i agree with Brian, sometimes zerene just cant align every frame, you can easily and quickly merge 3-4 frames with layer masks in photoshop, using masks to cover the oof parts, or by using lassoo tool to select a small sharp area on one frame and move it onto a new layer into another frame where every thing else is in focus.
[especially usefull to add sharp eye detail to another good shot that lacks eye focus]
phil

How is the Nikon 18mm - 55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR for macros? I'm using a Nikon D90 to feed my photography addiction.

Originally Posted by Illiterati How is the Nikon 18mm - 55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR for macros? I'm using a Nikon D90 to feed my photography addiction.

You can get close ups with a kit lens like this but nowhere near a true macro shot. You can actually use a body reversing coupler with them and get macro shots.
Brian v.

i need some advice [ or tips or whatever ]

i was thinking to buy an SB R1 flash unit for a D60
they say it works with TTL , which the D60 has
but other sites say its not compatible , it needs a SB800 commander unit too [ read ; another €300,- euro extra ]

now , what is it ????
or , ... dont buy at all ????
thanks in advance

Originally Posted by basflt i need some advice [ or tips or whatever ] i was thinking to buy an SB R1 flash unit for a D60 they say it works with TTL , which the D60 has but other sites say its not compatible , it needs a SB800 commander unit too [ read ; another €300,- euro extra ] now , what is it ???? or , ... dont buy at all ???? thanks in advance Attachment 30423

From this page http://support.nikontech.com/app/ans...-compatibility seems like it has to be triggered with the built in flash unless you use a commander module.
Brian v.

Originally Posted by Lord Vetinari From this page http://support.nikontech.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/886/~/d-slr-and-nikon-speedlight-compatibility seems like it has to be triggered with the built in flash unless you use a commander module. Brian v.

i have seen this page ; confusing
my camera has TTL , but not I-TTL
can i just slide it onto the flash-bracket ,and use TTL-function ?
as a beginner i dont feel much about adjusting each flash manually
in that case , i would prefereGOLDENORFE 'S suggestion , about a handheld flash
http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=1208827&postcount=2
[ i did read this forum ]

edit
i found my answer ;
this unit is triggered wireless , with infrared
that means i will need the extra commander unit

Originally Posted by GOLDENORFE hi there welcome to the forum. you willl never get a large amount "in focus" at the higher magnifications compared to using wideangle lenses. really depends on what you are shooting. just make sure a dominant area in the frame is in focus. doesnt have to be very large area. for insects always focus on the "eyes" or head depending on size in frame, that is the main focal point. flowers can focus on stamens in centre or a leadind edge of a petal. stick to f7-f14 for sharpest images. just keep shooting and posting. phil

THANK YOU!!! I have been having the same struggles and have wanted to pull my hair out I am soooooo thankful and I know the old saying "practice makes perfect" but my eyes are starting to bleed from taking so many shots to try n get it right haha

Phil--

You have written that you can get several flash shots in burst mode. I can't with my batteries (Sanyo Eneloops) and flash (Canon 430EXII). What batteries and flash let you do this?

thanks

Dan

Originally Posted by paddler4 Phil-- You have written that you can get several flash shots in burst mode. I can't with my batteries (Sanyo Eneloops) and flash (Canon 430EXII). What batteries and flash let you do this? thanks Dan

i am using ansmann nimh 2850 batteries with their fan cooled charger .
same flash 430 ex.
it depends on how effecient your diffuser is, if it blocks too much light the flash output time increases & therefore reduces number of flash s before recycle time blanks out a frame.
i can get 5 frames easily at iso 100 with fresh batteries. more at iso 200-400
i need to get 2 more sets as they are slowing down a bit now, dont know how many re charges they will take before life shortens.
phil

Phil,

Thanks very much

Dan

what can i do about these weird reflections on the hairs ,
other then editing ?

[QUOTE=basflt;1399790]what can i do about these weird reflections on the hairs ,
other then editing ?


QUOTE]

Not sure of the shooting condition but they are specular reflections either from bright sunlight or your flash. You can often get these even when shooting flash with bright sun. For natural light shots I try to either shoot under slight cloud which avoids these or try to shade the bug slightly (at the risk of spooking it). If you are shooting full flash it might indicate more diffusion is needed.
Brian v.

so , its just bright sunlight , nothing more ?
thanks for answer
i will keep it in mind

i agree with Brian, there is very little you can do if it is really sunny

afterall if you were shooting a landscape bright sunlight is the last thing you want in a landcsape, it is too harsh.
better off looking in shaded areas or try blocking the sun with your body

phil

thanks Phil
actually i knew i should avoid strong sunlight
i just did not realize it was the cause of these reflections
hopefully my external flash will be delivered soon ,
so i can shoot with overcast sky ( nearly impossible now)

regards
Bas

Now that I am practicing stacking in photoshop, I am curious about the advantages of Zerene over photoshop. With CS5m it is nearly as automatic as Zerene--just one step to align, and another to stack. I have thought of only a few advantages of Zerene over Photoshop--the choice of two stacking methods, the ability to change the parameters for one of them, the retouching tool, and I think faster speed (although I have not done exactly the same stacks in both). Are there others?

Thanks

i have not got the stacking feature in my version of ps, but people that have tried it say its not as good at stacking as zerene, a stand alone program is always going to be better than one built in.
the clone touch up feature in zerene is the best part of it, so usefull for touching up edges and larger areas that havnt aligned correctly.

probably depends on how good the individual frames have been shot/aligned.

Phil,

Thanks. If I can find time, I want to test two things. First, how well the two handle poorly aligned shots. The second is that Zerene sometimes generates false specular highlights on flower shots (although DMap with an increased radius seems to do it less). You can see a mild version left of center in the larger, left-hand flower in the image below, which I posted recently. I did this with PMax to preserve detail. I originally thought this stemmed from sharpening before stacking, but that is not the case. This image had no processing other than WB before exporting and stacking. I have not tried in PS any of the images that had this problem in Zerene. If I can find time, I am going to generate a set of TIFs, stack them all three ways.

Dan

I have been reading Canon lens reviews looking for a 'normal' prime (prolly 50-ish mm) and in reading some of the reviews of macro lenses, it's noted they have 'less DOF'.

Does this mean, for example, the 50mm macro would have less DOF than the 50 f/1.4 when shot using the same settings/focus distance?

Does the DOF even out when you add extension tubes to the non-macro lens? So if you have a 50 macro or a 50 f/1.4 w/ tubes to give it 1:1 mag., would the DOF be about the same at macro working distances or how does it balance out??

Thanks ,
Michelle

Originally Posted by BeardedChick I have been reading Canon lens reviews looking for a 'normal' prime (prolly 50-ish mm) and in reading some of the reviews of macro lenses, it's noted they have 'less DOF'. Does this mean, for example, the 50mm macro would have less DOF than the 50 f/1.4 when shot using the same settings/focus distance? Does the DOF even out when you add extension tubes to the non-macro lens? So if you have a 50 macro or a 50 f/1.4 w/ tubes to give it 1:1 mag., would the DOF be about the same at macro working distances or how does it balance out?? Thanks , Michelle

I don't think a 50 with tubes is still 50 :)

The DOF diminishes because the actual distance from the lens to the subject is much closer with a macro lens. This is the main reason for shallow DOF. F number is the obvious second. I'd personally never shoot a macro at F1.4 unless I was desperate since you would barely get any detail out of it. Also the longer the tubes the more light you'd be losing making a longer exposure.