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Flower shooting
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May 7, 2019 20:41:21   #
Teacher22 Loc: Texas
 
Just wondering what lens fellow hogs use for for flower shoots.
I have a Sony a7riii and Sony a6400.
Lens: Sony
24-105 f4
16-35 f4
24-240 3.5-6.3
35 1.8
50 1.8
85 1.8
16-50 3.5-50 crop
Any suggestions appreciated!

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May 7, 2019 20:45:41   #
dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho
 
Teacher22 wrote:
Just wondering what lens fellow hogs use for for flower shoots.
I have a Sony a7riii and Sony a6400.
Lens: Sony
24-105 f4
16-35 f4
24-240 3.5-6.3
35 1.8
50 1.8
85 1.8
16-50 3.5-50 crop
Any suggestions appreciated!


I use a Nikon 105 f2.8 Micro lens most of the time but occasionally us a Nikon 24-85 lens.

Dennis

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May 7, 2019 21:17:54   #
Grahame Loc: Fiji
 
Teacher22 wrote:
Just wondering what lens fellow hogs use for for flower shoots.


I'm wondering what you mean by "flower shoots"?

Are you talking 1:1 (or greater magnification) macro, a single tiny flower, a large flower, a bunch of flowers or a garden bed containing seven varieties of roses?

I would think the answer is a lens that has the appropriate focal length and focusing ability to provide the framing that you require dependent upon your specific subject.

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May 7, 2019 21:25:11   #
Bill_de Loc: US
 
The lens doesn't really matter as long as it is sharp.

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-392851-1.html

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-394962-1.html

--

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May 7, 2019 21:29:33   #
Tea8 Loc: Where the wind comes sweeping down the plain.
 
Grahame wrote:
I'm wondering what you mean by "flower shoots"?

Are you talking 1:1 (or greater magnification) macro, a single tiny flower, a large flower, a bunch of flowers or a garden bed containing seven varieties of roses?

I would think the answer is a lens that has the appropriate focal length and focusing ability to provide the framing that you require dependent upon your specific subject.


Yep, this was my thought also. Because 'flower shoot' can mean different things to different people. For doing macro I use my Nikon 40mm macro lens. If I'm walking around and spy a flower I like I probably have my Tamron 28-270 on so it's an up close shot. If I'm doing a bouquet of flowers I would either use my 40mm or maybe my 18-55. Just depends.

I wouldn't think that you would have to use one of your fixed lenses, especially at 1.8, but it would just depend on your lighting situation as well.

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May 7, 2019 22:23:39   #
rwilson1942 Loc: Houston, TX
 
Check the maximum magnification on the lenses you have.
For most flowers (1-2 inch across) a magnification of around .25X-.30X would work.
I recently did a group of flower shots with a lens with .225X maximum magnification.
If you want to photograph much smaller flowers, etc. you would probably want a true macro lens, one capable of 1:1 reproduction.

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May 8, 2019 00:13:17   #
Vietnam Vet
 
I attach my Hasselblad bellows with one of my Hasselblad lenses to my camera, either that or I use the Canon 100 macro

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May 8, 2019 07:18:00   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
Teacher22 wrote:
Just wondering what lens fellow hogs use for for flower shoots.
I have a Sony a7riii and Sony a6400.
Lens: Sony
24-105 f4
16-35 f4
24-240 3.5-6.3
35 1.8
50 1.8
85 1.8
16-50 3.5-50 crop
Any suggestions appreciated!

Try a couple to see which one(s) float your boat.
(Experiment)

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May 8, 2019 07:51:42   #
ctsteps5
 
pentax x-5

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May 8, 2019 08:06:05   #
Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington
 
I'm with the "it depends" replies. The question is far too broad. Even the "as long as it's sharp" is only one pov. See these effects of soft focus and very shallow depth of field:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-590576-1.html
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-589747-1.html

The photo I posted below was at 200 mm on a 70-300 mm lens. No need for a macro lens for close-ups

If you have a large garden (public or private) available, take just the 24-240 and stay a couple of hours. Do different compositions of the same subject at different focal lengths, apertures (for depth of field) and distances. That way you'll learn about your lens as well as perhaps discover what "look" you enjoy the most.

