice photos as usual but if I had to pick how I like your macro work I would say that the ones that you take with the flash in my opinion really stand out.That's just my opinion but what do i know --

I'm Polish

BTW--Nice B&W shot that you entered in my contest.---Charliezap

Jimbo · 07-22-2010, 09:59 PM

WOW! That's all I have to say! JIM

Frogfish · 07-23-2010, 09:52 AM

Originally posted by Paleo Pete

I like them all, don't ask me to pick a favorite. You nailed the focus on the honey bee's head pretty well. Nice shots, they all look good.

As for the comments above, I'm going to say it's DOF every time. DOF especially in the honey bee shot is almost nil, it looks like. A lot of my shots are like that, shooting a foot away at f 4 the DOF is maybe a half inch. This looks like the same or less.

Pete - if you get 1/2" I'd be amazed !! Much less than that I would think.

Rense - beautiful shots. Personally whenever possible I also prefer 'natural shots' without flash but in macro that's not very often. Superb bokeh.

sealonsf · 07-23-2010, 11:23 AM

I love the colors. Very good series.

gawan · 07-27-2010, 04:08 AM

I like them a lot! The narrow DOF and that subtle light make these more than just naturalistic biology studies!

**Rense** · 07-28-2010, 11:39 AM

Originally posted by Ash

You nailed the focus perfectly in #2 - well done Rense.
Beautiful complementary backgrounds with smooth bokeh.
Nicely done.

Thanks Ash! I think these backgrounds are the + of these shots...

Originally posted by miss_alexx

Great series. I really like the second shot. It is really well balanced and I like the background. Thanks for sharing as always.

Thanks Miss!

Originally posted by yeatzee

1: looks soft and noisy.... motion blur the culprit or just super small DOF?

2: sharpest, but DOF is to small.

3: Soft... appears to be motion blur?

4: seems slightly soft also.... again motion blur and/or small DOF?

Thank you! Most unsharpness is caused by small DOF, I believe. All are shot at f/5.6, which leaves you hardly any DOF...

**Rense** · 07-28-2010, 11:40 AM

Originally posted by Paleo Pete

I like them all, don't ask me to pick a favorite. You nailed the focus on the honey bee's head pretty well. Nice shots, they all look good.

As for the comments above, I'm going to say it's DOF every time. DOF especially in the honey bee shot is almost nil, it looks like. A lot of my shots are like that, shooting a foot away at f 4 the DOF is maybe a half inch. This looks like the same or less.

I think you are right on the DOF! Thanks!

Originally posted by charliezap

Hi Rense.Very nice photos as usual but if I had to pick how I like your macro work I would say that the ones that you take with the flash in my opinion really stand out.That's just my opinion but what do i know --

I'm Polish

BTW--Nice B&W shot that you entered in my contest.---Charliezap

Thank you Charlie!

Originally posted by Jimbo

WOW! That's all I have to say! JIM

Thanks!

marcusyoung · 07-28-2010, 12:00 PM

nice series, especially the 2nd and 4 th images.

Desiring a better DOF and higher shutter speed, without flash, does not go hand in hand.

Still, the colors render without flash is beautiful, especially the oof areas.

marcus

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07-22-2010, 05:43 PM	#6
charliezap Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: saugus ma Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,686	Hi Rense.Very nice photos as usual but if I had to pick how I like your macro work I would say that the ones that you take with the flash in my opinion really stand out.That's just my opinion but what do i know --I'm PolishBTW--Nice B&W shot that you entered in my contest.---Charliezap

07-28-2010, 11:40 AM	#12
Rense Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Zetten - The Netherlands Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,050 Original Poster	Originally posted by Paleo Pete I like them all, don't ask me to pick a favorite. You nailed the focus on the honey bee's head pretty well. Nice shots, they all look good. As for the comments above, I'm going to say it's DOF every time. DOF especially in the honey bee shot is almost nil, it looks like. A lot of my shots are like that, shooting a foot away at f 4 the DOF is maybe a half inch. This looks like the same or less. I think you are right on the DOF! Thanks! Originally posted by charliezap Hi Rense.Very nice photos as usual but if I had to pick how I like your macro work I would say that the ones that you take with the flash in my opinion really stand out.That's just my opinion but what do i know --I'm PolishBTW--Nice B&W shot that you entered in my contest.---Charliezap Thank you Charlie! Originally posted by Jimbo WOW! That's all I have to say! JIM Thanks!

