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Sometimes some people don't have the luxury of hunting down the cooperative ones. We see something that only turns up very rarely and we wish to capture that particular insect. I think you're really underestimating the kind of difference that having a Sigma 180mm f/2.8 makes. Maybe not just for the working distance alone, but the combination of working distance, f/2.8, and stabilization, besides being an excellent lens by any metric (but perhaps size and weight) makes it a real time saver. Situations where I would hit maybe 1/20 with a manual focus regular macro I'm getting 1/2 nice and sharp with focus where I want it. Of course that doesn't necessarily increase the keeper rate as quickly, since after you shoot with it a bit your standards go up as well. You start worrying about the pose of the insect a lot sooner with a lens like this since you aren't struggling as much for the basics of focus, framing, and exposure. Of course others may not have the luxury of owning a lens in this class... It isn't necessary, but let's not pretend it doesn't make this significantly easier.
Two things, when it is very windy I often hold the stem of a flower to stabilise it in breezy conditions and then take the picture. Because of low depth of field, I always have the camera set to motor drive and shoot about three shots per burst in about three bursts. Usually at least one is in perfect focus. Also as the insects are usually moving about you can also choose the best position of the Insect for a more interesting picture. Secondly, I also use a big telephoto lens as well as my macro lens when taking pictures of Dragonflies and Butterflies. This has the advantage of keeping a safe distance from the subject without disturbing the more skittish Insects. It must be said that using a macro lens in macro photography isn’t easy but very rewarding.
When I started out with macro I didn't have a flash and always ended up using F2.8, needless to say it was impossible to focus! A flash is probably the most important piece of kit you need for macro. Getting a flash and extension tubes is probably the best beginner budget macro setup you can get.
@@malte9034 When that happens it means your flash is too strong and so your camera exposes for the flash and the background is too dark. Try dialing back your flash as low as you can while keeping the subject properly exposed until you can see the background. Also if you shoot raw you can bring the shadows up in post.
Thank you for the video. In years of macro shooting I didn't come to the idea of using this kind of diffusor to block the sun and same time soften the flash. Great idea.
Fantastic video. All of these steps I have discovered on my own over time. If I was starting out today as an absolute beginner, this video is a must watch!
“2. Go to a botanical garden.” Excellent advice which I follow as frequently as I can. I’ add to that plant some flowers for the pollinators and take photos of the bees 🐝 butterflies 🦋 and 🐜 that come.
Thank you Micael! I have rented a macro lens (Canon RF 100mm F2.8) which will arrive next week. I have never shot macro before. Your steps are very helpful. Thank you again! Cheers, Russ
Man those orange butterflies are incredibly timid, the fact that you got such a nice picture of one proves that some individuals really are cooperative. Need to get pretty lucky with them >.< Thank you for this video, this did clarify several things about macro photography I didn't know!
Problem with #5 (block the sun) is that some creatures will get scared by shadows, because the think it's a bird or some other danger. Therefor they will fly or crawl away.
Provided everything I need to start my macro journey. Brilliant information and very well presented. All I need now is a macro lens, flash & diffuser...
Every point you make is well reasoned, and right. It took me a while to get to the point where I do this same thing.Focus is soo shallow, as you say, that I shoot highest frame rate I can - something I never do otherwise. Thank you !
I don't understand when people say shoot raw so you can adjust the exposure later. I don't shoot raw and I still adjust the exposure if it's off. I use curves. It works great.
Really enjoying your content! I've just bought macro lens and your tutorials are coming in so handy! Shame I don't have a flash yet to get properly awesome photos, can't wait until I do! Thanks again, keep up the awesome work :)
Excellent video! Just one nit: When you see a honeybee out foraging for nectar and pollen it's a "she". The male honeybee's only function is to mate with a queen, and their proboscis is so small and under developed that they cannot even feed themselves. The female bees have to feed them at the hive.
Hej från Uppsala. Excellent videos and pictures. I am new to photography outside the auto mode. I have an olympus omd i and consider to buy a macro lens of 60 mm first and later on a omd mark 5 iii. A friend is talking me into changing to Fuji or other brand. What i can see the cameras are far more expensive and heavy if they have body stabilization. But olympus has sold out. Please can you give your opinion , tack.
Great video thanks. Using a Canon 50mm 1.8 with 3 extension tubes (21+31+13mm) at F8 and a speedlight I found that 1/16 was too dark and put it back to 1/1. Focusing is also very hit and miss. I clearly need a macro lens. I sold by old canon EF100mm as it ha collected mould. So now looking at other options.
