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My first bee

Posted:
Thu Dec 29, 2005 10:09 pm
by johnd
I think I've got my first half decent shot of a bee after chasing them all around the garden for days.
The flash blew out a bit. Next time I'll try with the diffuser.
Sigma 150 macro, SB800, 1/60, f22, iso200
Cheers, John

Posted:
Thu Dec 29, 2005 10:49 pm
by stubbsy
John
That's a great shot - you should be proud of it.

Posted:
Thu Dec 29, 2005 10:50 pm
by sirhc55
Excellent John


Posted:
Thu Dec 29, 2005 10:55 pm
by Slider
Great shot John.
Just out of interest, how far away from the subject were you with that lens?

Posted:
Fri Dec 30, 2005 7:32 am
by mudder
Wow, great detail! One thing I always notice with the dedicated macro lens's's's is the deep DOF... Wonder if it's just because I've taken my half-arsed macro stuff using the Canon 500d on the 80-400 at 400mm


Posted:
Fri Dec 30, 2005 8:41 am
by johnd
Peter, Chris, Mark and Andrew, thanks for the comments.
Mark, I think I was about 15 to 20 cms away from the bee, but the lens is only supposed to focus to 38 cms according to the scale on the lens. I could have sworn I was closer. I just put the lens on manual focus, minimum focus distance and moved in until it was sharp in the viewfinder.
Cheers, John

Posted:
Fri Dec 30, 2005 8:55 am
by Alpha_7
Looks like that bee is in dire need for a haircut or maybe an allover wax.
Great shot John! Glad you finally found a subject willing to bee still long enough to take it's photo!

Posted:
Fri Dec 30, 2005 8:56 am
by Slider
johnd wrote:Peter, Chris, Mark and Andrew, thanks for the comments.
Mark, I think I was about 15 to 20 cms away from the bee, but the lens is only supposed to focus to 38 cms according to the scale on the lens. I could have sworn I was closer. I just put the lens on manual focus, minimum focus distance and moved in until it was sharp in the viewfinder.
Cheers, John
Thanks John, I am keen to get myself a dedicated macro but don't want one that you need to be almost touching the subject. 38cm sounds preety good


Posted:
Fri Dec 30, 2005 10:18 am
by Alex
Great shot, John. Very sharp.
Well done
Alex

Posted:
Fri Dec 30, 2005 2:25 pm
by marcotrov
Terrific image John makes me keen to get a hold of mine
cheers
marco

Posted:
Sat Dec 31, 2005 8:57 am
by johnd
Craig, Alex and Marco, thanks for the comments. The sharpness is getting there. I seemed to have focussed on the wings in this rather than the eyes. I guess the trick is to get them side on and try to get all of the insect in focus.
Yes Craig, they are hairy little critters. I was quite suprised really how furry they are.
Mark, I'm having a great time with the 150 sigma macro. And as you say, you don't need to be touching the subject. The lens does true 1:1 macro at 38 cms and 1:2 at 50 cms. I'm finding it a great lens for flower shots. If the flower is too big for a macro, you just take a step or two back. The lens will focus out to infinity so you can use it as a short 150 mm telephoto as well.