some advice please

[JCD]

Hi,
I know next to nothing about photography, but would love to be able to take a great picture of my bees close up....perhaps on a flower. I spent last Sunday reading the manual for my camera....a Canon Ixus 870IS, 10 mega pixels, and 4 x zoom. A point it and press digital camera. I guessed my options were either: leave it on automatic and zoom in, select macro and zoom in, not on automatic and select foliage (Seemed to be the closest option offered). I also tried with the different pixel amounts (?).......evidently you can't email the larger size option. I took a few pics on all of these settings, but they all lacked clarity. I always half press the button first to focus, before I take the shot. The camera was positioned at about 18" away from the subject.....and yes eventually I got stung!
Can anyone tell me please what settings would give me my best chances, or give any advice ?

Thank you

 

[luckyclover]

Hi,

When you say "lacked clarity" do you mean slightly blurred? This is most likely because your shutter speed isn't high enough. Try either photographing something not moving with your camera on tripod or placed securely on a stand and see what difference that makes at the same settings.
To get higher shutter speeds you need either a wider aperture (low f number) or to increase the ISO. The former will give a shallower depth of field whilst the latter might make the image noisy. The alternative is to introduce more light to the area, either with a flash or better use of sunlight.

Let us know if that helps

 

[TJSnapper]

leave it on automatic and zoom in, select macro and zoom in

You have a good camera there and you should get some great shots with practice. The Canon Ixus range is what I recommend when I teach divers underwater photography so here are a couple of tips, sorry if I am teaching you to suck eggs....

For a start I would not zoom in so much and just select the macro mode. Somewhere in the manual/on the camera there should be a min. focusing distance. Basically the camera will not focus if you are closer than this, even more so if you are zoomed in. I Just looked it up, 1.2" or 3cm. zoomed out so there will be no problems with getting close enough. I would suggest that 18" is zoomed in is the wrong way to approach things. Sorry you got stung, usually the bees are far too busy collecting nectar and pollen to bother about the odd photo.

The use of digital zoom is not to be recommended and quality will rapidly deteriorate as you are no longer using the optical ability of the lens but software within the camera to make make up the image.

As LuckyClover said, look at maintaining a high enough shutter speed to freeze the action and then combine this with the right ISO and aperture to get the shot you want.

If you PM me your images will have a look at them, the EXIF info will give you a good indication as to where the problems lie.. Hope this helps.

Tristan

 

[Rosti]

Broadly agree with TJ but if you are using a compact you have a compromise to make. Some general pointers that I hope will help.

If you have multiple macro options, select the correct one
- AF macro (use camera zoomed out) - is best with good lighting
- Std Macro - use in conjunction with the zoom button not so good, more chance of shake and lower shutter speeds
- if you only have a single macro setting then use it with the camera zoomed out, not zoomed in.

Lighting is important because if the camera is close to the subject (AF Macro mode) then the camera itself can restrict light and /or cause shadow. Think about this when you position yourself relative to the natural light source. Little point using flash on a comapct with macro since the camera body will shield the subject and you get high lateral shadow.

Given the choice go for AF macro every time because it gives you the detail and clarity that zoom shots loose.

Compacts dont have high diameter lenses, so in general terms the lens is 'slow' The more you zoom the slower they get (smaller aperture). The way a compact zoom is made means that you'll be lucky to get within 2m of the subject on full macro zoom, where as on AF macro you'll get within say 50mm.

Finally if your camera allows manual ISO(speed) setting fix it at 400ASA, more than this on a small camera will likely go grainy.

Good luck, be interested to see the results, R

 

[psafloyd]

The Ixus is a pretty good machine for a compact. You will probably find you have a macro setting (usually an image of a flower). This will allow you to get up close and personal with your subject. I would also try the sports setting as this will give you a faster shutter and possibly buffering, speed.

Another thing to do is make sure you have a fast memory card. There is nothing more frustrating than pressing a digital compact's shutter release only to have to wait a second or two for any action.

Get the fastest you can for the kind of requirements you have and it will pay dividends. Try somewhere like 7dayshop.com for decent prices rather than paying over the odds a Jessops/Jacobs.

