Macro lens for Nikon D70

[ghostsword]

Got the lens at home and tried it.

Now this is a hard lens to work with, at least for a newbie like me. On A and S it was just showing F--, so after trying all the settings it only works on M. A pro would have known but a newbie like me only with trial and error.

Have not figured out how to get it right, I am getting used to focusing on moving objects, but took some photos already.

The ladybird was found on top of the emersed riccia, it was later placed on the garden:




Ludwigia Arcuata trying to grow out of the water:

 

[ceg4048]

Hi Luis,
Remember we just discussed this issue? There is no exposure metering with this lens on a D70. You have to meter manually. There is no other choice. "A"= full auto and "S"= shutter priority. These are useless with this camera/lens combination.

That means flash modes also have to be manual. Are you using the built in flash or a separate hot shoe mounted flash? Or maybe even a studio light/torch? Shooting macro with the built-in flash is difficult because you cannot get even coverage at close working distances.

Also, you need to stop down all the way if you can.

The shots all look very blurry. Were these hand held? I couldn't get any exposure data from my browser. Were these at closest focusing distances?

It's easier to practice getting the hang of things with easier (if boring) still subjects like shiny penny on a table or something like that.

Cheers,

 

[ghostsword]

Thanks mate.

The lens is fab, I am having fun with it, but all is manual, no help on anything.. 🙂 So when something comes right it is spectacular and a really good feeling.

The lens is only on Manual, the flash does not work with it, or I have not figure out how to get it to shoot, but using
the aperture ring I can let more or less light enter the camera, meaning that the pics will be darker or lighter.

Also, I shot this at 1/10 exposure, I need to use faster shutter speeds. The Ladybird was on the move and was on top of a riccia island above a Koralia, plus with the handheld shake, it was a miracle that something came out. 😀

The pic data is here http://www.flickr.com/photos/ghostsword ... 3270/meta/

I will practice and practice, and as this is not a lens that I can just take out and shoot with, I will need to dedicate time to it.

I think that if I can shoot with this lens I will be able to shoot with anything else on the market. 🙂

Feels like a 911RS from 1973, great looks, great results, but no ABS or TC. 😀

 

[ghostsword]

Thanks mate.

The lens is only on Manual, the flash does not work with it, or I have not figure out how to get it to shoot, but using
the aperture ring I can let more or less light enter the camera, meaning that the pics will be darker or lighter.

Actually, it was my fault that the flash did not worked, there is another setting on the menu that places the flash as auto, or ttl, it was ttl. Once I setup the flash to auto it worked fine. 🙂

It is so sad being a newbie at this. :!:

 

[ceg4048]

Yeah, you absolutely, positively want to avoid using such long shutter speeds with moving subjects and especially when shooting hand held. The Exif data output by the camera is not valid with this lens because the lens does not have central processing unit (CPU) like your zoom does. There is no way for the lens to communicate with this camera. That's why you have no metering.

I suggest that you use a higher ISO, like 400 or higher. This gives you a higher light sensitivity.
Set an aperture to at least f/8 and a speed of at least 1/30th of a second.

The D70 also has something called "Flash Exposure Compensation". What this means basically is that the duration that the flash illuminated is longer, or the intensity is stronger, or both when you select a compensation in the "+" direction. Conversely, when you select in the "-" direction the intensity is weaker. The same button that you use to pop the flash up is what you need to press while at the same time turning the dial. You'll see a little "+/- lightning bolt" icon in the finder and on the top LCD.

Using a higher shutter speed permits less light and this is exacerbated by using a smaller aperture, so adding more flash (+) "compensates" for this. If your pictures get washed out when you use the flash then that means you're admitting too much light and you need to turn the dial the other way in the "-" direction.

Cheers,

 

[ghostsword]

Fantastic information, much appreciated. I will keep playing with it until I get it right, but your advice has taken days if not weeks out of the exercise.

Many thanks