Macro

[kevinj]

Picked up a 100mmf2.8L Macro yesterday,it`s going to be a steep learning curve with this one,any advice welcome and appreciated.

[kyteflyer]

I'll be looking forward to responses here. I bought a 35mm a couple of months ago and have done almost nothing with it. I want a 90 or 100 as well, for the bugs.

[Culhwch]

I picked up a Tamron 90mm a month or two back, and it's hardly been off my camera. I'm no expert, so I can't offer any technical advice, except to just keep snapping! And keep your eyes open - there's interesting shots everywhere!

[andylo]

kevinj, may I ask where you picked it up and how much? (I am looking for a exact one)

[Boofhead]

You will love this lens, so much it will do. Macro is a whole new world! Enjoy

[Tricky]

Picked up a 100mmf2.8L Macro yesterday,it`s going to be a steep learning curve with this one,any advice welcome and appreciated.

Congrats on the purchase Kev - great lens!

My 5 snippets of initial advice for someone who's newish to macro but using a beaut macro lens such as the 100L would be:

- use Av mode and set f-stop to around f/11 to f/16, to get as much depth of field as possible at close to 1:1 magnification. Don't go above f/16 as diffraction sets in, softening the image sharpness

- consider what's behind the macro subject your shooting - the quality of the background often makes the difference between a good macro and an excellent one

- try practicing both with and without auto-focus. Use auto-focus for moving insects, and use manual focus for static objects (eg spiders sitting still). The manual focus method involves you moving the focus ring so it's at 1:1 (thereby maximising available magnification), and then you physically move the camera/lens backwards and forward until the object is in focus.

- figure out a way to use your flash to illuminate subjects when there isn't much light. This is preferrable to moving down to f/2.8, at which point you'll have no depth of field. With your 7D, you can hand-hold or tripod mount your 580EX2 next to the camera/lens and use the wireless trigger to set it off (for non-7D users, you can buy a cheap curly cable to take the flash off the hotshoe).

- above all else, just get out there and snap away, taking note of your settings and technique with each series of pictures so that you learn what works and what doesn't!

Have fun and welcome to macro world!

[share50]

Hi
I bought mine from DWI,
CHEERS
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