The BEST Camera Settings for Macro Photography
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- čas přidán 19. 07. 2024
- In this video I will give you a rundown of the best camera settings for macro photography. These settings will let you hit the ground running - and let you take great macro photos along the way!
This is a simple macro photography tutorial for beginners, or those of you that may be interested in giving macro photography a go. But keep in mind that macro photography needs patience, practice and commitment. So good luck and have fun!
FYI, the gear I use in this video works for me and my setup, but using these setting will let you get the same results with any camera + macro lens + flash combination.
Chapters --
00:00 Intro
00:31 Gear
02:54 Settings
03:10 Focusing / Focus Peaking
03:47 Aperture
04:43 Shutter Speed
05:08 ISO
05:58 Flash Settings
06:46 Shooting in RAW / Nailing Shots in Camera
07:07 Recap
07:32 Conclusion
Want some easy macro photo ideas? Luckily there's a video: • Simple and Easy Macro ...
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Some nice tips here. Just a couple of things to consider.
You say to leave your ISO at a low setting, but if you don't change your aperture and your shutter speed cancels out any ambient light, the only way you can affect exposure is by the combination of flash power and ISO.
While a low ISO is good to decrease as much noise as possible, a short flash duration is even more critical.
As you mention no ambient light is impacting the image, so as it's only the light produced by the flash which is much faster than any shutter speed anyway, shutter speed becomes totally irrelevant once it's reached the speed to cancel any ambient light. (you can test this easily by shooting and varying your shutter speed, you'll see the exposure doesn't change)
Flashes don't increase the amount of light as you increase their power, they increase the duration the light is produced, so (especially with moving subjects) the lower the flash power and faster flash duration you have, the better.
This will freeze subjects better, produce less harsh highlights, allow the flash to recycle faster which means you use less battery and can fire the flash much faster for focus stacking etc.
Using a slightly higher ISO will allow for lower flash power, and there's very good post processing techniques to remove some noise nowadays.
That's why diffusing the flash is so difficult as you want to diffuse the light while not stopping it for the same reasons!
Hope that makes sense, otherwise great vid with very clear information!
A little late in my comment but I agree. I now use a powerful flash (Godox AD200) with a 20 cm reflector. The reflector puts all the light forwards which enables a low flash duration. The combination of powerful flash and 20 cm reflector mean I do not need to raise my ISO. Downside is my rig is heavy but most of my insect shots are taken less than 100m from my door.
Very clearly explained, to the point, no nonsense, points very well made.
Thank you!
Man, this helped me out so much. I avoided manual mode because it was overwhelming but I feel a lot more comfortable with it after watching this and doing some experimenting, thanks!
Good stuff, glad to help! Have fun!
Thankyou for your succinct & straightforward advice & suggestions. Really appreciate how you outlined where to start & hopefully improve on macro photography. ❤
Thanks! I'm glad to help! :)
Your tutorial is GREAT! Thank you. I've been a hobbyist photographer for years but never tried macro. I bought a new macro lens but wasn't sure of what settings would work best. I used your suggested settings with fantastic results. Thanks!
Awesome! Glad I could help! Thanks for watching
Thanks mate, finally someone who speaks clearly and slowly so I can see where I am going wrong :-) I have a Nikon Z7ii and both the Laowa 100mm and the new 58mm lens I thnk they are just great
Awesome! Glad to help. Good luck! 🙂
This has been the best video so far for Macro settings.. Well done keep up the tutorials
Thanks very much, thanks for watching!
Bravo! Grazie!
Great video thanks!
Perfect information...
Thank you!!
So nice and clear! Thank you!
Glad to help! 🙂
Thanks, very helpful.
Yes you are right.very help full
I just got an Olympus 60mm macro. Cant wait to try it! Thank you for sharing
Nice! You’ll get some great images with that lens. Enjoy!!
I use 55-250 for shooting moons and stars.
Your explanation is so clear and it helps a beginner like me. Thanks man ! 👌
Glad to help! Good luck!!
