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Forum: Post Your Photos!
09-08-2012, 10:18 AM
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It's a baby Garter. One among a half dozen that went off in all directions when the kids lifted a tarp at Grandma and Grandpa's house. They move so fast that I couldn't catch one in focus on the ground. Had to have the kids catch them so I could take a portrait.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
09-07-2012, 10:51 PM
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Strange... thumbnail doesn't show up by the thread title in the forum.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
09-07-2012, 10:46 PM
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Hi all, haven't posted since a meager introduction some time back. Finally have something to show for my recently acquired K-r.
 ![](https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/<a href="<a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/63166205@N02/7953420794/" target=_blank>http://www.flickr.com/photos/63166205@N02/7953420794/"</a> title="no tongue 1024x680 by 97381, on Flickr"><img src="<a href=http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8038/7953420794_cbb2cf2a08_b.jpg" target=_blank>http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8038/7953420794_cbb2cf2a08_b.jpg"</a> width="1024" height="680" alt="no tongue 1024x680"></a>) 
And, approximately 1/6 of a second later,
 
I actually like the first one more, because I got the little guy's head and body more in focus. The second one almost looks fake somehow. Weird. I swear it's real!
Thanks to my eleven year old daughter for her supporting role.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
03-26-2012, 07:56 PM
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Hi guys, sorry for the late response, just got home from work. I just want to say thanks again for all the help / advice you guys are sharing.
Yeah, I was actually going off on a tangent with my last post about touching the lens. I don't know that I would ever need to do that, although I've seen a couple of amazing shots with the GRD that did just that. Wish I could remember where, I'd link you to them. Anyway, the whole idea of close focus (say, 1" - 2") for me is a matter of perspective and composition. Truly, I don't know enough to articulate what I mean. But it's something that I've had success with, using my old point and shoot. It's just a technique that I've gotten accustomed to. Of course, I am a complete newbie when it comes to DSLR shooting, and I've no doubt about the truth of all of your advice.
I guess the Cliff Notes version of my original conundrum is how to combine near-macro (not necessarily 1:1) with a wide angle perspective. The method I've used with the point and shoot is to get very close to the subject and to use the widest (zoomed-out) focal length. This may or may not be the best method to use with a DSLR. Obviously it depends on the lens set-up. One thing I do believe is that I would prefer a shorter lens rather than a longer, in order to achieve the wide angle view I'm looking for.
Thanks again guys, I really appreciate your help.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
03-25-2012, 08:24 PM
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Paleo Pete: I've been meaning to check out the Tiny Flowers thread - maybe I'll do it right now. Yep, there are definitely some useful examples to learn from around here.
Concerning getting really close, you can find a few recent compacts that advertise 1cm focus distance. The claims don't always match reality, but a few do. My personal holy grail is the Ricoh GR Digital (III or IV). No joke - these little guys are capable of focusing on something that is TOUCHING the front of the lens.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
03-25-2012, 05:29 PM
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Hey, some really helpful responses & advise here. It's humbling when the real veterans chime in on the new guy's naive questions.:)
Couple of points I didn't even mention.. DOF was brought up by you smarter guys and I have not even begun to think about how it comes into play. I suppose it would behoove me to take that into consideration. My inclination is to try to achieve priority #1 of getting really close and then start fiddling with DOF issues. In many cases I might not mind razor-thin DOF but in some cases I might like to get a little deeper.
The other thing I didn't say is that I'm not as concerned about higher magnification as I am with priority #1 (see above). I have generally referred to these types of shots as "macro" but you can take that term loosely. I think the more accurate term is close focus. If you glance at a couple of shots I posted in the "post your photos" forum you'll see what I mean. In fact, in a rare moment of clarity, I titled that thread "not quite macro".:lol:
To the several of you who are suggesting reverse mount / short focal length / reverse kit lens.. I'm going with you. All I've read seems to suggest that as the method of choice for what I want to do.
Thanks again guys, this forum rocks.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
03-25-2012, 12:48 PM
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I should emphasize again that I understand I am looking for something that just doesn't mesh with large-sensored cameras (i.e. non point-n-shoots). However, I do believe that some creative folks have come awfully close. Again I think it's the enlarger lenses that could be the key. Anyone using one want to chime in?
