Memory Overload? for Macro Shooting

[ellery]

<p>Ok, so another Macro question folks:<br /><br />I have been practicing now a bit here in there (hard to find time with a 19 month old :D)...one minor issue that I have had in trying to capture various insects that move around a bit faster....ill fire off a number of shots in a row when the subject is facing the way I want and I have them in the focal plane....I think what is happening is after like 7-10 rapid bursts, the memors buffer is full cause then pushing the button nothing happens for like 3-4 seconds.<br /><br />Anyway, this has been a bit annoying, cause the opportunity will be there, and then press shutter and NOTHING! AHH...pisses me off :D - advice?<br /><br />I think I use like the extreme III scan disc...I will check this at home tonight and make sure I got that right...but what is the best memory card to minimize this irritation?<br /><br />Thanks,<br />Ellery<br /><br />PS - quick side question, I shot a tiny fly or flea of some sort the other day...it was still enough to shoot, got it in focus...I use (for now) my pop up flash to fire my SB900...well, I had it in focus on 3 different shots, and when I pressed the button, in all 3 opportunities, it was out of the frame...it was as if the pre flash scared it away?? Seems unlikely, but how else could I explain this? That bug was dead still while I approached and focused, only when it fired, it magically disappeared??? Should I just bite the bullet and get a sync cord, and if so which one is a good value and will still work with full functionality (TTL, etc)? Other than this example, the CLS has worked very good for my macro attempts so far....</p>

[SCL]

<p>Any time you continuously shoot (fire off a burst of shots) you may expect your buffer to fill, processing to slow, and your battery to heat up - that's the nature of the cameras. Recommendation - take your time, get what you want and then take only a couple of shots (I usually take no more than 2-3 shots at a crack). The moving bug - might have been the sound of the camera, a natural proclivity to keep on the move after a period of rest, shadow....hard to tell why it moved.</p>

[phule]

<p>This is not a problem that will be solved by a new memory card.</p>

<p>Assuming you're not hindering the process with some in-camera settings (noise reduction, automatic tonal adjustments, etc), the only thing you can do is wait until the buffer is clear before another 10-shot burst will be available.</p>

<p>The only other solution is to buy a camera with a deeper/larger buffer.</p>

[ellery]

<p>@stephen...being this is my 1st week, your point is well taken...certainly with more practice, I will have fewer misses...and for slower bugs or ones that do not mind me much, I have not needed to blash them with 10 shots in a row...but the funky ones so far, probably they stress test my lack of experience more so, resulting in more mis-fires...and sometimes I will be shooting and right when it runs out of space, there it is..and a pause...and I am lack "ahh, cmon, take it, take it", lol<br /><br />Indeed I think experience will minimize this problem! Or so I hope!<br /><br />@ Rob - nope, no processing is done...and the problem is BY FAR not so bad that I am not getting decent images for week 1 (see my gallery if you like under macro), but just looking to improve my chances in such particular scenarios...not that bad that I will buy a new camera, and a good thing too, I just blew my money on a 055xprob and 498rc2 - hopefully will get it friday and will go to the local botanical gardens and try my hand in more macro :D</p>

[SCL]

<p>Ellery - just a thought, if you haven't already considered it. Tripod plus focusing rail. I know it's a PITA to lug around, but by taking your time and thinking composition, you should really improve your results. I don't use a focusing rail because I either have its equivalent in a sliding bar in an ACRA clamp on my tripod, or I'm using a bellows setup which incorporates the same principal in one of its rails. I do about 2/3 of my macro work freehand, but honestly, when I use a tripod - the results are consistently better.</p>

[jim_momary]

<p>What macro lens focal length are you using?<br>

The longer focal length ones (200mm e.g.) give a much larger working distance from easily spooked prey.<br>

I use that same tripod and head, you'll learn to luv lugging it around. For macro, it's great.</p>

<p>Jim M</p>

 

[ellery]

