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      05-03-2012, 12:25 AM   #25
vachss
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Quote:
Originally Posted by silvergray545 View Post
Those are some really cool pictures. What kind of macro do you use? I have a 60mm but I know I can't get detailed photos like that. Also, how close do you have to get to the bugs to get photos like that?

I'd like a macro lens where I could stand 25 feet away from the bugs and still get detailed photos like that lol.
Thanks, but you can do a lot with the 60mm macro - that's one sharp lens. It'll go down to 1:1 magnification, which lets you fill a frame with a 15 x 22mm scene. That ought to be enough to see detail in the compound eyes of larger insects. A real key with macro is lighting. You don't necessarily need a fancy dedicated macro flash (though they're handy), but some kind of off-shoe flash with a diffusor will both allow you to highlight detail and freeze motion.

FWIW I kinda went off the deep end a bit on the whole macro thing. Most of my stuff is shot with the Canon 65mm MP-E lens, which goes all the way down to 5:1 magnification but requires you to shove the lens 2-4 inches away from the bug's face. There are alternatives that let you back off more. The Canon or Sigma 180mm macro lenses are probably the best examples, but these are big unwieldy beasts and don't let you get to the same high magnifications as the MP-E. If you do want to sit a foot away from your subject and still get 1:1 magnification, though, they are probably your best bet.
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