Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/05/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]The DOF point I was making was more to do with the fact that as more light can reach the subject you can use a smaller appature while still freezing the movement with a reasonable shutter speed. - --- Ken Iisaka <ken@iisaka.org> wrote: > I'm adding to my original mail as below: > > I am also not fond of ringlight, because the light > is completely flat. I'd > rather use natural light with a tripod, with a > diffuser and/or a reflector. > Ring light flash produces images that are almost too > anatomical and > scientific for my taste. > > You don't get more DOF by using a longer lens > either. DOF is a function of > magnification, and the focal lengh really has > nothing to do with it. While > I occasionally used the manual-focus Micro-Nikkor > 200mm/1:4 lens for a > while, I found the lens to be harsh, and not > particularly useful except for > insect photography. For flowers, I would much > prefer a shorter focal length > (50-60mm). I even used a Nikon 28mm/1:2.8 lens that > lets you focus down to > 20cm for flower photographs with successful results. > > I wrote: > > I don't know why you wouldn't recommend an R8, or > a Leica for close-ups. > > Macro-Elmarit 60mm is a brilliant lens, and what I > hear of APO > Macro-Elmarit > > 100mm is nothing short of brilliant. I've used a > Micro-Nikkor 55mm > 1:2.8S, > > but I ended up selling it (last week on eBay) > because I was never > satisfied > > of the colour rendition. > > > > Indeed, autofocus is unnecessary, or even > disadvantageous for close-up > > photography. It is important to have a brilliant > focussing screen for > > accurate focussing, and Leicaflex SL, SL2, and R8 > are among the best. > Nikon > > F3 has just a brilliant viewfinder, but you cannot > use Leica glass with it > > (not without a lot of pain) > > > > > I have done a lot of macro on flowers and can > > > recommend the Nikon with ring flash. > > > > > > If you don't want or use flash try to get the > 200mm > > > micro nikkor the extra distance from the subject > > > allows much more light and enables much better > frame > > > filling and better DOF. > > > > > > I found manual focus is much better for macro > work as > > > you can choose the critical point of focus which > is > > > not always in the centre of the frame. > > > > > > --- Kyle Cassidy <cassidy@netaxs.com> wrote: > > >(snip) > > > . . . I have things narrowed down to an R8, > > > > an F3 which comes > > > > >with some great glassware, or a new EOS body > with a > > > > 28 to 70 f2.8 L > > > > >lens. I need an SLR because I do a lot of > close ups > > > > of flowers. (I've > > > > >heard, by the way, that the Leica 60mm macro > is a > > > > hell of a lens.) > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.co.uk address at http://mail.yahoo.co.uk or your free @yahoo.ie address at http://mail.yahoo.ie