Took both shots with A 200 macro f4 with tripod and monopod, single flash light with diffusers.

marcus

[Canada_Rockies]

Great photographer + great lens = great images!

[buaobao]

That is beautifully exposed.

[marcusyoung]

Great photographer + great lens = great images!

Thank you for the equation. I tot its the K5 that makes the difference with higher usable iso and colors rendered.

That is beautifully exposed.

Thanks once again.

marcus

[eaglem]

Great shots, can't wait to get my K-5 then.

[marcusyoung]

Great shots, can't wait to get my K-5 then.

Thank you. You wont go wrong with K5. That features of usable high iso with less noise, allows iso be be bumped up to 800, 1600.....allowing the use of higher shutter speed which is not feasible with my K10d as there will be obvious noise visible.

That makes a lot of difference to macro shooters like us as often we have to stop down to f8, f11 or f16.

marcus

[slowpez]

Love the glassy look on the first bug. Great exposure.

[marcusyoung]

Love the glassy look on the first bug. Great exposure.

Thank You... I have it cropped about 40 percent off to compose it as well.

marcus

[Sparkle]

Sorry folks. Both suffer from too short a Depth of Field and are not in proper focus.

[Frogfish]

Sorry folks. Both suffer from too short a Depth of Field and are not in proper focus.

I generally very much like the way you critique. Straight to the point and usually accurate. However in this case I feel you may be mistaken.

My original thought when I looked at #1 was exactly the same, missed focus by a fraction, however on looking very closely, the eye and wing-joint look to be in focus and look to be on a similar plane. I actually find the leaf vein more distracting but that doesn't reduce the quality of the fly itself. I don't know what this was shot at but since #2 was shot at f14 we can surmise that the shooter would have been around this f stop for this shot too.

#2 is spot on for focus and DoF for a head-on shot of any insect. Probably only focus-stacking is going to gain you full body focus - as would have more easily for #1. This shot was taken at f14 - can't ask for much more.

As for DoF - well I do a lot of macro and the DoF at these distances is minuscule, we are talking a mm or often just fractions of. The only way to have shot the whole fly in focus (or at least the profile we can see) would have been by focus stacking - and that's a whole other ballgame with flies unless you freeze them.

[Sparkle]

Well, I use a split screen with a magnifier. I'm very patient and too particular. To each her own. I simply try to encourage improvement and got a second opinion before commenting. However I've been wrong before...or have I....let me try to remember. LOL

[marcusyoung]

I generally very much like the way you critique. Straight to the point and usually accurate. However in this case I feel you may be mistaken.

My original thought when I looked at #1 was exactly the same, missed focus by a fraction, however on looking very closely, the eye and wing-joint look to be in focus and look to be on a similar plane. I actually find the leaf vein more distracting but that doesn't reduce the quality of the fly itself. I don't know what this was shot at but since #2 was shot at f14 we can surmise that the shooter would have been around this f stop for this shot too.

#2 is spot on for focus and DoF for a head-on shot of any insect. Probably only focus-stacking is going to gain you full body focus - as would have more easily for #1. This shot was taken at f14 - can't ask for much more.

As for DoF - well I do a lot of macro and the DoF at these distances is minuscule, we are talking a mm or often just fractions of. The only way to have shot the whole fly in focus (or at least the profile we can see) would have been by focus stacking - and that's a whole other ballgame with flies unless you freeze them.

It was in M mode and If I could remember, about f9 for the first legged fly. iso was 400. I could have used a higher iso for smaller aperture, for better DOF. This K5 allows higher usable iso and makes macro lovers better opportunities for better IQ ie higher f numbers and faster shutter speed. I shall try f16 for A200 someday.

For A200 macro, shooting at f14 or f16 is a challenge as the lens requires greated flash power to illuminate the subjects/ and hence most were shot probably at f8 to max f11. Rarely do I go above that numbers to f16 for this lens.

I cannot say the same for shorter focal length. Below is a shot I took yesterday, one and only one. F16, Panagor macro 55 mm with 33mm extension tubes single flash lights. uncropped, monopod. Look carefully, one of the forelegs was shortened.




Yes, the increase in DOF is a mere mm increase and it makes a lot of difference to the image for macro shooters.

Well, I use a split screen with a magnifier. I'm very patient and too particular. To each her own. I simply try to encourage improvement and got a second opinion before commenting. However I've been wrong before...or have I....let me try to remember. LOL

Sparkle, thank you for stopping by and your comments.




This shot is unique to me.. I took it with f4, wide open and somehow I like the OOF area. Focus being the eye area. A200 macro. Yes were right, the recommended aperture is in the range of f9 to f16 for macro.

marcus

[Sparkle]

Glad you found them useful.