Some bug pics linked to from my Facebook album

[wornways]

I've got bug pics that I think are very nice. However, the person I'm working with thinks they should be much, much sharper and is complaining bitterly about them. I'd like to share the pics here, but for now the best I can do is link you to a Facebook album because I'm getting an "undefined" error when I attempt to upload them here. So, for those of you who have a Facebook account, this album is publicly viewable:

Facebook

All of these photos were taken with my Nikon D300s and AF Micro-Nikkor 200mm f/4D IF-ED lens. Also used is a ring flash system with two Nikon SB-R200 flashes. The flash system is set to close-up mode, and the flash power varies due to the endless variables involved between substrate, insect coloration, and distance to subject. Any thoughts/ideas on how I might improve image quality would be appreciated. F-stops range from 14 to 20, though I try to stay at 16 or 18 as much as possible. Shutter speed is fixed at 250 because of the flash, but though I'm holding the camera by hand, I've got strong arms and I can keep it pretty steady. ISO is fixed at 200 for all shots. The Photo Settings (a Nikon particular) is set to Standard.

Look forward to any feedback.

 

[cgipson1]

I checked out your shots.. and it looks like your focus is off on most of them (just a tiny bit.. but that lens has a tiny DOF.. so it doesn't take much!) The first Wolf Spider shot was decent... but that was it, IMO. Almost looks like you are getting some diffraction softness or something....

Info on posting photos...

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/photography-beginners-forum-photo-gallery/76568-how-post-pictures-use-forum-functions-pictoral-guide-using-tpf.html

 

[wornways]

I checked out your shots.. and it looks like your focus is off on most of them (just a tiny bit.. but that lens has a tiny DOF.. so it doesn't take much!) The first Wolf Spider shot was decent... but that was it, IMO. Almost looks like you are getting some diffraction softness or something...

I'm beginning to think my lens is defective. I actually got better bug shots with my Canon G11! In fact, MUCH better! I've taken thousands of photos with this camera, and not a single one of them is clear like yours. Not a single one! I've gone up and down the range of settings trying every thing there is to try, and it just seems impossible to get a truly clear picture. Yet here are people like you who just whip out the camera and shoot, and your photos are crystal clear.

Many of my photos show very clearly the DOF. There is a portion that is inside the DOF and portions that are outside. Yet the parts that are inside are never as clear as your photos. Should I just throw all this expensive equipment away and go back to using the Canon G11?

 

[cgipson1]

I checked out your shots.. and it looks like your focus is off on most of them (just a tiny bit.. but that lens has a tiny DOF.. so it doesn't take much!) The first Wolf Spider shot was decent... but that was it, IMO. Almost looks like you are getting some diffraction softness or something...

I'm beginning to think my lens is defective. I actually got better bug shots with my Canon G11! In fact, MUCH better! I've taken thousands of photos with this camera, and not a single one of them is clear like yours. Not a single one! I've gone up and down the range of settings trying every thing there is to try, and it just seems impossible to get a truly clear picture. Yet here are people like you who just whip out the camera and shoot, and your photos are crystal clear.

So test it! First put it on a tripod... and find a good easy to focus on subject. Manually focus the lens... and take some test shots (using a remote, or the self timer to eliminate any outside vibration).

Are you using this lens in Autofocus? Macro really requires focusing manually... AF won't cut it.

It is possible the lens has some back focus or front focus issues.. but need to test it to find out. There are a lot of sites on the internet about testing for these issues... just google, you will find them. but TEST it first...

 

[wornways]

So test it! First put it on a tripod... and find a good easy to focus on subject. Manually focus the lens... and take some test shots (using a remote, or the self timer to eliminate any outside vibration).

Are you using this lens in Autofocus? Macro really requires focusing manually... AF won't cut it.

It is possible the lens has some back focus or front focus issues.. but need to test it to find out. There are a lot of sites on the internet about testing for these issues... just google, you will find them. but TEST it first...

I suppose I'll have to find a dead subject to take photos of using the tripod and see what I get. I've printed that grid, and as soon as I figure out a way to get a 45 degree angle on it (maybe putting the paper flat and tilting the tripod 45 degrees) I'll test that out as well. I recently did something similar with coins, and the quality of the image with and without the tripod was the same--very sharp. But actual bug photos never seem to turn out that way, no matter where the DOF is located along the insect body.

How close \is the lens to the insect in your beetle and fly photos?

 

[cgipson1]

So test it! First put it on a tripod... and find a good easy to focus on subject. Manually focus the lens... and take some test shots (using a remote, or the self timer to eliminate any outside vibration).

Are you using this lens in Autofocus? Macro really requires focusing manually... AF won't cut it.

It is possible the lens has some back focus or front focus issues.. but need to test it to find out. There are a lot of sites on the internet about testing for these issues... just google, you will find them. but TEST it first...

I suppose I'll have to find a dead subject to take photos of using the tripod and see what I get. I've printed that grid, and as soon as I figure out a way to get a 45 degree angle on it (maybe putting the paper flat and tilting the tripod 45 degrees) I'll test that out as well. I recently did something similar with coins, and the quality of the image with and without the tripod was the same--very sharp. But actual bug photos never seem to turn out that way, no matter where the DOF is located along the insect body.

How close \is the lens to the insect in your beetle and fly photos?

The fly was at closest focus.. say 4" from the end of the lens. The Box Elder bug was probably 8" (from end of lens) as that was as close as I could get. I was using a single diffused SB-900 for lighting.

 

[sniperbob13]

You found some nice subjects. The first one is an earwig, looks like a molt.