The BEST Camera Settings for Macro Photography 

Some nice tips here. Just a couple of things to consider. You say to leave your ISO at a low setting, but if you don't change your aperture and your shutter speed cancels out any ambient light, the only way you can affect exposure is by the combination of flash power and ISO. While a low ISO is good to decrease as much noise as possible, a short flash duration is even more critical. As you mention no ambient light is impacting the image, so as it's only the light produced by the flash which is much faster than any shutter speed anyway, shutter speed becomes totally irrelevant once it's reached the speed to cancel any ambient light. (you can test this easily by shooting and varying your shutter speed, you'll see the exposure doesn't change) Flashes don't increase the amount of light as you increase their power, they increase the duration the light is produced, so (especially with moving subjects) the lower the flash power and faster flash duration you have, the better. This will freeze subjects better, produce less harsh highlights, allow the flash to recycle faster which means you use less battery and can fire the flash much faster for focus stacking etc. Using a slightly higher ISO will allow for lower flash power, and there's very good post processing techniques to remove some noise nowadays. That's why diffusing the flash is so difficult as you want to diffuse the light while not stopping it for the same reasons! Hope that makes sense, otherwise great vid with very clear information!

Man, this helped me out so much. I avoided manual mode because it was overwhelming but I feel a lot more comfortable with it after watching this and doing some experimenting, thanks!

Very clearly explained, to the point, no nonsense, points very well made. Thank you!

Bravo! Grazie!

Perfect information...

Thank you!!

Great video thanks!

Thankyou for your succinct & straightforward advice & suggestions. Really appreciate how you outlined where to start & hopefully improve on macro photography. ❤

This has been the best video so far for Macro settings.. Well done keep up the tutorials

Your tutorial is GREAT! Thank you. I've been a hobbyist photographer for years but never tried macro. I bought a new macro lens but wasn't sure of what settings would work best. I used your suggested settings with fantastic results. Thanks!

So nice and clear! Thank you!

Thanks, very helpful.

Nice video with settings.

Thanks mate, finally someone who speaks clearly and slowly so I can see where I am going wrong :-) I have a Nikon Z7ii and both the Laowa 100mm and the new 58mm lens I thnk they are just great

I just got an Olympus 60mm macro. Cant wait to try it! Thank you for sharing

Thank you

Very god video!

Brilliant video and you explained it nice and clear.Thanks for the tips 👍👍

Thanks! I'm using Z6 and Laiwa 100mm is next on my list!

Thanks

Your explanation is so clear and it helps a beginner like me. Thanks man ! 👌

Good. Subbed.

Good vid, thanks. When using in-camera focus bracketing/stacking with flash, should I be using electronic or manual shutter? How does the flash keep up with the incremental bracketing shots? Many thanks in advance for your valued response.

just found Focus peaking on my Z6..only when in manual mode. i look forward to trying it . thanks

Great video, just for me! What kind of exposure measurement do you use? Thank you

I just loved your video. Thank you very much. Which macro lens do you recommend for DSLR cameras ( Canon 90 d). Thank you.

Great video ,,, i have a quesitos about Wich focus chouse ,,, i have a nikon z5 with mc 105mm s and i dint know Wichita focus settig is better to macro pic,,,

Excellent video. Thanks. Why ISO 200 and not the lowest the camera can handle .. like ISO64 on the Z8?

"Drive mode" continuous for quick multiple shots for stacking, or to just capture a properly focuse image among the others?

hi i want to use macrophotography for my gemstones and jewelry can i buy this 60mm olympus or 100mm D5600 is the best or any entry level you can suggest would be greatly appreciated. D5600 camera is good enough? Pls recommend. Thank you.! also can i follow the same setting M and others you put for this setting

I just watched your video as im interested in dipping my toe into macro photography with my r7. One thing I would like to ask is this you said about using the laowa lense, but looking at your camera, it also looks like you're using extension tubes? Would they make a big difference? Or am I mistaking your lens setup?

Speed with a flash you should alway set to the camera flash sync mine is 1/200

Would leaving your iso to auto make sense just like when we do in wildlife photography? I know lower iso values equal less noise but I was just wondering whether that would be a good practice or not. Also how this choice can work if you leave the flash on TTL?

Why did you choose the Laowa over the Nikon Z MC 105mm? Did you already have the Laowa?

there are quite a number of errors here. first, the sweet spot aperture will depend on lens and format; the Olympus 60 sweet spot is actually at f5.6 or f8 because of smaller format. the shutter speed will depend on whether you want to make your flash the main source of light or fill-flash…same with ISO introducing noise…not always if there is plenty of light and you correctly expose. there’s probably more but i didn’t finish the video.

A max of f16 but it’s not a sweet spot due to diffraction

Im rubbish with photography but would love not to be. When I use those settings with a GH4 and Lumix G 30mm Macro the screen is just black unless over a bright light. Any ideas anyone? Please.

just be careful going above f11 - at f16 you tend to get difraction happening

I love how these people (who mostly get their gear free) recommend that you get a mirrorless camera.

Why am i learning this stupid stuff in Digital Music class? I dont get what cameras has to do with making music on a ocmputer?

Correct on most points, but you do not need to shoot in RAW and instead of constantly adjusting your flash power output for different subject matter. ie if I was to do it you way I would have perfect shots with dark subjects like insects but very bright when photographing flowers . Best way is to set flash to full and leave it, set ISO on hot key next to shutter button. Doing it this way 95% of your shots will be ISO 100 to 200 and all bright subjects will be ISO 50 to 100. Better photo quality and easy of use. Never take your eye of your subject with this top tip. Hope that helps.

you say you do not need top of the line gear, but the ones you mentioned are very expensive and top of the line. mirrorlesss camera body and laowa lense are not cheap either.

*starts off by telling us that gear isn't important Proceeds with suggesting that we should buy a mirrorless camera, and then recommends to put most of the money in the lens.... Besides that, most of the advice given can be misleading, but maybe that was the intention of this video (?)

2Gud. Tkx a 🐛ton.