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Re: [OM] macro

Subject: Re: [OM] macro
From: Thomas Heide Clausen <omlist@xxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 12:50:07 +0200
On Tue, 22 Jul 2003 23:54:57 -0700
Moose <olymoose@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Fast and macro have a very tenuous relationship. Although a macro
> lens may be fast, once you get very close for anything other than a
> flat subject, you will find that you have to stop down quite a bit
> to get any useful depth of field.
> 
> The Zuiko 50/3.5 is an excellent macro lens available for
> reasonable prices. As I mentioned, it's speed isn't a drawback in
> actual macro work, but limits it's usefulness as a general purpose
> plus macro lens. Also, out of focus parts of the image can have an
> unpleasant edgy quality (bad bokeh) in general use.

Perhaps so. I have not yet tested it for anything that macro-use.

> 
> I prefer longer focal lengths for nature work because of their
> longer working distances, i.e., the distance from the front of the
> lens to the subject is longer. That makes it easier to get shots
> without the shadow of the lens in them and less likely to scare
> bugs. Zuiko has some wonderful macro lenses in that category, but
> they are rather expensive. If you browse the archives, you will
> find all sorts of ideas for using other Zuikos with extension tubes
> or macro telexenders and recommendations for 3rd party macro
> lenses.
> 

Uhh, Moose, I beg to differ. When photographing something with water
(be that underwater or in a fish-tank) then "shorter is better" is
the rule. The trick to good underwater photos is to reduce the colum
of water, since water has a nasty habit of eating light, contrast
etc, as well as carrying all sorts of particles that makes the water
less transparent. I'd say that anything much beyond 30mm is unusefull
for underwater photo. 

So yes, you need to get close to get a picture with the fish (or
other sea creature) nicely frame-filling. However the alternative is
to get a frame-filling shot of the fish, obscured by a lot of water,
with no contrast and with almost no colors of the fish showing :)

--thomas

> Moose
> 
> Steve and Kathy wrote:
> 
> >Thanks for the welcome.  I'm absolutely in dire need of macro
> >stuff.  I love macro.  Believe it or not, I've been satisfied with
> >the screw-on close ups. That needs to change.  I'm a fiend for
> >natural lighting, so I want fast lenses,too.  *sigh* expensive
> >addiction.
> >
> 
> 
> 
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> < Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
> 
> 


-- 

------------------------------------------------
  Thomas Heide Clausen
  Civilingeniør i Datateknik (cand.polyt)
  M.Sc in Computer Engineering

  E-Mail: T.Clausen@xxxxxxxxxxxx
  WWW:    http://voop.free.fr/
------------------------------------------------

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