Problems with tethered shooting

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jo
  • Start date Start date
Jo

Jo

Suspended / Banned
Messages
3,667
Name
Jo Fisher
Edit My Images
Yes
Today I tried tethered shooting for the first time with my new macro lens. All was going well and I found zooming in to be a breeze for getting the focusing spot on ... that was until I looked at the results! Every single shot was soft, even though it was sharp as a pin on screen :shrug:

I had a very stable set up, and set the timer going for the shot just to make absolute sure there was no movement, but even that didn't help :thinking:

Anyone got any ideas what I'm doing wrong? I bet it's something simple that I have over looked ... maybe I should read my instruction manual :$

Thanks in advance!

Jo
xxx
 
You are taking available light macro shots and that is never easy. For some reason the longer shutter speeds never seem to give the crisp results that you get from a fast shutter and flash (unless you are very good or very lucky).

I don't have 'live view' so don't know if that is a factor too.

Macro generally isn't easy. I would think the problems are more to do with learning how to get the best from macro than equipment problems. if you want to cheer yourself up and see some sharpness try using a flashgun as the main light source (and use high speed sync if it has it) for a fast shutter (at around f13). Happy learning :)
 
Thanks! As I said in the other thread you replied to Robert I think my problem may have been using it at f45 :lol: I don't have a flash gun so I think I'll have to try the onboard flash diffused a bit. Play time this afternoon!
 
f/45 is going to give serious diffraction softening. Try f/16 or wider and things should sharpen up nicely. The problem then is you won't get the DOF you might need. You can have the whole thing in focus but none of it sharp, or a bit of it in focus and that bit very sharp. Unless your subject is small, though, you can't have all of it sharp at once.

If your subject is static you could try focus stacking - http://www.flickr.com/groups/macroviewers/discuss/163367/.

I'm not a macro guy so other than that I'm not sure what to suggest.
 
also have you got mirror lock up on? might reduce any small wobble still going on.
 
I got it sorted. If was most definitely using it at f45 and around about that :lol: I knew it would be a simple thing!

Thanks again folks ;)
 
I usually shoot macro at f/8 - f/11 - give that a try.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top