Please help with 105 mm Macro!

[Diver Dennis]

I think she meant me Leesa...I'm going to Bali as well and she doesn't want me to be ahead of her in class.

 

[Warren_L]

I use the 105mm in Hawaiian water a lot. My preference is manual focus 95% of the time because I hate waiting for the lens to lock on and I usually don't want the center of the frame to be the focus point. Locking and reframing is tough with the thin DOF in UW macro shots. I also like to avoid focus lights when possible.

I usually set the focus area for the center as that is easiest for me to locate and lock on in a hurry. Once I've achieved focus, I can keep the shutter release part way depressed and maintain the focus lock and re-frame the shot as I see fit. This way, I can quickly achieve focus lock on my subject and still re-position quickly. I haven't found it that difficult to do yet.

 

[Tortuga Roja]

I usually set the focus area for the center as that is easiest for me to locate and lock on in a hurry. Once I've achieved focus, I can keep the shutter release part way depressed and maintain the focus lock and re-frame the shot as I see fit. This way, I can quickly achieve focus lock on my subject and still re-position quickly. I haven't found it that difficult to do yet.

That's exactly what I do in AF as well. It's just that AF is not my preference with macro. Especially UW. I know a lot of very good photographers and some prefer AF some MF. It's just a matter of the style you develop. I just like the feel of framing it first, then rocking the camera until the spot I want is right on - click. Just feels right to me. :14:

Catherine - I assume you have the Ike port with the manual focus knob right on the port? Is this true? I guess I'm also assumming you are shooting a D70 or D70s. :huh:

 

[RonFrank]

Thanks everyone! wow, you gave me a lot of good input. Well, I guess my strobe did not fire. ...or it was aiming somewhere else. You would think I would notice that.The current was a bear. MIke I need to come take your class before Bali. This annoying friend is cramming and I am suddenly feeling motivated. I need to get another hard drive I guess, the thought of those huge RAW files is intimidating.

Mike, I have to search for that button, thanks.

AF-S does that mean Shutter priority, auto focus? I really don't know much.

AF-S is Autofocus-single. AF-C is Autofocus continuous. Then there are the many focus zones that you can lock focus with, or you can choose dynamic focus

In low light lenses are going to hunt, and macro lenses are going to hunt longer because they have a lot more distance to travel.

If it's too dark for the lens to focus, I'm betting that you will not be able to do a much better job in manual mode. So YES use a strobe focus assist, or a flashlight, or whatever to get more light onto the subject.

It might be helpful if you post these images someplace where we can see EXIF info.

So what R your focus settings, or do you know?

I'm an old school shooter, and for all but fast moving subjects, I lock my focus in the center, focus, recompose and shoot. This was the ONLY option for years, however there are a lot of advantages to doing this. I don't have the experience UW to discuss if I would perfer manual focus when shooting UW macro, however I DO shoot in Manual focus mode topside macro. I get the focus close, and rock the camera until I see sharp, and shoot. This however requires you to be able to determine IF the image is in focus via the viewfinder.

I agree with those that say... RAW, and Photoshop. I just lost a HD... new HD was $100 for a 16mb cache 7200 250 gig drive... no excuse to be scared of 6MB files, but you may need larger CF cards depending on how you shoot, and what you own :05:

Backup options get a bit more complicated. But take it from someone who has just spent the last two weeks restoring a HD, MIRROR you HD.. it's worth it, and that is exactly what I'm about to do now I have all this stuff back up and running.

 

[Tortuga Roja]

If it's too dark for the lens to focus, I'm betting that you will not be able to do a much better job in manual mode.

With that, I must respectfully disagree. My eyes aren't even that good, but I can see to focus under ledges and on dark days or if there is too much icky in the water for my 60mm or 105mm to lock on. Sometimes it isn't even the lack of light, but lack of contrast that's the problem. Either way, I can focus manually fine where AF might not at all. Especially without a focus light.

 

[justleesa]

I think she meant me Leesa...I'm going to Bali as well and she doesn't want me to be ahead of her in class.

...

 

[RonFrank]

With that, I must respectfully disagree. My eyes aren't even that good, but I can see to focus under ledges and on dark days or if there is too much icky in the water for my 60mm or 105mm to lock on. Sometimes it isn't even the lack of light, but lack of contrast that's the problem. Either way, I can focus manually fine where AF might not at all. Especially without a focus light.

Well as long as you *respectfully disagree*.

As I said in my post, I just don't have the experience shooting a DSLR UW to know if some of my findings topside are accurate in the UW environment. I base my comments in general on the fact that my camera can focus in dark situations where I can't even see if the subject is in focus.

You have a good point on contrast however. Lenses don't like to autofocus on solid colors within a zone even with bright conditions.

 

[Diver Dennis]

What do you guys think about focus lights? I don't like to use the modeling lights on my DS-125s because it sucks a lot of battery power. I ordered a focus light set up (flashlight) from Ike but it's not here yet.

 

[Cacia]

Thanks Ron! We have been missing you! Sounds like you have been in "computer hell" as I call it. I can read these posts for the next few dives as I look at my camera. --that would help. Thanks, I think I understand what you both are saying.

I have started from an extreme technical disadvantage...I have a lot of catching up to do, so thanks for taking the time to help me. I basically could not follow the printer conversation you all had the other day, made my head hurt.

Leesa, you need to sell me a class topside girl. I am reluctant to take advantage of friendships so, let me pay or trade for some tech support!

Dennis, lense hunting has sucked alot of juice for me too.

 

[Diver Dennis]

No fair Catherine... now you're getting annoying.