another begginers question...

RosiePrecious

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sorry for asking so many questions but i was just wondering if you could help me with macro...

what is the best thing to shoot macro? (water, wildlife ect)
do i need a tripod?
is it ok (do i get same affect) to use a kodak digital?

thanks again :)
 
Basically, you just need to get close. It doesn't matter how you do it, or with what camera/lens. Some compacts do go pretty damn close anyway - certainly close enough for the kind of things you mention.

You don't need a tripod, unless the shutter speed gets too long for you to hand-hold without blurring. Then the best option is usually flash.
 
sorry for asking so many questions but i was just wondering if you could help me with macro...

what is the best thing to shoot macro? (water, wildlife ect)
do i need a tripod?
is it ok (do i get same affect) to use a kodak digital?

thanks again :)

1. Whatever you want to - if you are looking for a bit of inspiration then get yourself over to the Macro sub-forum and see what other people are up to. Bugs, flowers and waterdrops are all popular subjects but Macro can make the most mundane things interesting so really your imagination is the only thng that is stopping you.

2. Tripod use will depend on your shutter speed and how steady your hands are. Sometimes essential, other times I find my tripod to be a bit of a hinderance.

3. It is ok to use whatever kit is available to you - my Oly compact is actually quite good for close up stuff and I actually find my bridge camera easier to work with than my D60 (but that is probably just a matter of practice). My advice would be to give it a go and see what kind of results you get.

Good luck :thumbs:
 
what is the best thing to shoot macro? (water, wildlife ect)

A camera that can do the macro that you are looking for. Sounds obvious right, but it is not. Any camera can do some kind of macro.

Are you looking for a 1:1 magnification, or greater or a camera/lens combination that lets you shoot very close up.

If you are looking for a 1:1 then I don't think compact point and shoot cameras have this ability so you need to look at a DSLR with a dedicated macro lens. If you are just looking to get very close then try this test in your own home:

Go get a small item from around the house. It can be anything you like, a watch, a key, a teaspoon, a pea or a sweetcorn even.

Now place that item on a table in front of you. Get your compact camera and place the setting onto MACRO mode. It is usually a dial or setting of a tulip flower.

Focus on the item, get as close as you can to the item without the item getting blurred out. You will find the close focusing limit of the camera when you get so close that the camera cannot focus on it and create a sharp image. Another thing to keep in mind is that not all of the image will be in focus. Maybe only a small part of it. So don't confuse yourself and think it has reached its focus limit. I won't go into why this happens now, suffice to say it is to do with the "depth of field" at close distances.

Now take the picture, many of them, at different angles and distances to your subject. Load them on a computer and then see if this size of the object is big enough, close enough, for you. If it is then great! :-) If not then you may want to consider another camera.

do i need a tripod?

Like stated, not if you have good light so the shutter speed on the camera is fast enough to stop "camera shake". Your hand holding technique will also matter. So test this too. Take the example above. Take a picure in nature light, then add a table lamp to illuminate further, try shooting near the window, try shooting in a slightly darker area of the room. See how the shutter speed changes. The more the light, the faster the shutter speed will be.

Now try it in your garden on some flower heads or any type of flora. Get as close as you can so some part of the item is in focus and take some pictures. When you review them on your computer, if they are sharp enough (taking into consideration the Depth Of Field) then your hand holding technique is fine.

is it ok (do i get same affect) to use a kodak digital?

What is the model number of your camera? Try out the tests I outlined above, they will set you on the road and start the learning process too.

Have fun!
 
sorry for asking so many questions but i was just wondering if you could help me with macro...

what is the best thing to shoot macro? (water, wildlife ect)
do i need a tripod?
is it ok (do i get same affect) to use a kodak digital?

thanks again :)

Don't apologize for asking questions, never anything wrong with asking questions.

I think the best thing to shoot macro is the thing you enjoy the most while shooting macro! For me that's insects, doesn't mean I'm any good at it though, although I do have my moments. I find the setup involved with water droplets can be a bit of a mood killer for me, I like being able to wander around randomly, mind you water droplets tend not to fly away if you get too close to them.

Do you need a tripod - yes and no, depends on the light and what you're shooting. If you're going for water droplets I'd say yes you do, unless you have an extra set of arms and muscles of steel. For insects I find that a tripod gets in the way more than it helps. I was trying to catch damselflies and found no matter how careful I was the tripod legs could get tangled in long grass which would disturb the damselflies and they'd fly off before I'd even got them in frame. If you find you do need support for insects then a monopod might be of more use.

I took this without a tripod (using a sony A200 and a 50mm macro lens).

macro_bee_1_800.jpg


You might not be able to get as close as a dedicated macro lens, but don't forget you can always crop in as well. Have fun, play around and progress at your own pace. I've found that the best things to have for macro is patience and perseverance. Keep at it and you'll shine.
 
thank you all for your replies i will definetly be trying out all the suggestions :D im very gr8ful
 
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