Help me with macro photography...

inktomi

inktomi

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Hello!

I've decided that I'd like to get into macro photography, because - well - coral tends to look better close up! I'd call myself a reasonably knowledgeable amateur, I understand aperture, etc.

I've rented a Nikon 105mm f/2.8 lens to play around with for 7 days, since it was the lens I was considering purchasing. I'm having a heck of a time with focus, and to a lesser extent with color. I think I'm just missing something...

Would anyone be able to give me some tips on focusing with a lens like this on things in the tank?

An example of what I would consider poor focus and color is this photo:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30998766@N03/4312276585/" title="A. subulata by inktomi, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4312276585_50acd3f0d2.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="A. subulata" /></a>

Click through to the photo, and take a look at the "original size" - warning it's 3872 x 2592. See how it's not in focus? See how the color is weirdly duplicated almost like the coral is glowing bright blue?

I suspect the problems are inter-related. I tried both autofocus and manual, but was unable to get the photo any better. It was taken at f/4.5 with an exposure time of 1/40, with the camera probably a foot and a half from the coral (give or take a few inches).

Am I simply too close? I know that the 105mm lens can't be right up on top of something and get the photo, but I'd think that a foot or so would be more than enough distance for good autofocus. More than once my D60 flat out refused to autofocus. The published min focus distance is 1 foot.

I'd appreciate any help - and figured who better to ask about coral photography than you guys (and gals)!

It seemed like that subulata gave me more trouble than anything else - I never did get a good photo of it, while other corals came out OK.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30998766@N03/4313012538/" title="A. millepora by inktomi, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/4313012538_a2b57c8d80.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="A. millepora" /></a>
 
For the blue, play with white balance setting in post-processing. Shooting RAW is a big advantage with those acnitic lights.

As for focus, the lens obviously locked on before the coral started. Manually focus your lens all the way to the macro end. Look through the viewfinder and put the lens too close to the coral. Move backward until it comes into focus and this is your minimum focus distance. Don't forget to use a tripod and shoot STRAIGHT through the glass!
 
I would not use auto-focus. Depth of field is too shallow for it to even get close to what you want. The thing you have to get used to is watching the focal plane in the eyepiece. Instead of trying to focus with the lens ring, just get the camera close to what you want and fine tune the focus by moving the camera toward the subject and back until the focal plane is where you want it. It's a very different technique than non-macro photography. Once you get the hang of it, it's not as big a deal. The key is to keep with the leaning one way and another and take a lot of shots at first.

The large version of your photograph just finished downloading. Looks to me like you were not quite square to the glass. The aquarium acts like a great big, monster clear (well, not so clear) glass filter on the end of your lens. If you put a filter on and mis-aligned the threads so it was sitting wonky you wouldn't expect great results. Same with shooting aquariums at an angle. Macro makes that worse. In fact, macro accentuates any problems with technique.

So, practice practice.

It looks to me like you were trying to focus on the colored tips at the very outside of the coral. When you pushed the shutter release you moved the camera slightly towards you, moving the focal plane right off the front of the coral. That, plus being non-square, is what you are seeing.
 
BTW, with a tripod you'll _never_ get the tripod setup exactly where you want it, so you'll still wind up slightly pushing the tripod this way and that to get the focal plane correct. That's why I add a lot more light (with flash) and just do macro handheld. Much less frustrating for me.

Hi Titus! :)
 
How would white balance fix the issue with the "glowing blue edges"? Or is that made worse by the fact that the coral isn't actually in focus, and if I fix the focus then my manual white balancing will take care of things..?

You're 100% correct about my not having been 90 degrees to the glass. That's a good point, and I'll try again tomorrow at a right angle. I noticed myself that it was a lot harder (impossible?) to focus at angles compared to 90 degrees on pretty quickly - but the shot I wanted required me to be at an angle.

I can see how using a tripod is helpful, and I can also see how using it for macro in an aquarium might be annoying sometimes if you need to do the 'move slightly away' method to get good focus. I do have a decent Manfrotto tripod that should work out well enough I hope.

Thank you for your suggestions. I'll try again and post back tomorrow when the lights are back on.
 
Shooting in RAW also gives you some tools to use on import to deal with some of the fringing issues. I would also expect you to lose some of those when you line the camera up better.
 
with macro, since everything is so magnified, any slight movement will set things off. on top of what everybody else has already said (tripod, manual focus, 90 deg to glass, etc), I would also say if you have a shutter release, use it. Or, if you're willing, use the 2 sec timer so your hand isn't touching the camera when it is taking the shot. Also, if you're on a tripod, there's no need to have VR turned on. In fact, it can make things worse, sometimes. Good luck, and keep posting!
 
I did turn VR off on the lens, and "most" of the shots were using the timer delay since I don't have a remote. I'll post some updates this afternoon - I'm very much looking forward to more help! Macro is pretty new to me.
 
my macro shots are all handheld.

i typically shoot right against the glass and use manual focus. keep perpendicular to the glass to avoid distortion. you can press the lens end against the glass to stay still. if i have to go a little away from the glass, i will support the lens on my left hand and my fingers are on the glass to use as a support. i never use flash for my tank as it will wash out the colors so i generally shoot at a higher ISO.

my typical settings would be (i shoot canon, not sure if it will matter for your setup):

ISO 1000
shutter speed of 1/100 or 1/60 or 1/40 depending on where your coral/fish is locate
aperture f8 - f11
focus by moving back and forth

using a tripod will definitely help with the focal length you're using.
 
i don't have the same camera so this may not help you, but i notice that if i shoot macro via live view or with mirror lock it tends to improve the sharpness and ease of focus + you see your exposure settings (in live view) help full to a noob like me :)
 
I can see how rails would make this a lot easier. Right now I'm just renting the lens though so I'll wait till I buy one =p
 
Success!

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30998766@N03/4314546577/" title="A. subulata by inktomi, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4052/4314546577_039bc09e0b.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="A. subulata" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30998766@N03/4314546401/" title="A. subulata by inktomi, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2742/4314546401_3cf57782b7.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="A. subulata" /></a>
 
I agree - the second is sharper than the first.

The only thing I did differently was follow directions =p

I started with the lens very close to the glass at a 90 degree angle and zoomed in to 1:1. I moved it back till the coral was in focus (or zoomed out a bit to get good focus).

Thank you for the hints!!

I also used the timed shot feature since I don't have a remote release for the camera.
 
I agree the 2nd shot was success! And as you practice more and more the quality of your work will only improve. :)
Hi Andy!! GREAT looking tank in the divider thread. I was very impressed.
 
I'll take some more today!

My coworkers were right.. renting this lens has just made me wish that I owned one.. stupid $900 lens :(
 
I'm going to probably turn off the pumps the next time I take some photos, to attempt to get some better shots of my soft corals and millipora.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30998766@N03/4314546109/" title="Orange Zoanthus by inktomi, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2703/4314546109_25683e91a9.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Orange Zoanthus" /></a>

I think this is fuzzy only because of the water current. I'm sure I can get a better photo of these things they're perfectly positioned for a shot through the glass of the tank.
 
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