 

[psafloyd]

Broadly agree with TJ but if you are using a compact you have a compromise to make. Some general pointers that I hope will help.

If you have multiple macro options, select the correct one
- AF macro (use camera zoomed out) - is best with good lighting
- Std Macro - use in conjunction with the zoom button not so good, more chance of shake and lower shutter speeds
- if you only have a single macro setting then use it with the camera zoomed out, not zoomed in.

Lighting is important because if the camera is close to the subject (AF Macro mode) then the camera itself can restrict light and /or cause shadow. Think about this when you position yourself relative to the natural light source. Little point using flash on a comapct with macro since the camera body will shield the subject and you get high lateral shadow.

Given the choice go for AF macro every time because it gives you the detail and clarity that zoom shots loose.

Compacts dont have high diameter lenses, so in general terms the lens is 'slow' The more you zoom the slower they get (smaller aperture). The way a compact zoom is made means that you'll be lucky to get within 2m of the subject on full macro zoom, where as on AF macro you'll get within say 50mm.

Finally if your camera allows manual ISO(speed) setting fix it at 400ASA, more than this on a small camera will likely go grainy.

Good luck, be interested to see the results, R

Get yourself a tripod as well, as it will greatly reduce the camera shake. You can pick up an adequate one very cheaply on Amazon for less than a tenner. Just attach a bag to the hook underneath to give you more stability. A plastic bag with a bag of sugar in it will do.

 

[JCD]

Thank you all for your replies.....I went on holiday a couple of days after my post, so am only just reading your replies and trying to take it all in. Give me a few days, and I'll practice with what you've suggested (I don't understand all of it!) and I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks again

 

[JCD]

Right.....I stayed zoomed out, the ISO is on 'automatic' as opposed to 'high'. (They are the only two ISO options.) I don't yet have a faster memory card, and neither do I have a tripod. I am very pleased with the improvement so far, so thank you all very much for your suggestions. The pics were all taken at 3 - 6cms away.

I shall endeavour to upload a couple of my better pics for you to see, and please comment on......I know they're not perfect! I know that the background in the pics isn't great.

Is it going to be possible to take a picture with my camera where the bee is larger in the picture? Or is such an image with that detail only possible with better equipment?

here we go
thanks

 

[Rosti]

Is it going to be possible to take a picture with my camera where the bee is larger in the picture? Or is such an image with that detail only possible with better equipment?

Macro capability is dependent on the lens so is fixed on a camera where you can't change lenses. For static subjects you can optimise/maximise your macro potential by taking the camera down until it is too close to focus and pulling back until it just focuses. Then 'rock the camera' through the focal point taking multiple pictures (spray and pray!).

For insects you tend to have to move to where the subject is and the window of opportunity for a capture is brief. On that basis I would not invest in a tripod unless you have a wider application for that kit (and of course you can't change position easily with a tripod to maximise macro as per above). Tripods help in low light conditions but then insect activity in low light is reduced anyway so opportunities to shoot become naturally limited. R

 

[luckyclover]

Hi JCD,

Not a bad effort. The last picture isn't far off the macro mark in terms of point and shoot capabilities. Your focus point seems to be off centre to the bottom right. Are you using the centre focus point or multiple AF points?
I disagree with using the camera zoomed out, this is a wide angle effect. Don't use digital zoom but try zooming optically and see what happens. I don't know if you can manually focus your camera so rocking forward and back may not work if your camera is trying to automatically focus.
Practice on a static object outdoors until you get to know your limitations then move onto the moving bee shots.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hi JCD,


Practice on a static object outdoors until you get to know your limitations then move onto the moving bee shots.

Isn't that the wonder of digital?
1000 shots and no cost to bin and try again

 

[luckyclover]

Certainly, no financial excuse not to practice!

In addition I would like to point out that it is not necessary to buy a fast memory card unless you are looking to do burst frame shooting where transferring to a slow memory card would be a rate limiting factor. That being said the cost of memory cards is so cheap if you are buying one get a fast one!