Nature

[Guest]

My "new son in law". Full story with couple of more images:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/776914-spayed-female-cat-and-hormone-shot/

[roodujardin]

Water lily, very close:

[Goompa]

Weird Little Critter

I am wondering if anyone can help me with a focus issue I am having with this lens , ED 60 mm M ZUIKO 2.8

It has very limited or if any manual focus and the camera keeps defaulting to auto even after selecting the composition, I cannot figure it out the other lenses work fine ?

Goompa

[sunshine51]

What's your camera body Goomps?

[MJP]

Goomps,

BrokenBunny is the best to ask about this.

But for what it's worth try stopping the lens down to f11 to increase the depth of field and shoot in M - Manual mode.

[klauskunkel]

Here you are, folks - The Full Monty..., enjoy

[Goompa]

What's your camera body Goomps?

I am using an M10 m4/3 , I took the unit back to the place of purchase and the rep was perplexed to say the least , although he did manage to help things out with a few shortcuts he still has no idea why the manual is not cooperating , he shoots as well and is familiar with the EM1 , but has never used this lens , so he cannot help much . This is a new lens I have recently purchased .

Thanks Goompa

[FracturedRabbit]

Unless you have a faulty lens, the problem will be with the camera settings.

I have the M1 so my comments are based on that, but expect the M10 is basically the same.

There are several ways you can manually focus. When shooting macro I find it is best to get an approximate focus by using auto focus and then fine tuning manually (given the limited depth of field with macro, auto focus will often not focus in the exact place you require). To do this set your focus method to S-AF+M. Half press the shutter button to acquire focus and then touch the focus ring on the lens whilst keeping the shutter button half pressed. For me this then zooms in the image and I can fine tune manually (if you are using focus peaking as a manual focus assist, then this will switch on). Once you have acquired manual focus, press the shutter button to get the shot. Note that, using this method, you HAVE to keep the shutter half depressed whilst using manual focus. If you take you release pressure and then press the shutter again after manually focusing, it will re-acquire focus using auto focus and all you hard work with manual focusing will be lost, Feel free to swear loudly at this point.

A more elegant method on the E-M1 is to set the focusing method to M - manual only, and then set the AEL/AFL action to initiate auto focus when you press the AEL/AFL button. I am not sure of the equivalent on the EM10, but if you can set it up so that a button other than the shutter button can initiate auto focus; then you can use that to acquire initial autofocus and then manually focus without worrying about having the half depress the shutter button.

Hope that makes some sort of sense and also helps. Feel free to PM me if you want to discuss further. The 60mm is a great lens; you just have to get used to moving the dial on the side as you move closer or further away from the subject, can be annoying at first!

[FracturedRabbit]

Goomps,

BrokenBunny is the best to ask about this.

But for what it's worth try stopping the lens down to f11 to increase the depth of field and shoot in M - Manual mode.

I hesitate to disagree with our latest and some would say greatest (I wouldn't, because I know his vices) moderator; don't shoot at F11 with an M43 camera. Image quality degrades quite quickly after F7.1. But by all means stop down for more depth of field if light will allow (it usually doesn't, bugs seem to avoid sunlight). One solution is to use a flash; then you can up the F stop whilst still maintaining a reasonable shutter speed. You may also temporarily blind your subjects which means they don't bugger off immediately. Still, even at F7.1, the depth of field is small; so get your focus right anyway (see previous post).

[Goompa]

Thank you for that info FR , I will give it a try , I have almost given up on this lens so anything that will help is much appreciated , this is a fine lens and small to handle , but if I have to go back to the canon 100 I will have to get back into weight training first ,

Cheers

[FracturedRabbit]

Thank you for that info FR , I will give it a try , I have almost given up on this lens so anything that will help is much appreciated , this is a fine lens and small to handle , but if I have to go back to the canon 100 I will have to get back into weight training first ,

Cheers

I used to have the Canon 100mm. An OMD and the 60mm is a much more manageable, and competent, macro combination. Here are some inspiring shots, none of which I took of course: http://gpc.olympus-imaging.com/results/?lang=en#tabs-4

[FracturedRabbit]

PB050919 by pattayadays.com, on Flickr

[MJP]

Goomps,

BrokenBunny is the best to ask about this.

But for what it's worth try stopping the lens down to f11 to increase the depth of field and shoot in M - Manual mode.

I hesitate to disagree with our latest and some would say greatest (I wouldn't, because I know his vices) moderator; don't shoot at F11 with an M43 camera. Image quality degrades quite quickly after F7.1. But by all means stop down for more depth of field if light will allow (it usually doesn't, bugs seem to avoid sunlight). One solution is to use a flash; then you can up the F stop whilst still maintaining a reasonable shutter speed. You may also temporarily blind your subjects which means they don't bugger off immediately. Still, even at F7.1, the depth of field is small; so get your focus right anyway (see previous post).

See? I was right to ask the Rabbit.

The Rabbit knows.

