The Photography Topic

Riad · Post by **Riad** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 10:38 am

Thanks there done with a RIG mate, similar to the boom!

Post by **Kev** » Sat Aug 25, 2012 3:37 pm

Post by **Kev** » Sun Sep 02, 2012 11:11 am

I finally got my dragonfly pic that I've been trying to get for ages.

I think it's a common darter

Also got a crane fly/daddy long legs

Post by **Kev** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 6:45 pm

wigit · Post by **wigit** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 6:56 pm

Kev what lens you use?

BenBAC · Post by **BenBAC** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 7:39 pm

Excellent pics indeed. Same question from me what's your lens set up.

Post by **Kev** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 8:55 pm

It's a canon 550D camera and their 100mm L Macro lens and patience

Actually, dragonflies are very habitual.

I stumbled across a little pond under a tree in a wood and saw the dragonfly buzzing round it. Just sat down and watched for a bit and it basically kept flying the same circuit over and over so it's just a case of waiting for it to come round again. Having said that they move pretty fast and only hover occasionally so you probably have less than a second to get the focus and shoot the picture. It helps though to have a camera that can do several shots (mine does 4 per second). But it's really hard to get the focus. You have to do it manually and get pretty close to what you'll need and then as you shoot off picture move your head back and forth a little bit to give you pics with slightly different focal planes. I probably took 60-80 pictures to get those 3 or 4 that were just right though. But that's the beauty of digital cameras!

BenBAC · Post by **BenBAC** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 10:23 pm

Thanks for that info, been looking at adding another lens to my collection and doing some more focused shots. I tend to go for scenery in the main but have had ago at taking butterflies and bees, like you have said you need to take a few to get a couple of decent efforts. I have got the standard lens that came with the camera 18-55 and purchased a 55-200 for abit of distance shooting. I have found the 55-200 works ok but need to work for good depth of field along with good clarity.

Post by **Kev** » Sun Sep 09, 2012 9:34 am

I found out quite quickly that the more expensive versions of the lenses give much better sharpness. If I took the same picture with my 70-300mm on 100mm the image would be much less sharp. At the time I baulked a little at the price of the L version but it was worth it for what I wanted to take. Macro takes a long time to learn though. The depth of field is super shallow. At low F stops it can be only a few mm! Those were shot mainly at around F5.6 which gave me just enough shutter speed although I would have liked to have got a really fast one with the wings 'stopped' but the DOF would have been too thin. Next time I go I'll try and play a bit more with the settings (I'm still learning!).

BenBAC · Post by **BenBAC** » Sun Sep 09, 2012 9:46 am

Like you said its a balancing act between shutter speed versus aperture along with trial and error. I'm still learning too but when you get it right it's well worth the effort. I was looking at getting a standard 35mm lens and then something else may be a larger fixed lens or something up to 300mm but I have to work out what I want to be taking pics of, as you say they aren't cheap. I'm liking the type of pic you have done hence the interest in lens and set up.

Post by **Kev** » Sun Sep 09, 2012 11:08 am

A 'must have' lens (which I haven't got yet myself) seems to be the Canon EF 50mm f1.8 II. Under £100 and brilliantly sharp for a general walk about lens. They often come up 2nd hand for under £70.

And there's always the option to try before you buy
http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is a useful site.
http://www.camerapricebuster.com/cat_Canon_Lenses.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It shows you the cheapest place to get each lens. This is also worth a look if you're happy to buy a grey import.
http://www.hdewcameras.co.uk/lenses-10-c.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And also this is an excellent forum for seeing sample pictures from each lens. It at least gives you an idea of the kind of images you can expect from a particular lens.
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/for ... .php?f=107" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you want to see amazing macro pictures, look at the topic on there for the Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8. It's amazing. If I had a spare 2 grand for the lens and the lighting rig it needs plus about 4 more years experience and a 5x more talent, I'd have that!

BenBAC · Post by **BenBAC** » Sun Sep 09, 2012 12:11 pm

Kev thanks for that never like going on camera forums as I feel out of my depth, will provide some interesting reading, should have mentioned before I have a Nikon but they have the same varieties available. The money you could spend is ridiculous but you get back what you put in. The best buy site is very useful along with seeing what type of pics the lens will produce.

I really want a tilt shift lens eventually, I love the miniature faking effect. I think a good 35mm or 50mm will come first. What else can you use the 100mm for is it rather restrictive for other types of shooting.

Post by **Kev** » Sun Sep 09, 2012 2:43 pm

BenBAC wrote: I really want a tilt shift lens eventually, I love the miniature faking effect.

TS lenses are hugely expensive and you can get a similar effect in photoshop. I did this with the snapseed app from a pic I took at the top of carfax tower in Oxford.
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They're mainly used by architectural photographers to stop buildings looking like they're falling away from you.
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/image ... _img_1.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

BenBAC wrote:I think a good 35mm or 50mm will come first.

Yes that's a lens I'm missing really, although my kit lens (18-55) works quite well. A prime lens around 50mm is a good all purpose lens to have in your bag. 50mm is quite an important number because it's closest to your actual field of vision. You can test that out with your own kit lens by looking through the view finder with one eye and past the camera with the other.

BenBAC wrote:What else can you use the 100mm for is it rather restrictive for other types of shooting.

Well my 100mm is a specialist macro lens. It's designed for close up work but you can do other stuff with it. The pictures of my brother's dog a page or two back were done with that lens as well. I think most people like to have lenses that cover what they want to use them for. Most landscapers will go for 10-20mm to get as wide a view as possible, people who like to photograph birds need a lot more zoom and go for 300-500mm. Lenses between 35 and 200 work as general all purpose ones for what ever passes you by. But they're very generalised numbers and uses.

Oh and finally, look up adoramaTV on youtube. Some very good tutorials on there. The guy talks a bit quickly and sometimes skims over things a bit but they're generally very good.

BenBAC · Post by **BenBAC** » Sun Sep 09, 2012 4:57 pm

Thanks Kev again excellent info, really liking the pic in Oxford, I'm sure one of my family has adobe photoshop on their PC so that could save a few quid. I understand better from the 2nd photo what they could also be used for.

I thought I knew quite a bit but obviously I have much more to learn, I will check out those vids on YouTube sure they will be good.

I'm leaning towards the 50mm but understand the 35mm is equivalent to a 50mm film in old money so not sure. I shall have a look through those shots you mentioned, the 105mm is over £600 which is quite a lot but as you say for those particular shots it will stand out and produce better quality over a 55-200mm lens.

Post by **Kev** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 6:18 pm

You might find this useful.

BenBAC · Post by **BenBAC** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 7:01 pm

Where did you find that, it's very good. Also good reference as I have been to Eileen Donan and took some pics of it.

Post by **Kev** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 7:56 pm

Digital Camera magazine on facebook. They tend to put up a 'cheat sheet' for something every couple of weeks.

BenBAC · Post by **BenBAC** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 8:29 pm

Shame don't do Facebook but I may have a nosey.

If I use my own experience I do tend to remove my 55-200mm when taking normal shots due to the 55mm being too close, I will take the camera out and see what's the best focal length and go from there.

Saw a few dragonflies today at work, I have know idea how you got those shots they really flit around all over the place and at some speed.

Post by **Kev** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 9:19 pm

BenBAC wrote:Saw a few dragonflies today at work, I have know idea how you got those shots they really flit around all over the place and at some speed.

Skill and talent..... oh and a ton of luck

BenBAC · Post by **BenBAC** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 9:59 pm

Ha ha I bet, I'm going to have a go at it. Not sure the powers that be will appreciate me spending most of day outside with my camera though :-)

Scirocco Central