srg

all critique, no heart.

BebuLamar

And seriously you don't know the answer to that? You should learn/research reading books to find out.

cbtsam Loc: Monkton, MD

Personally, I think reading a lot about a 105mm 2.8 "micro" Nikkor before buying it is just ridiculous. I don't read the manual for my new car before I buy the car, I just do a little research to decide which car to buy. The OP already did enough research, probably not very much needed, to decide to buy a fine piece of equipment to do something he thinks he'd like to do. Once you have the equipment, now is the time to do further research, and this place is supposed to be one place to do that. If you don't want to provide any of that education, stay away.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

My point was that understanding that settings can not be predetermined is about as basic there is. As are understanding what DoF is, that DoF is controlled by aperture and how DoF can be used to enhance the photograph are basic. The same with shutter speed. Those are things that can and should be learned through reading and research and practice. The fact that the lens Nikkor Micro 105mm f/2.8 is irrelevant. The basics apply to all lenses.

sscnxy

The OP asked a specific question about suggested settings for shooting a subject at a certain distance in good light. Should've been easy for experienced users to provide helpful ideas. We were all in his shoes once.

NY

WCS

Well said!

WCS

;)

WCS

Heck, the latest iPhone MAX would probably be all we 'need'... point and shoot, get an image and send it off in a text all in a few seconds... Won't that be fun?

Naw. This is a journey for us because we choose to be thrilled by whatever aspect gets you going, right?

It's all good!

Share, be amazed and love it more!!!

Pepsiman Loc: New York City

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

Got your QTC Pepsiman. Thanks for the back-up. Still sending QSL Cards? .- .-.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Suggest the books and places to seek information that you are referring to, since apparently UHH is not the right place. . .

Quite often people will have an incomplete realization of what they wan to do and how to go about doing it. Some will buy gear, then learn how to use it, because they are tactile or kinesthetic learners. Others will research the material to death, then make a leap - because their learning style is reading/writing. Yet others learn socially.

These three types of learners approach their learning experiences in vastly different ways and there is no right or wrong way to gain knowledge. So before you use your own example and try to make the world fit it and criticize those that don't fit your view, take a step back to appreciate and embrace differences and don't be such a hardass.

WCS

Amen!

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Ken, the settings you use will in large part be suggested by your subject matter and your creative intent. You can use a wide variety of settings and each will provide a different look. When you are in close, your results will be mostly determined by aperture.

If you are shooting a part of a flower, and want only that part to be in focus, with the rest of the flower in soft focus and everything else in the background a soft creamy blur, then use a wider lens opening.
If you want the entire flower in focus, or at least as much of it as possible, then a small aperture will be better.
If you go too small, you risk getting an image that looks very soft and may lack some fine detail. Diffraction causes this and the remedy is to try and use larger openings and move back a bit so that you can crop later.

https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/diffraction-photography.htm

The chart on this page would indicate that you don't want to use your lens at F32, but pretty much all other apertures are great:

https://www.opticallimits.com/nikon_ff/817-nikkorafs10528vrfx?start=1

Once you establish how you want your subject to be represented, then you select the ISO and shutter speed to make it happen. Using a tripod will work best with static or mostly static subjects. If you have good light you can use a higher shutter speed and/or lower ISO. VR will not do anything for subject movement, on or off the tripod. But if you are shooting hand-held, it can help a lot at shutter speeds longer than 1/500 sec.

Here are some examples. As you can see, the aperture will determine the "look" and can range all over the place. The best thing to do is just go out a try lots of different aperture settings. Also, if there is a decent photo club in your area - join it. You be able to share with others, as well as get critiques, participate in theme-based photo outins, and, with larger, better organized clubs, there can be a range of professional speakers that come and give talks and demos - it is well worth the annual membership.

.

NIkon D810, 150mm F2.8 Macro, F22, 1/250 s, sidelit with speedlight

(Download)

D800, 150mm F2.8 Macro,F4, 1/125 s hand held

(Download)

D800 150 mm macro, F11 1/80 s on a tripod

(Download)

D800, 150 macro, F8, 1/50 - on a tripod

(Download)

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

I was busy yesterday, but I wanted to respond to Pablo8's comment. My follow up to the OP's question is posted above.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)