DOOK Loc: Maclean, Australia

D3100/Tamron 90. Still raining so can't get out for 'proper' subjects. These practice shots are unknown weed buds. They are very small (the section in the first pic is about 1/2" long. I have my exposure pretty much sorted & my focus is improving.

My biggest problem is holding the damn thing steady enough. They all turn out razor sharp on a tripod, but hand held is a different story. All taken with ring flash JY-670, set on 1/64 output, hand held.

ISO200, 1/200-sec at f/22


ISO200, 1/200-sec at f/22


ISO200, 1/200-sec at f/29

clicktime Loc: Yucca Valley Ca.

They look ok. Are these hand held or tripod? Here is tip for hand held. Take a dowl rod or a stick and use it to steady your rig. Slowly move forward and back and try to sqeeze off the shot as the lens gets the focus just right. This technique is used by alot of marco shooters. Looks like your ring flash is working good no hot spots. If your lens has IS or VR use it.

DOOK Loc: Maclean, Australia

Hi Clicktime. They're all hand held. No problem when using a tripod-no skill required there. It's not lateral camera shake that's the problem-it's moving the camera in & out in relationship to subject. The difference between good & bad focus is only a few thou & I have trouble keeping within this small zone. As Douglass says, more practice.

With reference to your advice on a rest, I have tried a monopod with the camera mounted. Not real good as one is constantly moving to follow an insect, & constantly adjusting the height of the monopod is not practical. I'm going to try the monopod again, but without mounting the camera. I'll just hold it against the monopod & this way, I can just slide it up & down as required.

clicktime Loc: Yucca Valley Ca.

I think some of the Nikon shooters have a way to set there camera to only shoot when focus is locked. They move it forward and back til it takes the shot on it's own while holding the shutter button. I could be wrong but I think that is how they do it. Canon does'nt have that feature. Then all you have to do is get focus on the eyes. You should ask fstop22.

DOOK Loc: Maclean, Australia

Thanks Clicktime. I just tried what you said & it works. Actually, Douglass recommended this to me weeks ago, but for some reason I must have been off with the fairies at the time. The camera needs no special setting up. I've been using MF. What I just tried is....Wind focus out to desired magnification & switch to AF. Select focus & hold button down. Move camera to & from subject. It will hover in & out of focus. As long as it is left on AF, it won't fire until focus is acheived. I just took 6 quick shots at maximum mag. & all 6 were in focus. This has made my day.

clicktime Loc: Yucca Valley Ca.

All we need now is the bugs.