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
03-25-2012, 12:44 PM
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@thebigcat: Thank you for the quick response! I really should clarify what I meant by "close focus".. rather than 6" to 12", how about 1"? Honestly, no sarcasm intended. This is the kind of working distance I'm really looking for.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
03-25-2012, 12:07 PM
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Good day all, I've a conundrum and I need the brains in this forum to help me sort it out.
First I must thank baro-nite for pointing me to RioRico's infinitely helpful "cheap macro" thread, which goes a long way toward answering my questions. I just need to draw out a point or two for further clarification.
My photography experience has to this point been almost exclusively with a small point-and-shoot camera. My just-ordered K-r should be here any day, and obviously I will have a lot of learning to do to put it to good use. That said, I believe I am looking to translate some techniques from the former to the latter.
Point and shoot cameras may be the David to DSLR's Goliath, but one thing I can do with a point and shoot, and which no DSLR has an easy time with, is close focus. With my little old Samsung L100, I can get right up in the face of whatever I'm shooting, and furthermore retain a wide angle of view while doing it. It's a technique that seems to work great for me. I like being right up close to my subject as it always achieves that certain something in the composition and perspective. If I felt really adventurous I could call it "macro panorama". Okay, that's a bit exaggerated, but you get the idea.
DSLRs on the other hand are good at high magnifications from a greater working distance, which inherently creates a much narrower field of view. While I do look forward to achieving some interesting high-magnification shots, I think I am actually more interested in the kind of perspective that comes out of my little Samsung.
So, to the point, what lens setup will get me the closest? I have done much research, and I do realize that I will never exactly duplicate the technique with my K-r. But I do know that I can get close. Thanks again to RioRico's excellent guide, I have discovered the world of enlarger lenses. These seem like a strong possibility. It is my understanding that enlarger lenses were optically engineered for a closer focus than typical SLR lenses, even macros.
Any hints, advice, comments, jokes, limericks or haikus on the subject are greatly appreciated. Thanks for helping an unlearned newbie out.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
03-23-2012, 06:35 PM
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Thanks all for the very kind words. Let me just say, I've spotted a few jaw-dropping shots in my brief perusals of this forum. I know there's some real talent here.. hope I can learn a thing or two from you all.
I've still got the little Samsung.. have no intentions of getting rid of it, but I really, REALLY want a Ricoh GRD III or IV. I was this close to going that direction first, before getting my K-r, but all things considered I think I made the wiser decision. The GRD still remains at the top of my wishlist though.
@Cee Cee: Thank you.. that shot is the closest to bona fide macro. The foliage at the bottom is actually moss. You can see some brownish pine needles poking up through it at the very bottom. Needless to say, the mushrooms are tiny.
@baro-nite: Thanks to you as well.. I will most definitely be getting a macro lens. However, given my budget constraints, I can say the 35mm Limited will not be in my very near future. I'm really banking on scoring a legacy macro with decent IQ. In fact, I'll be mining the brains on this forum for suggestions.
Thanks again to all for the encouragement. Can't wait to get my hands dirty with the K-r:)
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
03-22-2012, 09:22 PM
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
03-22-2012, 09:18 PM
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here's one more of shroomies
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
03-22-2012, 09:13 PM
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Thanks guys! I've done exactly zero post-processing on any of my work thus far, so what you see is exactly what I got. Opportunities can be found if you're willing to crawl through the mud for an hour.:)
Let me see if I can do another one here
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
03-22-2012, 09:04 PM
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..but UPS says it's on the way. Just wanted to get a jump and say hi. Name's Matt, going by 97381 on the forum. Ordered my K-r a couple of days ago. It's my first jump into DSLR waters.. or for that matter anything deeper than point-and-shoot. I've spent the last few months going over reviews, agonizing, deciding, lurking on forums, re-deciding, changing my mind yet again.. finally pulled the trigger. Pretty big investment for me. Hope the kit 18-55 can work magic for me for a while, because it will be a while until I can afford more (new) glass.. hopefully I can score a good legacy macro soon though.
I'm attempting to post a few of my best thus far in the "post your photos" forum. Hope you can take a look!
Matt aka 97381
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
03-22-2012, 08:41 PM
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Warning: non-Pentax! My K-r is on the way.. but while I wait I wanted to share my work so far. This is the best I could coax out of my trusty little Samsung L100. It's a dirt cheap, four year old point-n-shoot.
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