Jeg skriver på norsk og håper det går bra? 😉 Jeg er så imponert over bildene dine. Fantastiske detaljer og farger! Jeg har ikke drevet med makrofotografering selv, men blir veldig inspirert etter å ha sett en del av dine vlogger. 👍😃
Some solid tips for sure. I however would not hesitate to use the sun directly on my subjects. Humans no, insects yes. Also, any type of windy conditions like those you are shooting in here are lees than optimal to get truly sharp macro shots.
Absolutely love your channel Micael! I've learned a great lot from your videos. I'm very - very grateful for them. I cannot, however, sign up for the newsletter. The confirmation letter doesn't arrive somehow. :S
Thank you for your kind words :) Hmm my newsletter provider sometimes seems to have issues. Try again, and if it still does not work, e-mail me at youtube at micaelwidell.com and I will add you manually.
Great video, very useful, thanks for sharing . Do you think this DÖRR diffuser works on MILC lens properly? I use Laowa 65mm F2.8 2x macro lens, diameter only 52mm.
Yes my particular diffuser works well with Laowa 65mm, if you see my videos about Laowa 65mm you can see it in action. You might need to support the diffuser with your hand a bit more, but it works.
@@MicaelWidell would you pls link that video? I found this ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-E26KCGFKTEU.html. But here u use a white wrapping stuff.
Been trying too shoot ants 🐜 hard as hell they move like tiny bullets, I think you have to make an approximate manual focus adjustment and take lots of shots - hoping that you got that one good shot.
Micael, fantastic video. Can you please let me know if you change "Zoom" settings on the flash at all or not when you shooting macro with set-up mentioned in this video?
The flash is so close so it probably doesn’t make a big difference. I rarely even bother to check it. But if you do set it, set it as wide as possible.
Nice video. I just subscribed to your channel. May I ask you about your opinion about reverse adapters? I shoot with a Sony A7ii and the only decent macro lens available that I can think of for this camera is the Sony SEL-90M28G, but this one comes for about a thousand €€. As two of my normal lenses I already have the Zeiss f1.8/55mm and the Sony f2.0/28mm. Especially with the latter: do you think it's a good idea to use this for "macro" with reverse adapter first, instead of a "real" macro lens?
Reverse adapters are great. One of the cheapest macro lenses you can get is by using a vintage macro lens and a cheap reverse adapter from eBay. Check my other videos, I have made a couple about reverese adapters. I would not buy the SEL-90 because it is ridiculously expensive. For Sony E-mount I think the best value for money lenses come from Venus Optics, I own both the 25mm 5x macro and the 60mm 2x macro and I love them.
@@jessemartinez2606 yes, that lens seems okay indeed. I wouldn't care about AF in macro photography, though. The only real issue I see with the lens is the relatively low distance between lens and object at 1:1 magnification.
I have a EOS RP and I got the Laowa 100mm EF version. I tried the manual settings with a flash but my viewfinder is so dark I can see the subject. I was under the impression the EF version would help with this. Any suggestions?
On sony there is a mode called setting effect, if you turn it on it makes the viewfinder lighter, but it no long represents exactly what the photo is going to look like, because you use a flash the evf thinks your photo is very dark so it shows it as very dark.
Hi Micael. I managed to find a similar diffusor online. My question is, do you think the flash zoom would make any difference, given that the flash is pretty close to the diffuser on this set-up? I imagine the ideal would be to spread out the light so that it hits the diffuser with the right width.
Hi Micael. My flashgun does not have a power setting. So, do I use 'flash compensation' instead? Are they the same as each other? thanks for great tips etc.
I prefer a standard flash, it gives you the chance to have it further away from the subject, which combined with a diffuser gives much more pleasing images.
Hi Michael, thanks for your video and tips, one question, the diffuser on lens that you use, work fine also on zuiko 60 mm macro lens f2.8 of olympus? Thanks
Hi, after I watched your video and tried to follow your recommended settings, I found that my XT3 screen will become very dark, and I can't manually focus properly with Laowa 65mm lens... What should I do? Thanks in advance.
I have used f8 with a manual focus lens and I find it very hard to focus, many photographers told me to go to the minimum I can f22+ but at f22 I can’t see a thing... what’s your opinion in that ?
F22 isn't the greatest for macro since you need a ton of light to offset the small aperature. Most lenses will difract light at that small of an aperature as well. The F8-F11 range works great
Hello, i am using a flash for my macro photos with a selfmade diffusor. But the problem i often have is that the background is very dark. Do anybodoy know why?
You are letting in to little ambient light, so the only light that register is the flash. I guess to high shutterspeed/to low ISO/ to small aperture or a combination of the above :)