<p>@ stephen - was thinking about that JUST 2 hours ago as I was photographing small wasps on flowers....I think you are absolutely right that the focusing rail would be VERY useful in some applications....other times It would be too cumbersome for certain applications I imagine, but I will definitely be incorporating it and seeing how things go...mostly definitely will be using it for available light macro shots and such!!!<br /><br />Stephen and others, please provide recommendation for a rail for me....I like something of good quality and utility, not something I will use, then want rid of...have a birthday in june, and the rail is on my short list at this point I think.<br /><br />It was hilarious trying to use a REALLY cheap tripod for some macro....I think until that point I never understood what folks were really talking about with the shake and instability in a cheap tripod! Sometimes seeing is believing....boy did I see...it was like an earthquake at 1:1<br /><br />@ Jim - I got on 3/26/12 a tamron 90mm f2.8 - at 1:1 it is a bit too close for some shots, so far what subjects I have found if I approach them carefully they do not seem to mind me much...I probably will one day look to getting a longer focal length...but the budget for now was constrained and I will make due with what I have...so far It has been great fun, and this lens has been as far as I can tell good quality....would love at some point to get a 200mm (drooling) - need to grow another money tree though darn it :D <br /><br />Looking forward also later, going beyond 1:1 :D :D :D </p>

[SCL]

<p>You can get cheap ones for around $50-60 all the way up to motorized units for several thousand. Really Right Stuff (RRS) has some which appear really well made, sturdy, and very sensitive. I would explore theirs first to get a sense of the functionality and quality which goes into a well made one, then if you want to explore a cheaper one you have a basis for comparison. I was looking at one of the cheap ones at a recent camera show, but it had the problem of backlash - so I took a pass on it.</p>

[ellery]

What is backlash?

[ljwest]

<p>Backlash refers to looseness in a gear set. With a focusing rail, you would see this as follows: You'd be focusing using the rail in one direction, but slightly pass your desired focus point. You'd decide to back up a bit. Excessive backlash means you are turning the knob in the opposite direction for a certain amount with no corresponding movement of the rail, until the "backlash" is taken up, and the gears can do their job and start moving the rail in the opposite direction. </p>

[ellery]

<p>ahh, yes, I have been doing some reading on focusing rails in the archives here on PN...It will be really nice I think for certain bugs, flowers, and definately if/when I go beyond 1:1<br /><br />Have read about the manfrotto one, adorama one, RRS, novoflex, minolta, and velbon...<br /><br />I have a birthday in 2 months and will wait till then to get the rail I want...from a cost standpoint I think I liked the velbon - it is rack and pinon and seems to get good reviews both on PN and the buying sites. <br /><br />I tried some available light shots with a cheapo tripod last week...1st IMPOSSIBLE with that tripod at all...shook so damn much it was insane...secondly, without the focusing rail, that was ANNOYING to try to get focus at 1:2 or 1:1 - the rail is therefor at the top of my wish list right now...</p>

[jim_momary]

<p>All things mechanical interact with each other.<br>

If the fit is sloppy, it's easy to turn but wobbly.<br>

If the fit is tight, it may take a wrench to turn, but there is little/no wobble.<br>

In engineering parlance that is 'fit'; applied to gears it is called 'lash' or 'play'.<br>

The sum total of all this sort of interaction gives a 'feel' to equipment as to being well made or poorly made.<br>

Better precision = more care in manufacture = higher costs (usually).<br>

<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backlash_(engineering">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backlash_(engineering</a>)<br>

<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linear_stage">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linear_stage</a><br>

Good evening students, welcome to EngrSci 221 - Machine Design I.<br>

Jim</p>

<p> </p>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>Ellery,</p>

<p>One other point is to try to do your macro photography early in the cool of the morning. I know that will be hard with a young child but you will find the bugs either asleep or rather sluggish. </p>

[ellery]

<p>yeah marc, I have read that...you said it though....photography for me is simply when I can, I do it.....but I am going to try hard to do this....it will I imagine greatly increase my percentages! </p>

[ellery]

<p>Jim - yeah, that makes sense....I am willing to pay up to 200 maybe even 250 for one...but Im not sure that I want to....but if 120 vs. 200 means smoother and more reliable operating, Ill shell out...any advice on a choice beyond the velbon.....seems like the RRS what I read is not so good at 1:1 and that bothers me....novoflex makes a rack and pinion one, not really sure how good it is...</p>

[kerry_grim]

I think you need to re-think your methods a bit. Shooting a non-cooperative subject and using bust will

likely not increase your chances of a sharp photo. Look for subjects early in the day when insects are

sluggish is best, like Marc mentioned.

