Macro Help

[T-rev]

I am having trouble shooting in Macro mode. Are you supposed to zoom when in Macro mode or are you supposed to get really close to the subject?

All my images seem to be coming out blurry, cant seem to focus them at all.

Using a Canon Powershot S3 IS.

Any advicve much appreciated

 

[Big Mike]

Welcome to the forum.

When in macro mode...you should be able to focus while very close to your subject...but not too close. Check your manual for the minimum focus distance.

 

[cosmonaut]

Also check your Depth of Field, It narrows quiet a bit when in Macro.
Cosmo

 

[benhasajeep]

Is all of the picture blurry, or just areas?

If all of the picture is out of focus. It is either camera shake or just plain out of focus. When you get really close to a subject in macro unless you use (camera set, if in auto mode) high shutter speed, camera shake will cause the photo to come out blurry.

Now if only areas of the picture are out of focus. This is caused by using too small of an aperature. Need to set the aperature to a higher number. Not sure on the specifications of you camera while in macro mode. But if you can, say the camera meters a macro shot as a shutter of 1/250 and F5.6. Try adjusting the aperature to say f/11. Now this will bring more into focus but will also cause the shutter to go slower (1/60). This in turn will cause the picture to be more prone to camera shake. So a tripod may need to be used unless you can definately hold the camera still.

So some ideas for better macros.

1a. Use a tripod!
1b. Use a higher aperature number (roughly f/11 to f/16, this deppends on how much you want to be in sharp focus)
2. Use flash or other lighting. (using a higher aperature causes slow shutter, extra lighting will help alot).
3. Use a higher ISO setting to bring up shutter speed (last resort as will reduce quality of picture).