I've Bee...n trying out AF microadjustment!

[ST1]

I've never been happy with my macro images, I seemed not to be able to consistently get sharp subjects.

Some of the issues that I experience I believe are really down to my technique or lack of it. Inspiration came in two forms, first a day spent at Sunderland Air Show, not macro but still it highlighted that I wasn't using the camera and setting correctly.
Secondly a friends new lens acquisition (same as mine) with which he was producing great images. I decided to give my self a talking to and get a grip of my macro issues.

So here my first attempt with my newly AF micro adjusted 100mm L and the 5D3. I engaged my brain got off the manual setting chose my f stop and go see what I could capture.

Have I wasted this morning making Blue Peter AF targets, testing and adjusting or not?

[zkogut]

When I take macro shots I sometimes use manual and other times I'll use continuous focus since I barely can hold the camera still without a tripod. The CF followed by vibration reduction (nikon) helps me get the sharp images I'm looking for. This Bee looks good to me just a little soft. The Flower pollen has nice edges and seems to be sharpest. That's my two cents.

[chauncey]

Peter...you aren't giving us a lot of information here...what brand of gear, was this image shot using AF/what settings, how did you accomplish micro focusing adjustments/all lenses or a few.

[Geoff F]

Well you have some decent kit there, Peter. Although with a 100 mm lens you need to get fairly close, or choose a relatively large subject.

Macro photography often requires a bit of compromise. When using flash, I set my camera manually and vary the flash output. Typical settings for me would be 1/200 F14 Iso 200 to 400). When not using flash I work in Av mode, normally F11 or narrower, but always keep an eye on the other settings.

For me, your shutter speed of 1/125 is on the border line of being too slow for live subjects in the real world where subject movement and wind rock can cause problems, even when using a tripod. Without a tripod, my failure rate considerably increases.

A/F rarely works for me on macro subjects but just using the centre focusing point will help to reduce false focus issues. Using one of the partial exposure setting modes can also be useful for overcoming problems caused by an over bright/dark background, but some exposure compensation is often required.

[Wavelength]

Superb image

[DanK]

Peter,

It's impossible to know whether MFA was wroth it without seeing the tests you ran. All I can tell you is that I have tested a fair number of my lenses over the years, and none required substantial adjustment. One zoom was a bit off, but differently at different focal lengths. I did a slight MFA for the long end, where it would matter most, but to be honest, I never noticed a difference in my images. Last year, I bought a new camera, and I haven't tested any lenses yet, because I haven't noticed any problems.

Regardless of whether your lens/body pair needed MFA, that is very rarely the problem with macro. Achieving focus in macro is simply very difficult because of the thin DOF and the fact that tiny motions (of you or the subject) make a very big difference. I have been doing a lot of macro for years, and I still just assume that unless I have a static subject and I am using a tripod (e.g, indoor flower shots), a sizeable share of my images will be out of focus. At least with digital, they are free.

The equipment you are using is fine (superb, actually). As Geoff points out, you have to get close, but a 100 mm is what a lot of macro photographers use. I generally use 100mm, sometimes with an extension tube to get closer.

The image you posted looks somewhat soft to me. It's hard to see at such low enlargement what the problem is. It looks like the focus may be a bit far forward, but it also may be motion blur, or both.

Keep in mind that IS is not worth a huge amount at macro distances. The hybrid IS on your lens, unlike the standard IS/ VC, controls for motion parallel to the sensor as well as angular rotation, which makes it more useful for macro, but it is still worth only 1.5-2 stops at minimum focusing distance, and it does nothing for motion of the bug or flower.

There are a bunch of options. One is to use diffused flash, as Geoff and I both do, to freeze motion. Using a monopod helps, although not with subject motion. Practicing different focusing methods helps as well. I sometimes use AF (back button so it only activates when I want), but lot of the time, I get the lens roughly focused and then slowly move the camera slightly forward and backward, tripping the shutter when the eyes seem in focus.

[Stagecoach]

Peter,

One of the problems with using AF close up on a subject such as this is that you will never be sure exactly what the AF system chose to focus on within the area that it uses to make this decision. For flat subjects it will work better than for irregular shapes and it will produce better results for small apertures than wider ones.

Grahame

[ajohnw]

If you want to check that you have adjusted the focus correctly this page shows another and rather precise way of doing it.

http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/a...djustment.html

Just display the image on a pc screen and follow the instructions. The biggest problem is squaring the lens up to the screen but the pattern also indicates problems like that. I used a spirit level to set the vertical and did the other one by eye and didn't have any problems,

It even works on slowish wide angle lenses.

John
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[chauncey]

To add to John's link...attaching a mirror to the center of your target and focusing your lens on your
own lens insures proper alignment, guaranteed!

[ajohnw]

I used it to check for the well known D7000 problems but found all was ok. I then used it to check the focus scale on a manual Russian 16mm lens. Much to my surprise it was still sensitive and showed that the scale was about 1/2 a line width out so not worth bothering about.

John
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[ST1]

Peter...you aren't giving us a lot of information here...what brand of gear, was this image shot using AF/what settings, how did you accomplish micro focusing adjustments/all lenses or a few.

Wm/William/Bill?
Thanks for taking time to comment, I was using a Canon 5D111, with a 100mm L IS lens the image exif is as follows

• EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
  
  
  
  
  
• ƒ/9.5
• 100.0 mm
• 1/125
• ISO 640
  For the AFMA, I started off with this Target LINKY taking images of the target at f2.8 from around 2.5 metres (Canon would say I should have used 5 metre). That approach works (its a good target BTW) but...you then have to evaluate the resulting images to decide what AFMA settings to use. The image posted here was a result of that first attempt at sorting out my percieved Lens/camera focus issues. I have now decided that whilst there may have been a slight issue with the lens camera combination the major problem with my attempts a macro photography had nothing to do with the equipment but a great deall to do with the person using the said equipment.
  Today I have tested all of my lenses using the Dot Tune technique (google it for more info) I have to say that Dot Tune is less time consuming than that method I described above. The judgement call you have to make using it is based on "do I see a solid focus confirmation light" displayed in the viewfinder or not.
  All I have to do now is try the lenses out in the real world and see if I can discern an improvement following the adjusted settings.
  

[ST1]

Geoff, Zak, Nandakumar, Dan, Grahame, Chauncey (sorry but I'm not sure of your preferred Monika) and John, firstly thank you all for your input it's always appreciated.
Trying, as I do but...not very well; to capture macro images of insects in the garden is not easy. This is especially, true when you take in to account the outside elements which can impact up on the finished product. That’s without the incompetence of the photographer being brought in to the equation!.
Thanks again for your comments and advice. I will continue to try to improve on my macro technique and take note of all of your advice to help me along that particular learning path.

[chauncey]

I might suggest that using AF in macro work is somewhat of an exercise in futility as your DOF is too narrow, regardless of your f/stop used.

[ajohnw]

I might suggest that using AF in macro work is somewhat of an exercise in futility as your DOF is too narrow, regardless of your f/stop used.

That seems to be conventional wisdom but ........................ maybe it depends on the camera used and probably the subject in some cases.

John
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[bnnrcn]

Hi Peter, I'm not going to comment on technical stuff because I'm not a macro shooter. All I want to say is that your shot is an artisitc work with lovely colours, details and composition and I like it a lot I like the softness in the petals and I like how the bee stands.

[ST1]

Hi Peter, I'm not going to comment on technical stuff because I'm not a macro shooter. All I want to say is that your shot is an artisitc work with lovely colours, details and composition and I like it a lot I like the softness in the petals and I like how the bee stands.

Thanks Binnur, my wife likes it as well. So I must have got something right.