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AF/Manual Focus for Macro, Need Advice

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HappyDays16

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I'm having trouble getting nice crisp shots for macro photography. I'm using a 18-105mm lens (basically a kit lens). I took a photography course recently, and my instructor told me to auto focus on the center of my subject, and then manual focus on the edges of the flower/plant, for better results. I'v been doing that, or at least trying too, and when I look at the image, either the center or edges of the flower are out of focus. Please give me some advice.

Also, should I be turning VR on the lens off when using a tripod?





Heres an example of an image where the center is out of focus but the edges are more in focus.
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Nikon all the way!
 
At f/5.6, you have a shallow depth of field so you need to decide what you want in focus because you are not going to get both parts of the flower. Macro is not that lens's strong point either. Try an f/11 or f/16 setting, focus on the middle (because it is more interesting than the edges) and see what happens.

A flower is interesting from many angles so don't limit yourself to looking down.
HappyDays16 said:
I'm having trouble getting nice crisp shots for macro photography. I'm using a 18-105mm lens (basically a kit lens). I took a photography course recently, and my instructor told me to auto focus on the center of my subject, and then manual focus on the edges of the flower/plant, for better results. I'v been doing that, or at least trying too, and when I look at the image, either the center or edges of the flower are out of focus. Please give me some advice.

Also, should I be turning VR on the lens off when using a tripod?





Heres an example of an image where the center is out of focus but the edges are more in focus.
--
Nikon all the way!
Click to expand...
--
OK, not so purely a hobby.
 
I'm getting pretty good results with that lens using auto-focus. I just spot focus on the center of the flower and recompose. I'll post some later maybe when I get a chance. By Macro do you mean the Macro setting on the camera or just close up pictures in general. The 18-105 VR is not a Macro lens.

Yes you should turn off VR when using a tripod.
 
By macro I mean any close up pictures in general. I'm super new to photography, so I can't expect all this stuff to come right away. What do you mean by recompose?
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Nikon all the way!
 
HappyDays16 said:
By macro I mean any close up pictures in general. I'm super new to photography, so I can't expect all this stuff to come right away. What do you mean by recompose?
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Click to expand...
Doesn't always make the best picture to have the main subject dead center so after I spot focus on the center point I keep holding the shutter release halfway to lock focus and then move the subject away from dead center.
 
I don't think that is a particularly effective strategy for closeup photography. I think you are better off focusing on the part of the subject you want by using the focus points. Perhaps it is not such a big deal with this particular lens but it would be with a macro lens, especially at f/5.6.
FerruginousHawk said:
HappyDays16 said:
By macro I mean any close up pictures in general. I'm super new to photography, so I can't expect all this stuff to come right away. What do you mean by recompose?
--
Click to expand...
Doesn't always make the best picture to have the main subject dead center so after I spot focus on the center point I keep holding the shutter release halfway to lock focus and then move the subject away from dead center.
Click to expand...
--
OK, not so purely a hobby.
 
i'd say use MF because of the shallow Depth of Field you have when doing macro and/or close-ups

this way you can compose the shot as you want. then using MF get exactly the part in focus that you want. and can can also ever so slightly move your body front or back to shift the focus plane.

i've never found AF to be reliable when shooting macro. it has a tendency to focus wrong or slow and you're moving the focus plane when you recompose anyways since a very very tiny movement on your part can have drastic effect in the picture.
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Ronny
http://www.flickr.com/photos/airclown/
 
VR off for tripod work. MF on the area of interest, AF gets unreliable once you go past 1:4 magnification. Take advantage of your DOF preview button and adjust your aperture accordingly, keep in mind that the depth of field available shrinks dramatically at macro distances.
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http://www.pbase.com/jhorne
 
I agree, no VR, manually focus and use the DOF preview button more than your shutter release. I also tend to shoot at f-stops from f5.6 to f22 (to f38 with one of my macro lenses) in full stop increments to see the effects and choose later. It's not like shooting Kodachrome at $0.42 each, splurge, take several (many) shots!
 
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