Macro Photography.

[Jack Straw]

Do any macro fans on here use extension tubes or ring flashes?
If so, what do you recommend?
Your help is much appreciated.

 

[Everest]

Oooh. What will you be photographyfying at the Amex now then?

 

[Titanic]

I am just about to venture into macro... after a bit of research, I am looking to buy once of these beauties NIKON AF-S VR MICRO-NIKKOR 105MM f/2.8G IF-ED

Is this lens a sensible starting point for some nice nature macro shots with my Nikon D7100?

Mrs Titanic bought me a day course in the New Forest with an 'expert'... which I am looking forward to.

No thoughts about lighting or 'tubes' yet.

 

[Goldstone1976]

I am just about to venture into macro... after a bit of research, I am looking to buy once of these beauties NIKON AF-S VR MICRO-NIKKOR 105MM f/2.8G IF-ED

Is this lens a sensible starting point for some nice nature macro shots with my Nikon D7100?

Mrs Titanic bought me a day course in the New Forest with an 'expert'... which I am looking forward to.

No thoughts about lighting or 'tubes' yet.

I tried this lens, and while it's great as a general purpose lens, I wouldn't recommend it for purely macro use - there's a lot of focus breathing, which is a real pita if your subject moves (even a little bit). There's a lot that's positive, but since the size of the image changes as you pull focus, it can make framing a real problem.

 

[Titanic]

I tried this lens, and while it's great as a general purpose lens, I wouldn't recommend it for purely macro use - there's a lot of focus breathing, which is a real pita if your subject moves (even a little bit). There's a lot that's positive, but since the size of the image changes as you pull focus, it can make framing a real problem.

What would you suggest as an alternative??

 

[jevs]

Extension tubes and ring flashes ?? Off down Dukes mound tonight Mr Straw ?

 

[Jack Straw]

I am just about to venture into macro... after a bit of research, I am looking to buy once of these beauties NIKON AF-S VR MICRO-NIKKOR 105MM f/2.8G IF-ED

Is this lens a sensible starting point for some nice nature macro shots with my Nikon D7100?

Mrs Titanic bought me a day course in the New Forest with an 'expert'... which I am looking forward to.

No thoughts about lighting or 'tubes' yet.

This is exactly my kit! I'm quite pleased with some of my efforts, but want to take even better photos. When you search for macro photos on the internet, there's some absolute stunners. It seems that you need to fill the frame and keep the camera ultra still. Obvious basic photography techniques but even more important with macro, in fact absolutely crucial. I've posted a few of my pictures on the General Photography thread on here, but here's another one.
Anyone with any tubes or ring flash tips?

 

[Jack Straw]

Extension tubes and ring flashes ?? Off down Dukes mound tonight Mr Straw ?

See you there! I opened myself up for this didn't I!!

 

[burnee54]

Took this one using tubes and a Canon EF 50mm prime on a Canon 1000D a couple of years ago

This one using 3 exposures and HRD proccessing


Both with natural light.

 

[Goldstone1976]

What would you suggest as an alternative??

If you can find the 70-180 f4.5-5.6 AF-D, I'd go with that. It should be only very slightly more expensive than the 105 if you shop around. It's much older of course, but there's no focus breathing and the 180 length means you can get true macro from a lot further away from your subject, meaning that you're less likely to spook it. The 200 fixed length is the big daddy of Nikon macro lenses, and it's totally brilliant, but that is a lot more expensive.

Lots of people get on well with the 105 for macro, but the framing issues drove me nuts! Perhaps get one on loan/hire for a weekend? If you get on with it - go for it!

 

[Titanic]

If you can find the 70-180 f4.5-5.6 AF-D, I'd go with that. It should be only very slightly more expensive than the 105 if you shop around. It's much older of course, but there's no focus breathing and the 180 length means you can get true macro from a lot further away from your subject, meaning that you're less likely to spook it. The 200 fixed length is the big daddy of Nikon macro lenses, and it's totally brilliant, but that is a lot more expensive.

Lots of people get on well with the 105 for macro, but the framing issues drove me nuts! Perhaps get one on loan/hire for a weekend? If you get on with it - go for it!

Thanks for the advice... will definitely have a look at the 70-180. Is the lack of f2.8 an issue? I guess for macro you are not going to be looking for or able to manage such shallow d-o-f anyway, so maybe only an issue if using for portraits etc... ??

 

[Titanic]

This is exactly my kit! I'm quite pleased with some of my efforts, but want to take even better photos...

Lovely pic Jack, did you have to glue the fly to the flower?

How do you get on with the 'focus breathing' on the 105?

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

Wasn't Marco Photographi in Adam And The Ants?

 

[Uncle C]

So what exactly is focus breathing?

 

[Goldstone1976]

Thanks for the advice... will definitely have a look at the 70-180. Is the lack of f2.8 an issue? I guess for macro you are not going to be looking for or able to manage such shallow d-o-f anyway, so maybe only an issue if using for portraits etc... ??

Exactly! I tend to shoot macro with 5.6 and up anyway - experiment with f32 - you can get great macro shots - honestly.

I think they stopped making the zoom in about 2004, so it'd have to be second hand; my local Nikon dealer often have a refurbished one in stock, and, unless you can stretch to the 200mm fixed lens is always the one they recommend.

 

[Jack Straw]

So what exactly is focus breathing?

Yes. I wondered that. Layman's explanation would be most welcome.

 

[Goldstone1976]

So what exactly is focus breathing?

Yes. I wondered that. Layman's explanation would be most welcome.

There is a whole book that can be written about it. The short version is that the main effect is to change the magnification in a non-linear manner as you focus. Nearly all lenses have this effect (the lack of it is one of the things that make really expensive lenses cost several £k), and the effect is particularly noticeable in macro photography because framing is fundamental. What you'll see is that as you focus, the image will "jump" to a different size suddenly - irritating.

Many casual photographers claim not to be able to see the effect in normal usage, but if you do macro, it's pretty hard not to see it - something that was very nearly in focus and filling the frame, will suddenly be pin point sharp, but no longer precisely framed. In the worst case, it can lop off 10% of the previously framed subject.

 

[perseus]

So what exactly is focus breathing?

Switch to manual focus.

 

[Titanic]

Switch to manual focus.

Indeed... I think I would be expecting most macro photography to be manual focus... so perhaps the Nikon 105 is a decent choice after all?

 

[perseus]

With macro photographs, people don't show the nine out of ten failures. My first DSLR is an entry level and a week old. Just trying out close-ups for the first time this afternoon..