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07-22-2010, 04:47 AM	#2
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	You nailed the focus perfectly in #2 - well done Rense. Beautiful complementary backgrounds with smooth bokeh. Nicely done.

07-22-2010, 05:47 AM	#3
miss_alexx Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Montréal, Québec Photos: Albums Posts: 584	Great series. I really like the second shot. It is really well balanced and I like the background. Thanks for sharing as always.

07-22-2010, 11:49 AM	#4
yeatzee Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Temecula Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,675	Quote: Please, let me know what you think! 1: looks soft and noisy.... motion blur the culprit or just super small DOF? 2: sharpest, but DOF is to small. 3: Soft... appears to be motion blur? 4: seems slightly soft also.... again motion blur and/or small DOF?

07-22-2010, 04:06 PM	#5
Paleo Pete Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,880	I like them all, don't ask me to pick a favorite. You nailed the focus on the honey bee's head pretty well. Nice shots, they all look good. As for the comments above, I'm going to say it's DOF every time. DOF especially in the honey bee shot is almost nil, it looks like. A lot of my shots are like that, shooting a foot away at f 4 the DOF is maybe a half inch. This looks like the same or less.

07-22-2010, 09:59 PM	#7
Jimbo Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Maple Ridge BC Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,368	WOW! That's all I have to say! JIM

07-23-2010, 09:52 AM	#8
Frogfish Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Shanghai Posts: 4,490	Originally posted by Paleo Pete I like them all, don't ask me to pick a favorite. You nailed the focus on the honey bee's head pretty well. Nice shots, they all look good. As for the comments above, I'm going to say it's DOF every time. DOF especially in the honey bee shot is almost nil, it looks like. A lot of my shots are like that, shooting a foot away at f 4 the DOF is maybe a half inch. This looks like the same or less. Pete - if you get 1/2" I'd be amazed !! Much less than that I would think. Rense - beautiful shots. Personally whenever possible I also prefer 'natural shots' without flash but in macro that's not very often. Superb bokeh.

07-23-2010, 11:23 AM	#9
sealonsf Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: San Francisco Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,729	I love the colors. Very good series.

07-27-2010, 04:08 AM	#10
gawan Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Helsinki Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,400	I like them a lot! The narrow DOF and that subtle light make these more than just naturalistic biology studies!

07-28-2010, 11:39 AM	#11
Rense Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Zetten - The Netherlands Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,050 Original Poster	Originally posted by Ash You nailed the focus perfectly in #2 - well done Rense. Beautiful complementary backgrounds with smooth bokeh. Nicely done. Thanks Ash! I think these backgrounds are the + of these shots... Originally posted by miss_alexx Great series. I really like the second shot. It is really well balanced and I like the background. Thanks for sharing as always. Thanks Miss! Originally posted by yeatzee 1: looks soft and noisy.... motion blur the culprit or just super small DOF? 2: sharpest, but DOF is to small. 3: Soft... appears to be motion blur? 4: seems slightly soft also.... again motion blur and/or small DOF? Thank you! Most unsharpness is caused by small DOF, I believe. All are shot at f/5.6, which leaves you hardly any DOF...

07-28-2010, 12:00 PM	#13
marcusyoung Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: singapore Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,123	nice series, especially the 2nd and 4 th images. Desiring a better DOF and higher shutter speed, without flash, does not go hand in hand. Still, the colors render without flash is beautiful, especially the oof areas. marcus