D80 and Macro

I recently purchased my first DSLR. Prior, I had a simple point and shoot camera. Nothing fancy.

 

My old camera had a macro setting that I was pretty much obsessed with. It took really great macro photos without

much thought or effort on my part.

 

When I purchased my D80, I didn't think it had a macro setting. Much to my surprise, I found the setting shortly

after the camera arrived. Of course, I was just tickled pink!!

 

However, I'm having some problems using it. Like I said, the macro setting on my old camera worked perfectly. I

didn't know as much about cameras then, so I was happy that it sorta did it's own thing. I'm not sure why, but the

macro setting on my new DSLR does not work as well. I'm not sure exactly what I'm doing wrong, or if I have the

wrong type of lens. I have a 18-70mm. I may buy a macro lens down the line, but right now my budget is bust! Any

suggestions? The photos I've tried turn out visually clear, but it does not have that macro "look" that I'm trying to

capture. Out of the dozens of photos I've tried with it, only one produced something half interesting. Is it the lens?

Am I standing too close? Too far away? I get pretty close to the subject if I can. Mostly it's been flowers.

 

Suggestions?

Please tell us what you mean by 'Macro Look', and how your photos don't have it. Then we can help you get that look.

Sorry. Should have been clearer.

 

I like the photos that are very detailed and focused on one subject, but with the background a bit blurred out.

 

This is the fastest thing I could find on the internet:

 

http://www.pdnonline.com/photodistrictnews/cp/olympus/photos/2006/10/1006_Tech_Macro2_400.jpg

Point and shoot digital camera (digicam) differ from DSLR. Most digicam when put into macro mode, add real

extension to the camera lens giving it a close focus distant boost. It can do that because digicam has small sensor

and the lens is not remove-able. DSLR on the other hand is not designed to do that. When you put it in macro mode,

it does very little other than taking the much need controls from you. I would not use it at all. For your 18-70 lens I

would buy one of

this 12mm extension ring

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/392232-

REG/Kenko_UNITUBE12DGN_12mm_UniplusTube_DG_Extension.html

 

Or if you have the budget buy a 105mm macro lens

The link doesn't work. It is a Kenko 12mm extension ring at B&H for $79

Hmmm, this image is "very macro". Surely it is a crop from a bigger image.

 

The camera has nothing to do with macro capability, are the optics who magnify your subject. If the optics are not

designed to work very close, no "macro look" avilable.

 

To get high magnifications you need to try with a prime lens and extension tubes, or better, with a reversed wide

angle lens. This could give you something near life size to 2X or 3X depending on the lens and/or extension.

 

Perhaps anybody could advice you about a good macro tutorial site...

Melinda

 

You said that you were on a tight budget. If that's the case I would look into a Nikon 6T or Cannon 500D closeup filter. I've used a Nikon 6T on my 18-70mm lens with good results. I don't think Nikon sells them anymore, so the 500D is probably the one to get. Plus with the 500D you can get one in 67mm too. If you can't find the right size for your lens, you can always get a step-up or step-down adapter.

Well, I didn't know my D80 had a macro(micro?) setting. Live and learn. And I shoot with micro lenses all of the

time.

 

Your lens should work perfectly well for flowers. You were too vague with your problems. Just exactly what are they?

 

Light. Cloudy, fog, and rain are all good. Early and late light are good. Success in bright sunlight is more difficult,

because of contrast issues. A reflector or diffuser can provide some help, but are not requirements. A few folks like

the look of flowers and flash.

 

Point of focus. The closer you get, the more important this becomes. You might want to turn off the autofocus and

do it manually.

 

Depth of field. Increase this by choosing an aperture with a higher number. Decrease it by going to a lower number.

This determines two things: What looks sharp, and how cluttered the background is.

 

Background. The easiest way to get a clean background is to shoot flowers against a clear blue sky. Flowers can

be isolated by a shadowed background. You can put a phony background behind your subject. You can blur out the

background using close focus, f2.8, a telephoto lens, or software.

 

Flowers. Look for flowers in prime condition. I like mine with dew, raindrops, webs, or insects on them. Have fun.

 

P.S.: Forget the macro setting and use M instead. Focus for yourself and set your exposures using your histogram

as the D80 light meter is rather erratic.

the D80 doesn't have a macro setting, it has a "close-up mode," defined in the manual (p. 24-25) as "the camera automatically focuses on the subject in the center focus area." instead of, say, a different AF sensor.

 

that's different from true macro, which is 1:1 magnification, although there are lenses advertised as macro which are closer to 1:2, 1:3, or even 1:4.

 

now, the reason your P&S did macro so well was because the small sensor and smaller photosites gives you more Depth of Field combined with close focusing distance. what most P&Ses lack, however, are precise manual controls.

 

with a DSLR, to get better "macro" performance, you need an extension tube or lens with better close-up focusing than your kit lens.

 

luckily, you have a d80, so you have a lot of choices in the macro field, all of which are good (nikkor 60/105 VR, sigma 70/105/150, tamron 90, tokina 100). lack of AF isnt a dealbreaker with macro, but it's nice to have in case you want to shoot non-macro stuff with these lenses.

 

melinda, you wrote: "I like the photos that are very detailed and focused on one subject, but with the background a bit blurred out."

 

that sounds like bokeh to me, i.e. very shallow depth of field, which isnt always associated with macro. again, here's where the d80 shines. if you want shallow DoF and almost but not quite macro close-up performance, i'd run right out and get the 50/1.8 nikkor for $120 (or the 50/1.4 for about $300, if you want slightly less harsh bokeh); both will AF on your camera.

 

most true macro lenses are f/2.8, so you can get bokeh with them if you shoot wide open, but often you'll find folks shooting stopped down a bit to preserve detail. if you can dig up $360 or so (including $90 rebate), the tamron 90mm is perfect for flowers, and gives you 1:1 macro, excellent IQ, and f/2.8.

 

that's a pretty good deal for the money, although not as easy on the wallet as the 50/1.8, which has exceptional image quality and fits in a shirt pocket to boot..

 

also, you'll get clearer pictures at low shutter speeds using a tripod.

is this 'the macro look'?<div></div>

I`ve found Dr. M. Plonsky site very interesting; <a

href="http://www.mplonsky.com/photo/">http://www.mplonsky.com/photo/</a>

Eric, Yes!

 

Thank you all so far for your replies.

 

Sorry I sound like such a newbie. I am! Once I start to fix up some of my photos, I'll figure out how to post them. I just bought Photoshop Elements the other day. Way fun, and I just really have scratched the surface!

I have been using the 50mm 1.8 as well with some good results. Before you go out and spend a fortune on

macro..try this lens for about $100. I gets pretty close..and it is very sharp!..fiddle with the F stop so see what works

best to get a clear sharp image..put camera on aperture priority and take pictures at different f stops..