macro cinema?

F

Fahad

Veteran
Hi,

so i went on a hike the other day, with my camera. i have a macro lens, which is fairly nice. but my question is:

how on earth can you take steady shots for shooting insects?

i took a few photos, which weren't too bad... but for video?

it's very hard.

granted, i don't have the best tripod in the world, but even if i did have a nice tripod... tracking something with a long lens is almost impossible...


how would one go about shooting fast, small, moving things with ease? (not necessarily ease but practically)
 
I'm a bit confused. You say macro, but you are having trouble with using a long telephoto lens?


Macro means your minimum focus distance is really close. You'll want a longer lens with macro, probably a 1:1. Then you get really close!

I think you might not be doing it right.
 
This isn't the best lens, but it was the fastest search result and can be a good example.

http://www.tamron.com/lenses/prod/90mm.asp

this is a 90mm lens, but it can focus about 11 inches away, so instead of being far away, get REALLY close. Like a foot close. Use a sandbag or something on the ground for minimal support and just shoot as steady as you can.
 
The camera should be locked on a good heavy tripod so that wind will not affect it. You should avoid tracking. Shoot in daylight or get some serious light, there are some ring lights for this use that avoid putting shadows on the subject. Then stop down as much as you can. The DOF is never enough.
 
The Tamron 90mm is a fantastic lens! Very useful cuz it's also great for portraits which for some reason always come out great and zingy with oodles of contrast. I have both AF and like literally 3 manual focus versions. I like the manual focus versions better for macro work.

Ryan Patrick O'Hara said:
This isn't the best lens, but it was the fastest search result and can be a good example.

http://www.tamron.com/lenses/prod/90mm.asp

this is a 90mm lens, but it can focus about 11 inches away, so instead of being far away, get REALLY close. Like a foot close. Use a sandbag or something on the ground for minimal support and just shoot as steady as you can.
Click to expand...
 
thanks for the tips, guys.

yeah i think my main issue is the tripod/support.

but also, it might be the lens. it's a cheap sigma 70-300 that isn't true 1:1 macro... the issue isn't that it's a cheap lens, but that the macro "feature" can only be turned on @200mm onwards.

i think my problem is with the long focal length. and trying to see through the LCD, then the subject, and i don't know where exactly i'm shooting.

maybe i need a shorter lens?
 
I think the main issue is the lens.
"macro" is often a marketing ploy used by some lens makers to signify a close focus lens. On zooms its very common and rather deceptive.
Using a 200mm focal length on a aps-c digital camera for Macro would drive me bonkers, especially on shaky tripods or outdoors where the slightest wind or vibration will read.

Try out a lens in the 50mm to 90mm range.
The Nikkor 60mm micro (macro) is a great pick. But I don't know Canon myself.
The Tamron 90mm and Sigma 105mm are well regarded, but both kind of long on APS-C cameras.

Some manual focus macro lenses may require extension tubes to get true 1:1.

Unfortunately most of the good macro lenses tend to be moderately expensive, especially new.
 
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