 

Focusing rails as mentioned above are your best bet. I may be reading too much into this but gather you

don't have a lot of patience which could be why you are using bust mode. If I am right, you likely will not

use a focusing rail and tripod. You most valuable tool might be patience. Macro requires a lot of patience.

[ellery]

Kerry - I think I burst right now because my stability without a tripod is a bit unsteady and so I have felt like popping off a

few has resulted in some shots that were good - but you are correct I think - that is why I am going the tripod route and

believe it or not I can be quite patient and persistent - ill stick to it and take yall's advice - thanks for the advice!

[jcuknz]

<p>Reading just the first page of this thread I ask if you have problems when shooting a 10x burst why do you do it... you have the bug in focus why do you think that taking ten shots is better than one? From what I've seen of burst shooting, a fairly recent tool for me, it is largely for the 'birds' and unless I have a good reason to use it I think I will prefer to take just a single shot rather than have a number of less than satisfactory shots. Else have the camera in burst mode but only hold the trigger down for a couple of frames at a time .... this is the way the skilled shooters do it with automatic guns from what I have read in the spy thrillers I read :-) <br>

Using burst the way you apparently are doing it is using a tool hoping it will overcome your lack of experience and it seems to be of no help to you at all.<br>

When using flash has the flash correctly exposed the area in frame? If you work in manual focus as suggested in the next para there would I hope be no pre-flashes to scare the bug.<br>

I suggest you forget about focusing rails and all that stuff and preset focus, have the camera on a monopod or single leg of a tripod and move the whole set-up in and out to find focus and press the trigger when you have found the focus point you want ... bearing in mind that you have very little depth of field at these distances so the successful photograph is when you focus on the bit of the bug that the viewer expects to be sharp. Unless your camera has a very small area to focus on [spot focus with a small spot which most cameras do not have] it is unlikely that AF will focus where you want it. It does depend of the relative size of the focusing area to the size of the subject in frame.</p>

[ellery]

<p>JC...again, your points are well taken...I have read from various "macro sources" on the net, that there are different approaches...tripod with focusing rail..monopod...just a bracket...or as Ive seen some, use just a basic bean pole to grip around the flash bracket to stabilize things and for quicker mobility....it would seem to me that all work to a varying degree depending on a situation? <br /><br />Regarding my use of flash in bursts...I think in the very first week I did end up being too liberal...now it is much improved, I have already a better sense for the timing and when I am in focus and taking the shot...having said that though...in the case of the wasps I have been photographing, they move quite a bit (less in the morning I presume as other suggest, so some of this can be avoided), they spin around, they move back and forth...and in that process I wait for the right time to get the composition I want (lets say with the bee facing me or a parallel shot) then attempt to take the shot or two...well, but what I have found lately even, is that while now I burst less, the opportunities present themselves with the wasp multiple times so I end up taking a few series of 2-4 bursts, close enough together that things lag...<br /><br />But I think your criticism is correct...I need it all to be more consistent....I think your advice to forget the focusing rail and tripod for some bugs makes total sense...at the same time, I already want the focusing rail to experiment on my own and have it for floral photography and focus stacking and other macro uses...and I think there are a number of bugs that I can get some available light shots with...I think the focusing rail will be a useful tool, but I do wonder as my macro evolves and I get better at it, how much I will use it relative to the monopod like or no pod at all approach....we shall see I guess<br /><br />But again, I concede that my problem is lack of experience really, so your points are well taken...ill keep working on it.</p>