My photography journey
mumu
Posts: 1,840
In trying to improve using some of the tips on the forum I think I am slowly improving. Here is my latest test piece (Sorry its a dark sider. Next subject will be a WLH). Immediately does anyone see anything wrong? I think I nailed the color but still not happy with the sharpness though I think its because I dont have a true macro lens for my 20D. All feedback good and bad welcome.
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What are you shooting with? How are you focusing?
try running it thru an
unsharpen mask adjustment
- Can your lens focus close enough? Shoot a picture of a newspaper at the same distance and see if the autofocus can deliver a sharp picture of the printing. If it can, then you should be able to get a good picture of the coin, although you might need to focus manually.
- Is the camera stable? It looks like it is, but a good thing to check.
- Is the lens stable? The kit lens that came with my camera has an involuntary gravitationally activated auto zoom feature which cannot be turned off (i.e., it zooms by itself when pointed downward).
- Are you using image stabilization together with camera support? Image stabilization should usually be turned off when the camera is on a tripod.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
<< <i>A little fuzzy. Should be able to get a sharp image even without a macro lens.
What are you shooting with? How are you focusing? >>
I am set up using the 20D with a 55-125MM lens. On a tripod with a homemade copy stand. Shooting at about 1 meter which is a little farther than the rated macro distance on the lens.(Its not a true macro lens but has a macro distance rating). I have tried with both manual and auto focus and have tried different aperture settings with aperture priority as the main shooting mode. It seems to shoot the best focus with a smaller aperture setting. Thanks for the help. I shot this in raw
RWB here is the full size version:
Also, if you're stopping the lens down (to larger numbers) past f8 or f9.5, you'll start to lose sharpness.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
<< <i>If you're 1 m away but a little closer than the rated minimum distance, you're going to get a blurry picture. Also, some zoom lenses with "macro" settings only give you close focusing at one focal length, usually the shorter one. Unfortunately, at 1 m you'll be approaching "moon shot" with a 55 mm lens. If you don't want to invest in a macro lens, look into a screw-on close-up lens like the Canon 250D or 500D, which will effectively put a strong pair of reading glasses on the camera, allowing you to focus closer more comfortably. Don't get a cheap-o close-up lens, because then you'll get blurry pictures because of poor optics.
Also, if you're stopping the lens down (to larger numbers) past f8 or f9.5, you'll start to lose sharpness. >>
Im a little farther. The rating says .5meters and im about 2-3 feet away. But it is not a big shot lens. Its a canon but it was like 300$. 28-135mm ultrasonic to be exact.
Another thing to consider from that kind of distance is camera shake - becomes more of an issue as the focal length is increased. Use a remote release if possible and stabilize the camera as much as possible (at two points if possible - lean a book against the lens)