You also need to learn about light and weather conditions. Those will affect your results in many ways. Mid-day sun and shadows are the worst, unless you're going for a harsh look. Wet = saturated colors, soft light enables a more delicate and gentle result.

There is so much more to photography than the accumulation of gear!


(Download)

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May 8, 2019 09:16:52   #
ELNikkor
 
My 24-120 focuses close enough and does an excellent job on flowers. If I'm feeling obsessive, I get out my 55mm 2.8 AI Micro Nikkor, but never see much of an improvement from the 24-120 to the naked eye.

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May 8, 2019 09:34:58   #
camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.
 
Shooting flowers, as has been said could be done with practically any lens. Macro lenses are been used for close-up work but a tele can do a very good job as Linda has demonstrated with her image of the flower.
The quality of the results depend mostly on the operator. Today's optics are of excellent quality.
This shot was made in our garden using the Olympus EM-10 Mk II and the lowly Olympus 40-150 f4-5.6 AF lens. I bought the lens refurb from Cameta for $100 not expecting much but it has revealed itself as a very good performer.


(Download)

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May 8, 2019 10:07:33   #
Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington
 
camerapapi wrote:
...The quality of the results depend mostly on the operator. Today's optics are of excellent quality...
A beauty, William! I fear that the message about learning the basics of photography mostly falls on deaf ears. Collecting new, shiny gear is the siren's song for many in this section of UHH

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May 8, 2019 10:18:17   #
via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP
 
Teacher22 wrote:
Just wondering what lens fellow hogs use for for flower shoots.
I have a Sony a7riii and Sony a6400.
Lens: Sony
24-105 f4
16-35 f4
24-240 3.5-6.3
35 1.8
50 1.8
85 1.8
16-50 3.5-50 crop
Any suggestions appreciated!


I love shooting wildflowers and apple and almond blossoms. I don't generally use my macro, a 105 Nikon, but have used it at times. I have not been able to master the taking of only a tiny part of a plant and I'm normally working in a field or outdoors with wildflowers. This year I've shot using my Z7 24-70 as well as my Nikon 80-400. What lens you use depends on several factors, a couple of which are the look you want with the background and the distance you are from the actual subject. If I'm shooting dogwoods in the forest, and they are high up on a tree or I'm shooting blossoms that are high up on a tree, I'll use a telephoto lens. A long lens will give you nice smooth bokeh. If I want to get up close and personal, but not macro-style, I'll use a shorter lens and/or a wide angle lens. The wide angle allows me to get up almost under the flower, normally 9" - 12" away, where with the telephoto lens I have to be around 5' away. Wind can also be a factor so the faster the lens, the wider the aperture (which creates a nice bokeh leaving the focus on the subject), and the faster shutter speed required to get the flower sharp. It's a learning process. I just wrote a piece for the Nikonian website that will be published soon that talks about shooting wildflowers. If you belong to that site just go to the article section. In the end, the use of your lens depends on what you want to achieve with the shot.

I've included three samples to show you what and how I shoot and have included one from a telephoto lens.

The poppy was shot with a Nikon Z7 and a 24-70 (f/4) lens at 1/5000 and f5/6. I was lying directly under the poppy perched on a hillside with the lens pointing up toward the sky.

The shooting star was shot at 1/250 with the same equipment as above, but at 1/250 and f4.

The almond blossom was shot with a Nikon D500 and a Nikon 80-400. The blossoms were high up on the trees. It was shot at 1/4000 and f/5.6.







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May 8, 2019 10:25:26   #
Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington
 
via the lens wrote:
I love shooting wildflowers and apple and almond blossoms...
Such artistry, Connie!

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