A bug, and advice needed

[jeveretts]

Just getting into photography, and finding I really love taking pictures of nature. There is an abundance of things to shoot in my own back yard.
I have a Canon T3i and two lenses, a Canon 18-55 EFS, which is an older model with no IS, and a 55-250 EFS IS. I also have an electronic 36mm tube on the way.
I have been trying to shoot a lot of macro stuff, and I have a little problem. the focus range is so short, for example, if shooting a bug, I can get oen side of the bug in focus, but not the other.
Is there something obvious I am missing here?

 

[Fdee]

The closer you get the less light you have The aperture gets bigger then the depth of field gets shorter
The answer is more light
A ring flash or an off camera flash A flash from the cameras hot shoe often cant get the light to the subject for the lens
There are many ways of doing it google macro flash and macro flash DIY
You will be able to shoot in the f13/ f16 area with flash which gives you great depth of field
You will loose a stop or two with extension tubes
so go flash

 

[Derrel]

No...you're not missing anything. At extremely close distances and with high image magnification, depth of field is VERY limited...not even the width of a bug's body in some cases. As you have found out!

Some photographers are using focus stacking, which is a way to minutely shift the focus point and take multiple exposures, and them using software, blend and incorporate multiple exposures with different optimal focus points into one, single photo. Focus stacking works best on relatively still subjects and with the camera locked into one solid position on a tripod.

Using small lens openings, like f/16 or f/22 or even f/32, with a strong, bright light source,(often a flash unit connected to the camera's hot shoe using a TTL remote connecting cord like a Nikon SC-18, then the flash unit is mounted on a bracket connected to the camera, so the flash illuminates the area in front of the lens, aimed at the area right in front of the lens, from off to one side and kind of angled downward) is the old-school way to try and deal with the shallow depth of field issue in macro work.

 

[The_Traveler]

Michael Erlewine is an acquiantance and an excellent macro photographer
Go to e-Books and scroll down to photography and download his e-books.
They are free and excellent.

 

[Fdee]

I would love to use a tripod and focus stacking to take that stink bug but unless its glued there its hand held old school flash that works for me

 

[jeveretts]

OK, so I ordered a cheap LED ring flash from Amazon. This guy right here http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0031AQ302/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AXIU85VG19YP3
Don't have tons of coin, but I am having tons of fun! My tube came yesterday and I took a couple pics to try it out. Some I like, some I wish were better. guess I better learn to do some post processing. The bearing is a 2.0mm bearing from a RC copter. I wish the ant was better but he was walking in a crack in a lawn chair. then there is a seed pod that falls from my tree, and grabbers from a creeping vine... anyhoo here they are...