My first bee

[johnd]

I think I've got my first half decent shot of a bee after chasing them all around the garden for days.
The flash blew out a bit. Next time I'll try with the diffuser.

Sigma 150 macro, SB800, 1/60, f22, iso200




Cheers, John

[stubbsy]

John

That's a great shot - you should be proud of it.

[sirhc55]

Excellent John

[Slider]

Great shot John.

Just out of interest, how far away from the subject were you with that lens?

[mudder]

Wow, great detail! One thing I always notice with the dedicated macro lens's's's is the deep DOF... Wonder if it's just because I've taken my half-arsed macro stuff using the Canon 500d on the 80-400 at 400mm

[johnd]

Peter, Chris, Mark and Andrew, thanks for the comments.

Mark, I think I was about 15 to 20 cms away from the bee, but the lens is only supposed to focus to 38 cms according to the scale on the lens. I could have sworn I was closer. I just put the lens on manual focus, minimum focus distance and moved in until it was sharp in the viewfinder.

Cheers, John

[Alpha_7]

Looks like that bee is in dire need for a haircut or maybe an allover wax.

Great shot John! Glad you finally found a subject willing to bee still long enough to take it's photo!

[Slider]

Peter, Chris, Mark and Andrew, thanks for the comments.

Mark, I think I was about 15 to 20 cms away from the bee, but the lens is only supposed to focus to 38 cms according to the scale on the lens. I could have sworn I was closer. I just put the lens on manual focus, minimum focus distance and moved in until it was sharp in the viewfinder.

Cheers, John

Thanks John, I am keen to get myself a dedicated macro but don't want one that you need to be almost touching the subject. 38cm sounds preety good

[Alex]

Great shot, John. Very sharp.

Well done
Alex

[marcotrov]

Terrific image John makes me keen to get a hold of mine
cheers
marco

[johnd]

Craig, Alex and Marco, thanks for the comments. The sharpness is getting there. I seemed to have focussed on the wings in this rather than the eyes. I guess the trick is to get them side on and try to get all of the insect in focus.

Yes Craig, they are hairy little critters. I was quite suprised really how furry they are.

Mark, I'm having a great time with the 150 sigma macro. And as you say, you don't need to be touching the subject. The lens does true 1:1 macro at 38 cms and 1:2 at 50 cms. I'm finding it a great lens for flower shots. If the flower is too big for a macro, you just take a step or two back. The lens will focus out to infinity so you can use it as a short 150 mm telephoto as well.