If you are beginner, you shall go and take notes before you start shooting. And if the quality in your head picture is clear than watch better at your subject, who do you try to make sense with portrait, landscape, macro and so on. Take care so you don´t get bad shoots.
Thanks! I'm using Z6 and Laiwa 100mm is next on my list!
Nice! It’s a great lens
Brilliant video and you explained it nice and clear.Thanks for the tips 👍👍
Thank you, thanks for watching!
Nice video with settings.
Thank you
just found Focus peaking on my Z6..only when in manual mode. i look forward to trying it . thanks
i went out today using focus peaking and F 11-18 and was so happy with my images. previously i was using too shallow depth of field,,,thank you so much
Thanks
Very god video!
Good vid, thanks.
When using in-camera focus bracketing/stacking with flash, should I be using electronic or manual shutter?
How does the flash keep up with the incremental bracketing shots?
Many thanks in advance for your valued response.
Good. Subbed.
I just loved your video. Thank you very much. Which macro lens do you recommend for DSLR cameras ( Canon 90 d). Thank you.
Thanks for watching, glad to help! Canon make some good macro lenses - 100mm f2.8 and the classic MP-E65mm f2.8. The 65mm has crazy magnification
Great video, just for me! What kind of exposure measurement do you use? Thank you
With those camera settings and a flash it’s generally exposed correctly, so I don’t really measure the exposure that closely. Adjusting the flash power can +- the exposure
Great video ,,, i have a quesitos about Wich focus chouse ,,, i have a nikon z5 with mc 105mm s and i dint know Wichita focus settig is better to macro pic,,,
Manual focus can give you more precise focusing
Excellent video. Thanks. Why ISO 200 and not the lowest the camera can handle .. like ISO64 on the Z8?
Thank you, thanks for watching. ISO 200 seems to be the sweet spot with aperture/shutter speed for most situations.
Speed with a flash you should alway set to the camera flash sync mine is 1/200
Mine as well but I have semiobsurity so I dont see your face camera because too much light give a bad image.
I just watched your video as im interested in dipping my toe into macro photography with my r7. One thing I would like to ask is this you said about using the laowa lense, but looking at your camera, it also looks like you're using extension tubes? Would they make a big difference? Or am I mistaking your lens setup?
Oh no that is the Nikon FTZ adapter, letting me use F mount lenses on the Z mount of the camera. Technically it's a tube, as it has no glass inside of it. You don't really need extension tubes, a good macro lens (like that Laowa) can give you good magnification anyway
@@Blinsaff ahh ok thank you for the info as I was slightly confused lol
"Drive mode" continuous for quick multiple shots for stacking, or to just capture a properly focuse image among the others?
Would leaving your iso to auto make sense just like when we do in wildlife photography? I know lower iso values equal less noise but I was just wondering whether that would be a good practice or not. Also how this choice can work if you leave the flash on TTL?
Hmm, I personally haven't tried it and I'm not sure it would work that well. The camera might go crazy with the ISO, bumping it up too much in certain situations. I would prefer to have complete control over every setting. But hey give it a go, see if it works, you can always fall back to manual ISO
@@Blinsaff I was just wondering whether that would be an option but for sure a lower iso is preferable. 😃
@@marieta.s haha yeah. All you can do is try it out, see if it’s usable
I try with low ISO but is not clear enough. It needs more detail for the face image and value F/stop. When value is to low than F stop shall be comprehended better. You should be delayed to not understand the quality in F Stop value. I saw better 8 and 11 average so ...
My a6000 incorrectly judges ISO in this low F stop, high shutter, flash situation. It throws >2500 ISO, overexposing and destroying the image. I tried his tip of turning it down to 200 ISO manual. And my macros are sharp as a tack and well exposed!
hi i want to use macrophotography for my gemstones and jewelry can i buy this 60mm olympus or 100mm D5600 is the best or any entry level you can suggest would be greatly appreciated. D5600 camera is good enough? Pls recommend. Thank you.! also can i follow the same setting M and others you put for this setting
Yes the D5600 would be more than enough. A good lens to look at for the D5600 would be the Nikon 40mm macro lens. Perfect for that camera and affordable. And yes these setting would work well for your jewellery photos
Why did you choose the Laowa over the Nikon Z MC 105mm? Did you already have the Laowa?
