Pin sharp focus

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Safety Stop

Contributor
Messages
222
Reaction score
9
Location
Victoria (BC), Canada
# of dives
500 - 999
How did you achived pin sharp focus for macro shooting? I'm using Nikon D7100 in a Aquatica housing and still not happy with my macro shots.

Envoyé depuis mon SM-T310 avec Tapatalk 4
 
What is your setup? 60mm or 105mm lens, do you have a magnifying viewfinder? What Mode do you shoot in?

I shoot a D7000 with 105mm, and I have to shoot the lens in Manual focus. Leave the lens in A/M mode via the switch, and turn off the VR. My friend has the same setup as I do, but he has a magnifying viewfinder. The viewfinder helps a lot, but it comes down to your eye and where you place the focus plane.

If you are shooting in A, S, or P mode, get out of these mode and go to manual. I shoot only in Manual, shutter speed is either 1/250 or 1/320, aperture F10 or smaller aperture.
 
I'm using a 60mm lens, I have a magnifying viewfinder and I'm shooting on M mode. I tried AF (with Focus Lock) with a good focus lignt (i-Torch Pro 6) and it work well. Also, I tried the manual focus (with the focus gear install on the lens) and found it similar to AF with Focus Lock. For the shutter speed and aperture, it depend all the time. Most the time, the shutter speed is at 1/125 and about the aperture, it depend the DOF I want. Everytime I shoot, I check my LCD screen to make sure it's pin sharp picture and it seems to be ok. It's when I get home and verified my pic on a large computer screen, I can see it's not that sharp :-(
 
I would up the shutter speed to 1/200, 1/250 or 1/320.

CBR_8267.jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

This photo is not cropped, ISO 320, F32, 1/200, no magnifying viewfinder. I also was using an Inon UWL165 wet macro lens too.
 
Can you post some pics where you think the focus is not sharp enough, that might help. Also, check that your autofocus is where you think it really is, sometimes lenses back focus or forward focus a bit.
Bill
 
Normaly, the focus point is in the middle of the viewfinder. To compose a nice pic, do we have to unlock it and move it a bit on left, right, up or down underwater?
 
If you're following the rule of thirds, then yes, I would say move it unless you plan to crop the image to create the composition you desire. Personally I try to get the shot as right as possible in the camera as I can, which leaves even more room to adjust in post if needed.


If you don't have a magnifying viewfinder, I would suggest it -- you can't tell what's in focus if you can't see it, right? This is more important, at least to me, for macro.
 
Here're a few marco shots :

http://robipix.com/Stu/PIX_3192.JPG (1/125, F8, ISO 100)
http://robipix.com/Stu/PIX_3222.JPG (1/125, F16, ISO 100)
http://robipix.com/Stu/PIX_3272.JPG (1/125, F8, ISO 100)
http://robipix.com/Stu/PIX_3294.JPG (1/125, F11, ISO 100)
http://robipix.com/Stu/PIX_3367.JPG (1/125, F25, ISO 100)
http://robipix.com/Stu/PIX_3377.JPG (1/125, F25, ISO 100)
http://robipix.com/Stu/PIX_3396.JPG (1/125, F25, ISO 100)
http://robipix.com/Stu/PIX_3405.JPG (1/125, F16, ISO 100)
http://robipix.com/Stu/PIX_3427.JPG (1/125, F22, ISO 100)

I already know that my pics need improvements but I would like to start to have sharp pictures and after, I will work more with the histogram.

Thanks in advance for your comments.
 

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