Is something like G10 better for my macros than my D700

[mark liddell]

The G10 has enough resolution for wedding group shots? Wow. I'm not sure I'd have the guts to stand up into front of the b&g + family with a point and shoot though!

[zack_zoll]

<p>The G10 has the resolution for weddings - that does not make it the best choice. But as a G10 owner, I agree with that statement. From a professional standpoint, the smaller sensor lacks the 'vibe' of a bigger camera, and the ISO results in noisy images, or requires more lights than I want to bring. But the resolution is more than enough to shoot weddings.</p>

<p>A G10 may or may not be a better choice, depending on what you need these photos for. A smaller camera, with a smaller sensor, will by design have more depth of field. In fact, I'd say that the sensor on my G10 is probably as small as it could possibly be while still allowing for some controllable DOF effects. However, the lenses and sensors on your Nikon gear will render the in-focus areas much more detailed than the G10 could, and will less aberrations and artifacts and better tonal range.</p>

<p>I'd say if you were looking for web photos, I'd use the G10 for depth of field. If you need print or finely detailed close-ups (for sale or reference), then I'd use the D700 from about two feet farther away, turn the ISO down, and use a tripod with the smallest possible aperture. You could also use the G10 for the 'whole' shots, and use the D700 for detail shots.</p>

<p>Lastly, from the standpoint of someone who used to paint miniatures, you might not want maximum sharpness. I was pretty darn good at making 1/32 scale miniatures, and I found that even the older 60mm micro AF on my D70 would reveal flaws in my work that I never knew existed - and were to small to correct - at maximum sharpness settings. Not only did these flaws make my miniatures look worse, but they also made them look much more like miniatures than real things. In a lot of cases, using my Tamron 28-75 f/2.8, cropped in, made my work look much better.</p>

[scott_murphy_photography]

<p>Duplicate duplicate :-)</p>

[scott_murphy_photography]

<p>From the fuel tanks to the tip of the tube on that T-62 you are probably looking at 10 inches. No lens is going to give you front to back sharpness for a subject that time at that high a magnification ratio. I use my 55mm f/2.8 Micro-Nikkor consistently at f/22 and f/32 for model and smaller object photography and see none of the loss of sharpness that you describe. This photo of a Tamiya 1/35 M2A2 Bradley was taken in a light tent with a D700, 55mm f/2.8 lens and 1/250 @f/32.</p>

<p>I don't think you will be happy with the G-10 over the D700. It is too limited a camera.</p>

<div></div>

[walterh]

<p><strong>@Teresa</strong></p>

<p>Of course everything is relative and I hope that you do not mind that I disagree and say that on the contrary for this type of macro shot the DOF in the dragonfly image is very extended.</p>

<p>Do you have any example to post that you get more DOF in a similar situation? If I shoot dragonflies I often line up the wings parallel to the sensor to make best use of the shallow DOF.</p>

<p>The typically very shallow DOF is the reason why some people use focus stacking software for imaging insects.</p>

[railphotog]

<p>I've done a lot of photos of model railroad subjects. In film days I used a 28mm preset manual focus Vivitar lens that I equipped with a homemade pinhole aperture. Got great depth of field with this setup, but the lens did not perform very well with my crop sensor Canon XSi. So I had to find another method to do extreme closeups of my modeling.<br>

<br />Here's an O scale shed, about 4-3/4" by 3-1/2".</p>

<p><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v409/railfan/ShedA.jpg"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v409/railfan/ShedA.jpg" alt="" /></a></p>

<p>I made the rear wall removable so I could stick my Tamron 11-18mm lens (set at 11mm) to take this photo:</p>

<p><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v409/railfan/ShedG.jpg"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v409/railfan/ShedG.jpg" alt="" /></a></p>

<p>The natural depth of field of the extreme wide angle lens coupled with the f/22 aperture works fairly well for me. The immediate foreground isn't real sharp, but I could have moved back a bit to do better. I've done the same in structures half this size.</p>

<p> </p>

[otanslatco]

<p>http://www.digitalgrin.com/showthread.php?t=61316</p>

[john_morris4]

<p>Bob Boudreau, that's a truly spendid workshop model. Nicely photographed, too. I like the lighting in the interior picture.</p>

[alex_kinnan]

<p>Arnab: Terrific shots, so luminous and inviting!<br>

Bob B: Outstanding model work -- the interior comes across as almost completely real!</p>

[carlwakefield]

<p>Bob those are really inspiring pictures of your models. the shot from the interior is fantastic. Scott your shot of the tank is also perfect. I think the G10 is not the best solution I have one and also 50D and 30D I think i would look at a solution with a different lense on the D700 and then also as suggested just backup and crop.</p>

[Albins images]

<p>Arnab & Bob, I just love your examples!!<br /><br />And I too am much in favour of a DSLR, for quality & control.<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/7968513-sm.jpg" alt="" width="199" height="132" /><br>

[<em>D300 DX-sensor camera + 20/3.5</em>]</p>

[david_mcniven]

<p>Here's a crazy idea - modify a cheap Nikon-fit bellows for tilt and adapt a medium format lens to fit - even a 50-ish lens for 645 will have plenty of image circle. I don't think the standard tilt/shift lens will tilt enough to achieve the perspective of the shot of the tank with a horizontal plane of focus. Just an educated guess, haven't tried it.<br>

Lots of people use FF digital cameras with medium format lenses but usually on modified LF cameras to gain movements.<br>

Oh yes, been meaning to ask... what's a lensbaby? Does it offer tilt?</p>

[sebastianmoran]

<p>Dmitry, the G-10 or a number of P&S cameras can do pretty amazing closeups. A small sensor has an advantage in DOF.</p>

<p>If you are not getting the DOF you want, and diffraction softens the image at smaller apertures, then I've found an easy solution in focus-stacking, as others have mentioned. I find it amazing... You can manage the DOF to have it be as deep as you want. Check out <a href="http://www.heliconsoft.com/heliconfocus.html">Helicon Focus</a> (a George Lepp recommendation about a year ago). Best with a tripod and macro focusing rail. Your D700 with a macro lens should do very well.</p>

<p>If you want to try tilt/shift, get a PB-4 and use an enlarger lens or a 100mm bellows lens from any manufacturer. Once you extend the bellows, lens coverage is usually not a problem. Tilt/shift does a lot, but you still get only one plane of sharp focus.</p>

[aaron l]

<p>Getting a T/S lens will give you the ultimate control you're after. With the 1:2 macro ability, I've seen amazing things. Look at Bjorn's site for more info.</p>