Yes, I already had the Laowa, plus it does 2x magnification
there are quite a number of errors here. first, the sweet spot aperture will depend on lens and format; the Olympus 60 sweet spot is actually at f5.6 or f8 because of smaller format. the shutter speed will depend on whether you want to make your flash the main source of light or fill-flash…same with ISO introducing noise…not always if there is plenty of light and you correctly expose. there’s probably more but i didn’t finish the video.
I love how these people (who mostly get their gear free) recommend that you get a mirrorless camera.
Hmm none of this equipment was free.
Yes I also said it, mirror less camera and exposure because you will get a bad picture and a shoot horrible. Up to you how you like your shootings but I ussualy dont go out shooting whitout lessons learned@@Blinsaff
@@Blinsaff Fair enough but you do start out saying you don't need expensive gear and then the first recommendation you give is "get a mirrorless camera"! Tell us, which mirrorless camera isn't expensive in your opinion?
@@mickcooper8739 Only reason why I recommend mirrorless cameras is because of the added features like focus peeking when using manual focus. The camera I use here is the gen 1 Nikon Z6 which isn't sold any more and could be picked up 2nd hand or refurbished for under $1000. A cheap mirrorless camera would be the Panaonic G7 or one of the original Olympus cameras - 2nd hand or refurbished - would be $600? (body only). If you're frugal you could find a good deal.
Not sure why it took you 8 months to reply, but thanks for the comment. Cheers
@@mickcooper8739 Any of the NEX series bodies, a5000, a6000. Can all be had used on a budget. They’re all mirror less and feature focus peaking.
A max of f16 but it’s not a sweet spot due to diffraction
just be careful going above f11 - at f16 you tend to get difraction happening
Im rubbish with photography but would love not to be. When I use those settings with a GH4 and Lumix G 30mm Macro the screen is just black unless over a bright light. Any ideas anyone? Please.
You could try using the flash on the GH4. That should give you a but more light
@Blinsaff Thank you. Really need to learn how to use the camera. Doesn't come easy to me and I have tried. Thanks again 👍🏼
@@inkhole no problem! GH4 was my first camera. Years ago I followed a guy named Dave Dugdale and his GH4 course to understand how to use it properly. You can watch it for free here: czcams.com/play/PL56c3DxICZjsF-mM-Xce0zw-dGH7iRe2p.html&feature=shared
@Blinsaff That's amazing thank you so much. My searching never found that; watching it now. Top man👍🏼
@@inkhole no worries, glad to help!
Why am i learning this stupid stuff in Digital Music class? I dont get what cameras has to do with making music on a ocmputer?
Correct on most points, but you do not need to shoot in RAW and instead of constantly adjusting your flash power output for different subject matter. ie if I was to do it you way I would have perfect shots with dark subjects like insects but very bright when photographing flowers . Best way is to set flash to full and leave it, set ISO on hot key next to shutter button. Doing it this way 95% of your shots will be ISO 100 to 200 and all bright subjects will be ISO 50 to 100. Better photo quality and easy of use. Never take your eye of your subject with this top tip. Hope that helps.
Good suggestions. These are the settings that work for me, and get the results I like. I do like the ISO quick button idea, may have to give it go!
Thanks for watching!
@@Blinsaff No problem happy to help.
*starts off by telling us that gear isn't important
Proceeds with suggesting that we should buy a mirrorless camera, and then recommends to put most of the money in the lens....
Besides that, most of the advice given can be misleading, but maybe that was the intention of this video (?)
Yep, totally!! You caught me out!
But thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a comment. Cheers!
you say you do not need top of the line gear, but the ones you mentioned are very expensive and top of the line. mirrorlesss camera body and laowa lense are not cheap either.
True. But this is the equipment I use, and both are over 5 years old. You could buy both 2nd hand or for cheap now.
2Gud. Tkx a 🐛ton.