Thanks Richard. I too keep the lens close-focused (a Vivitar series 1 105mm f2.5 macro 1:1) and use my body as the focusing rail. I get a real kick out of stalking the bugs. Countless times I've been so intent on the bug that I've stepped in puddles, ponds and lakes! Thank god for gore-tex!
I've calibrated the position of my flash on the home-made bracket so that the little unit is aimed directly at the subject and the aperture is pre-set. Every now and then I use an old crappy 60-300mm macro zoom with a Nikon 5T and or 6T closeup lens. My next trick will be reversing a 50mm on the 105 to get 2x. Life-size is great but some things are just too small. My film of choice is always slow slide film. I absolutely love Velveta. The colors are amazing! Christian Skofteland > -----Original Message----- > From: Richard Seaman [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > > Christian, > > I do my macro photos using an MZ-5, SMC Pentax FA 100mm > f2.8 macro lens, > AF500FTZ flash and ASA400 film, either Kodak Supra, Fuji > Superia or anything > else that looks good and cheap at B&H! The lens goes up to 1:1 > magnification. > > I always use this lens in manual focus mode. As most macro > photographers learn, depth of field is often so narrow that > it's usually > easier to move yourself backwards and forwards to achieve > focus than to move > the focusing ring. I assume you've already figured out that > trick! As with > birds or other animals, it's almost always vital to focus on > the critter's > eye(s). When a person looks at a photograph of another > person or an animal, > if the eye(s) are focused then the photo looks fine, even if > other things > aren't focused, and if the eye(s) aren't focused then the > shot is destined > for the trash can! > > As far as flash is concerned, I'm very unsophisticated - > I just set it > to 24mm manual zoom and blast the hapless wee beastie with it. It's > surprising how few insects are put off by the bright burst of > light, maybe > they're dazed and blinded by it! Butterflies often flinch, > but don't fly > away, it's usually my movements that make that happen. > > I often do insect photography using my Tokina ATX > 150-500mm f5.6 lens. > It's not a macro lens by any stretch of the imagination, but > it focuses down > to 8 feet and it allows me to keep enough distance to get > photos of insects > which I simply wouldn't get with the macro lens. If I > succeed in getting > the distant shots then I'll often "move in for the kill" with > the macro > lens. > > I used to use extension tubes together with a Tokina > 100-300 f4, but I > usually got "hot spots" in the photo, even using the lens > mounted on a > tripod with no flash, so I gave up on it. I still haven't > figured out why > those hot spots happened. > > There, you asked for my technique, so I've given you all > you could want > and probably more! > > Richard. - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
