StuartRae said:
Asher,
The 250d is, AFAIK, only for use on the Powershot series.
Yes, a tube would get me closer.
I have to admit I don't know the species, but there are literally hundreds of them in the garden, so it's nothing unusual. More research needed :<)
My real question however, is "in terms of resolving detail, am I limited by my camera?".
Thanks,
Stuart
It's great to know the species. Your fascination will increase once you identify it. Also you can return as often as you like with no travel fees!
The 250D and 500 D are compatable with the following Eos lenses:
EF 100mm f/2 USM
EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
EF 135mm f/2.8 with Softfocus
EF 135mm f/2L USM
EF 28mm f/2.8
EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM
EF 35-80 F/4.0-5.6 USM
EF 35-80mm f/4-5.6 III
EF 35mm f/2
EF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM
EF 400mm f/4 DO IS USM
EF 500mm f/4L IS USM
EF 50mm f/1.8 II
EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro
EF 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 II USM
EF 600mm f/4L IS USM
EF 80-200mm f/4.5-5.6 II
EF 85mm f/1.2L USM
EF 85mm f/1.8 USM
EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...479&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation
It is a great convenient start up the ladder of more magnification without significant loss in resolution.
Unrealized by many, you'll might get about up to 10-20 times loss in resolution in line pair per mm going from a wide aperture to a small one. We talk of a diffraction limit often it occurs about f11 plus or minus for the lenses you might be using.
There's the issue of depth of field which of course is reduced as the aperture is made larger. So one has two effects working in opposite ways.
The website of several of the people who have already replied have a great depth of experience and are worth exploring for pleasure, instruction and inspiration.
At this time, you are not limited by either your lens or by the camera, but by technic and experience.
Here are some pointers based mostly on my experience with photographing shin lesions and tumors in the mouth and so forth with macro lenses.
1.
Check the focus in your view finder (if the camera has it), keeping both eyes open looking at the distance and but ignoring everything in the viewfinder except the info of shutter peed, f stop etc. Adjust so that is sharp.
2 . Use a
fast shutter speed, at least 1/focal length but usually 1/250 or more if hand held.
3.
Choose an f stop of about f 8.0 to start as your initial shots will have greater D.O.F. albeit at lower optical resolution. In the beginning, with less experience, once your shutter speed is fast, you are limited more by finding the plane of focus than by the resolution of (in l.p./mm) of the lens. In practice, you have to sacrifice resolution for depth of foucs.
The flatter the subject, the more you can get away with a larger aperture (but then you need a tripod and a rail and mirror lockup and cable release) and try to take benefit of higher resolution. For practical choices with critters, I'm not the one, look to the details on the pictures in the websites and technics of guys here.
In advanced, (but labor intensive) work, the best resolution (of a 3D object) is obtainable by stacking thin high resolution planes and combining them with special software, but that is another topic.
4. Use a ring light or other
flash.
5.
Focus manually and then final focus by movement in and out. Take many shots. A few might be perfect and blow you away.
6.
Practice with the current lens until you are amazed,
7. then add a superb 250 D (just $71.95) and start again.
8. then consider a 100mm Macro (which has great magnification but decreased DOF but is a wonderful lens!
Hope this helps,
Asher