I struggle with macro. There is a way using focus stacking too. There's YouTube tutorials about this.

[Goompa]

PS Editor 12 is not capable of stacking without a plug -in and I very much appreciate the effort that you guys have gone to in helping me , thank you

I am developing slowly , but better from help from those with experience , I feel that this should be the way that the community will grow , somedays I struggle others I shine , be it only in my mind though.

Cheers

ps , money well spent on that viper FR

[MJP]

Yup, Rabbit? Does viper have a name yet? How is he getting along with the cat?

[Goompa]

F 11 ?

[FracturedRabbit]

F 11 ?

Aperture setting. The 60mm starts at F2.8 and the aperture is stopped down from there. As mentioned earlier; try and stay between F2.8 and F7.1.

[Guest]

I have also been struggling with the M4/3 macros. Naive as I was, I thought having a F1.8 lens would make photography easier as it allows faster shutter speeds and lower ISO's. That was until I hit to the shallow DoF trap.

Now it seems that even using smaller aperture, it's actually quite difficult to get the whole butterfly in focus. As the focus area increases when having more distance to the subject, I sometimes simply step away a bit and then later on crop the image.

I thought that F/11 should be still valid for M4/3 cameras and have kept that as a guideline. There was a resent talk about diffraction on equipment forum along with the links to theoretical calculator http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/diffraction-photography.htm But even the site notes, that real life is not always the same as theory.

Thanks for the teaching.

[Goompa]

Great info , when I stop down to more than f 5.6 on my equipment it sends my exposure down to - 3 , the viewfinder gets dark and I have to try and re-evaluate , does my head in , then go back to auto just so I can get an image Oilinki , do you use the 60 mm ?

this is at 7,1 at 1/400 iso 200 , I want to keep noise down so that I don't overdo editing , I like to get up close but I don't have a macro flash for the Oly lens , so as FR said bugs like dark and without a light I am buggered also !

[Guest]

@Goompa I only have the stock lens 12-40mm/F3.5 with macro mode in it and then sometimes play around with 45mm/F1.8 lens.

As I practise, I sometimes use full auto mode, sometimes use the Aperture mode and let the camera do rest of the work. Sometimes play with manual mode as well as with the standard EM5 flash to make the shutter speed faster.

This is one of the tests. 45mm F11 with flash used. Not cropped. The focus could have been a tad more further away, but still there was no way I could have been able to capture the creeper as fully focused. At least I could not figure a way how to do it.

[MJP]

On this subject of macro, if any one wants to get into this without having to buy a dedicated macro lens, have a look at the Raynox DCR-150 and DCR-250.

Goes on the end of a regular lens.

I just picked one up for £39.

[Goompa]

Still a very sharp image Oilinki , I have very many similar shots at different A settings , just this 60 mm is driving me crazy atm that's all , I will apply FR's inputs and see if I cannot achieve a better result , thank you kindly.

The image you posted a while back with the gecko on the thumb was absolutely striking btw , for you to get that result from a 12-40 is inspiring , thanks

Cheers

[Guest]

I had to check that one out. It was (most likely) the Zuiko 45mm/F1.8 lens as the focal length was 43mm on Picasa. That's one great (and cheap) lens, which is recommended by FR and various others.

[Guest]

Frog hiding inside waterpipe

[FracturedRabbit]

Great info , when I stop down to more than f 5.6 on my equipment it sends my exposure down to - 3 , the viewfinder gets dark and I have to try and re-evaluate , does my head in , then go back to auto just so I can get an image Oilinki , do you use the 60 mm ?

this is at 7,1 at 1/400 iso 200 , I want to keep noise down so that I don't overdo editing , I like to get up close but I don't have a macro flash for the Oly lens , so as FR said bugs like dark and without a light I am buggered also !

I use Aperture priority (A on the dial) for almost all my shooting. Start macro at F2.8 and then change the aperture to get more depth of field; while keeping an eye on the shutter speed to make sure it doesn't become impossibly slow. If necessary I raise the ISO to help with that. Shooting on a tripod helps a lot, both with being able to use a really low shutter speed (provided your subject is stationery), and also it is massively helpful in keeping things in focus after I have done my manual focusing. With my less than steady hands it is easy to move out of focus when I press the shutter with no tripod. You don't need a macro flash, a standard flash will do the job, although of course it gives you less control than you might like over your lighting.

[Guest]

Smile for the camera - I'm doing it!

[klauskunkel]

Rhino Beetle, (if you don't behave I will post you in the Food Thread)

[fabianfred]

Atlas moth caterpillar ... 6 in. long

with those things on their backs they look like Nudibranchs underwater..

[Goompa]

Grass Shower

Thanks for your suggestions FR and OILS , I now can achieve manual focus though this one

was taken prior. 60mm f.4 iso 100 1/250 Oly E-M10

[FracturedRabbit]

PB210075 by pattayadays.com, on Flickr

E-M1, 60mm Macro with FL-600R flash