Focus problems

[Baz]

Okay I got a reversing ring and I\'m using a Nikon D50 DSLR with a 50mm and a 210mm lens and getting pics like these -

Seems pretty hit and miss with the focusing. But my main problem is that I can\'t seem to get close enough for a good picture with the lenses as normal or I can\'t fit the whole mini in frame with the reversing ring! Anyone know a way round this?

 

[Spacemunkie]

That set up will be incredibly sensitive to vibration and will give you a really narrow DOF.

Put the cam on a tripod, use your self-timer and use a narrower aperture. Your lighting looks a bit hit and miss and you\'ll need plenty of that too...

 

[Dragonsreach]

I\'d also suggest a less cluttered background to help you see the mini as you focus.
A simple card backdrop should suffice.

 

[Alexi Z]

I think you have problem with small \"depth of field\" (DOF). The larger the aperture (smaller the f stop number) then the smaller the depth of field. You must set small aperture (like f/16) and then you can make a sharp picture.

UPD: Oops, Spacemunkie already told this to you. My bad :drunk:

 

[Baz]

I think the answer is -

More light + Smaller apeture + tripod = better pics.

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by Baz
I think the answer is -

More light + Smaller apeture + tripod = better pics.

The light should be diffuse light if you can manage it. Also, if you can, go as high as the lens allows on aperture; that\'ll give you the best depth of field available.

Einion

 

[Beelzebrush]

Try your aperture starting around f16 and getting smaller (aperture not number so - f22 perhaps) to get the best DOF... you shouldn\'t really need to reduce the aperture to the smallest on a D50 tbh.

Reversing a lens onto another lens will give you a pretty shallow DOF and vignetting I believe... I\'ve never tried it to be honest but it certainly reads that way

 

[Kester]

I\'ve got a d50. What size lens are you using? does it have a macro setting? If not
try setting the camera to aperture priority mode and kick your aperture upto about F/20 ish
You will need to use a tripod because the shutter speed will be quite slow and camera shake will be unavoidable. Also, Set your ISO to 200 and make sure your metering is set to \"Spot Metering\".

 

[Kester]

Oh no... double post... please don\'t shoot me!
I\'ve just noticed that you say what lens you are using in the first post! Is it the kit lens that came with the camera? If it is, it doesn\'t have a macro function. I was messing around with my d50 last night and the settings that I said in the above post seem to work quite well and I was just using the kit lens. By the way none of the stuff in my gallery was done on the d50 it was done on a compact! So I can\'t point you to any pics that have been done using these settings. All that will change when my light tent arrives!

 

[sg2009]

your camera should have a macro setting on the top. if you only have that lens etc as well as using spacemunkies dof advice also try taking the pic further away from the mini this should mae it easier to focus on then simply crop the pic on your pc

 

[Kester]

Focal distance on the d50\'s 50mm kit lens is about 10cm. Don\'t get closer than that.

 

[Spacemunkie]

Dude is using his kit lens reversed and screwed onto the front of a 210mm lens attached to his body. Minimum focusing distances tend to go out of the window when doing this! It should, in theory, give the OP around 4x magnification

\'Macro\' presets on DSLRs are a waste of time. It\'s a function of the lens, not the body settings. They just lock you into average settings. Best off in AV or manual.

More advice: Remove any filters on your lenses and focus by moving the entire camera backwards and forwards.

If you can\'t get it to work with minis, go outside and try it on other stuff. These were done with a 4 buck Ricoh 50mm reversed by handholding onto a broken 70-300mm (at 300mm = 6X magnification!):

I like the lo-fi images I get with this ropey macro setup!

 

[alextheartist]

Yeh, but you are some crazy wicked photographer