Hello Jan, did you get my second message, or did it vanish into the ether ?

Also i guess this is after my first message ?

1/ Camera mode is your choice but i am not sure i would have used moving, maybe P,S,A OR M.

2/A good starting point for your zoom is possibly around 135mm, this should eliminate the Raynox Frame.

Camera technique, any small movement will be magnified, this includes camera shake, breathing, moving slightly forward or back after focus selected, etc. or tripod, you could start with static subjects of a similar size to the insects at least they wont move.

Due to the shallow DOF try and get the subject square to the camera. Your Bee is out of focus on one wing, you should have moved to the right slightly.

Focus by moving the camera back and forth slowly until focus is achieved, you may need to fine tune with the manual focus wheel, also chek your viewfinder dioptre setting is correct for your eyes otherwise it will never be in focus.

Most of it i hope was in the message but i sometimes over complicate things. Sorry if ive confused you.

Hi Kevin, No confusion at all. I have a feeling that I may have mistakenly deleted your second message. I printed out the first one and then saw a load of advertising ones and got rid all in one go. Ooer! Sorry. I shall try your latest hints and tips tomorrow. Many thanks.

Jan.

what is 10x zoom though? its a meaningless measurement.

it differs from camera to casmera, depending on the lowest focal length it starts at.

A camera with a 15mm starting point will only be 150mm at 10x.

one with a starting point of 20mm will be 200mm at 10x.

Smiffyboots and David, please don't fall out over this. I saw both points immediately. Like you David, I thought what is meant by 10x and then like you meant, Smiffyboots I thought that it is 10x whatever your lens may start at and then increase accoprdingly. My thanks to you both.

Jan.

This is the equipment I use when using the Raynox 250.

Camera, Tripod, Raynox 250, Shutter release, 2 focusing racks set at rightangles to give adjustment from side to side and backwards and forwards (Bought on Ebay), clip on flexi stem led light (from Argos). Clamp to hold subject.

Aubietia flowers

These two photos are straight from the camera. The next one has been cropped and sharpened.

In my gallery page one are three photos using the Raynox 250, Speedwell, Dog Rose and Hyacinth.

(I will put the links in this evening, run out of time now.)

Misty

Margaret and Ray. My appreciation for both your time and trouble in responding. I can reply to you together. I have looked at the focusing racks and they are of varying cost.

I can see the benefit of one when doing 'stills' but not when trying to shoot a moving target, so to speak. Using the bees as an example. They remain still for so short a time that it doesn't seem possible to use a rack in those circumstances.

Using a remote cable would appear to be a good way forward but I've not yet seen any threads/posts advocating using one. I wonder if it would assist greatly when trying to use manual focusing. I too, have failed to get a proper macro of any bee or insect that refuses to remain in one place long enough for me to get a [half] decent shot of it. Never mind, faint heart and all that.

Jan.

These three shots were the final result of around 100 taken with the 250. I have cropped them to get rid of the black ring. They were taken at full zoom and on 'moving objects' setting. To me they are not too bad but I can see that they are only probably either side of average, depending upon the photographic skills of the viewer.

I've had enough for today as my back is not very happy with the amount of slight forward bending that I have had to do. A darkened room and a bed will do nicely, methinks. Please keep the comments and advice coming. By the cringe, I don't half need it.

Jan.

Thanks Kevin, I didn't give that a thought. I may even have another go later on this evening. I'm not really into photographing the heads etc of insects but I wpuld like to have, at least, a working knowledge of the 150/250. I have had a look at a genuine macro lens from Tamron, the 90mm 2.8. Are they as difficult to use as the 150/250 or a little easier?

Jan.

They are good photos for handheld, Jan.

success rate is very low on macro outdoors with moving subjects and slightest breath of wind throwing the focus out..

Hello Jan me old mate.

I took this one today with my Raynox DCR-150 (hand held). Dung Fly - (Scathophaga Stercoraria)

It was breezy and the subject kept going in and out of focus but it's not bad.  I do think that in the conditions I experienced today,  I would not have got a shot at all with the 250.

Cheers, good forum post.

Jan,  you are a one!!!  It's  Ramses NOT Ransome you should be taking advice from. Lol.  As I say Jan, for hand-held, I think the 150 is great, you have a greater DOF than the 250.  I have seen some super stuff with the 250 but I doubt they would have got a single shot in a breeze and hand-held.  Just depends on how much detail you want and what of.  The choice is yours mate.

Blowing a gale!!!!! Yeh but this was taken indoors!!!! Lol  More detail Kev and like you say, you have to take the shots to get "some" good uns.  It all depends on what Jan wants to do really.  Mind you,  the more info he has, the more wisdom for his choice.

Cheers