Advice please / my first Prime Lens

[Oasis Montreal]

Hi, i just bought the Pentax K70 and my first prime lens 50mmF1.8 SMC

My first test at home was to compare the kit lens with the prime lens. I like the prime lens results so i went to a garden to take flowers pictures and it was a catastrophy. I did read yesterday many great articles on how to set your prime lens - i retain that if i want to take a larger picture landscape style, on my P MODE i should increase to F8 or F13 and if i wanted to have a close up - F1.8 - F2.0 would be best to focus on the flower.

I did try the RAW + JPEG (RAW for the first time)and made comparison - RAW pictures were very dark - JPEG over saturated, i chose a vibrant mode.

But my question an my main problem when i looked at the results : i just found that only a tiny part of the flower was captured right while the rest looked blured and i was steping back at times to make sure i had most of the flowers in the center but the focus point was going everywhere so i played with it until i reached the center and still lots of ugly result while at F13 (as i read yesterday) was made for larger landscape style pictures - you will see the contrast on my examples : close ups are not good - many flowers together is better. Should i just stay in the AUTO mode or is there a way to do it fine. Thanks for your advise - i read 3 interesting step by step articles thinking i would get good results.

1st SET : Home tests (i see clear at the top, blur at the Bottom - or in the MAP example just 1 country sharp the rest blured...

Thanks for your advice !

2nd SET ; Weird results

3rd SET : F13 Better result

 

[photo1x1.com]

Hi and welcome to the forum. What you need to understand is what the aperture (f) does to your images. Small aperture numbers result in a very shallow focus, while large aperture numbers increase the area of focus (depth). And for the focus - learn to select a specific focus point of your camera. I need to admit I don´t know how to set the focus points in your Pentax camera, but you´ll sure find it somewhere in the manual.
And for aperture, let me suggest looking at this video of my youtube photography course:


EDIT: I just googled your manual. The selection of the focus points can be found on page 62 of your manual - you can also download it here: http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/support/man-pdf/k-70.pdf

EDIT2: oh, and one more thing: every lens has a max. close focus distance. It won´t be able to focus if you get any closer than that - so keep that in mind too!

 

[Derrel]

"if i wanted to have a close up - F1.8 - F2.0 would be best to focus on the flower."

Uhhhh...that is terrible advice that was dispensed...f/1.8 to f/2.0 is about the absolute WORST f/stop range for floral close-ups with a 50mm lens...it leads to a LOT being out of focus on a close-up shot. The person who suggested using such wide apertures for floral close-ups is not a good source for information. Still...you managed some nice pictures. Your multi coneflower shot was well-done. (0044 and 0087 are both decent shots).

For getting more in-focus the simplest step is to move back a bit, and set the lens at the smaller aperture sizes, like f/11 or f/13. The closer the camera is to the subject, the less depth of field there is, meaning that a very close distances, the in-focus,sharp,clear zone is small.

Do not become discouraged! Keep shooting! Keep reading and learning.

 

[Oasis Montreal]

Hi and welcome to the forum. What you need to understand is what the aperture (f) does to your images. Small aperture numbers result in a very shallow focus, while large aperture numbers increase the area of focus (depth). And for the focus - learn to select a specific focus point of your camera. I need to admit I don´t know how to set the focus points in your Pentax camera, but you´ll sure find it somewhere in the manual.
And for aperture, let me suggest looking at this video of my youtube photography course:


EDIT: I just googled your manual. The selection of the focus points can be found on page 62 of your manual - you can also download it here: http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/support/man-pdf/k-70.pdf

EDIT2: oh, and one more thing: every lens has a max. close focus distance. It won´t be able to focus if you get any closer than that - so keep that in mind too!

Thanks a lot i'll be watching your online course ! Best regards !

 

[Oasis Montreal]

"if i wanted to have a close up - F1.8 - F2.0 would be best to focus on the flower."

Uhhhh...that is terrible advice that was dispensed...f/1.8 to f/2.0 is about the absolute WORST f/stop range for floral close-ups with a 50mm lens...it leads to a LOT being out of focus on a close-up shot. The person who suggested using such wide apertures for floral close-ups is not a good source for information. Still...you managed some nice pictures. Your multi coneflower shot was well-done. (0044 and 0087 are both decent shots).

For getting more in-focus the simplest step is to move back a bit, and set the lens at the smaller aperture sizes, like f/11 or f/13. The closer the camera is to the subject, the less depth of field there is, meaning that a very close distances, the in-focus,sharp,clear zone is small.

Do not become discouraged! Keep shooting! Keep reading and learning.

Thanks for the precision, i guess at first i got a bit mixed up - so in oder words, i can select the P mode with some preset preferences and when i shoot a flower, i use the small roulette to set at f 6...7..etc instead of f 1.8 - my pictures with lots of flowers were shot at F13 and i triend F8 so i tought that in order to have a bit of bokeh i had to go to f1.8 - i will test your advise - thanks a lot - Best regards,

 

[photo1x1.com]

Hi and welcome to the forum. What you need to understand is what the aperture (f) does to your images. Small aperture numbers result in a very shallow focus, while large aperture numbers increase the area of focus (depth). And for the focus - learn to select a specific focus point of your camera. I need to admit I don´t know how to set the focus points in your Pentax camera, but you´ll sure find it somewhere in the manual.
And for aperture, let me suggest looking at this video of my youtube photography course:


EDIT: I just googled your manual. The selection of the focus points can be found on page 62 of your manual - you can also download it here: http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/support/man-pdf/k-70.pdf

EDIT2: oh, and one more thing: every lens has a max. close focus distance. It won´t be able to focus if you get any closer than that - so keep that in mind too!

Thanks a lot i'll be watching your online course ! Best regards !

I hope you like it. Tell me if you have any questions. It is still a work in progress. I didn´t find too much time recently to upload new content.

 

[greybeard]

When I shoot close ups of flowers and bugs I use the highest f/stop I can get away with. In fact, I often use a nikon R1C1 macro flash and f/32. That way most if not all the subject is in focus.
Bee_on_flower_at_Genas-2 by TOM STRAIGHT, on Flickr

This was shot with a 105mm micro nikkor, f/32 R1C1. As you can see, the DoF is deep enough to get the bee in focus. Even at f/32, the background is still blurry enough. Shooting at wide low number f/stops like 1/8, 2.8 etc. have their uses but definitely NOT for closeup floral photography.

 

[Designer]

.. i should increase to F8 or F13 and if i wanted to have a close up - F1.8 - F2.0 would be best to focus on the flower.

You might as well become accustomed to using the correct terminology. Stopping DOWN to f/8 or f/13 implies going to a SMALLER aperture, not an "increase".

Anyway, I usually shoot in aperture mode, which gives priority to the aperture selected, and I watch what the camera will set for the shutter speed (time of opening) in case it goes too slow (too long of opening).

My advice is to learn about depth of field (DOF) and what factors affect it. Then get a DOF calculator (I obtained an app for my phone that I can use to CALCULATE the DOF BEFORE I take the shot. Then if I need to , I can make adjustments to the aperture, or select a different lens, or move back or closer as the DOF calculator indicates.

 

[Designer]

.. in order to have a bit of bokeh ..

Trying to achieve an out-of-focus background (or foreground) with "bokeh" entails paying attention to a multitude of factors, the DOF being one of those factors. Not all lenses are good at making "bokeh", even if you get the fore-and backgrounds out of focus.

First; learn which lenses make satisfactory "bokeh" (the QUALITY of blur) and if you can afford to get one, do so.

Then; learn how to set up the shot so you have some nice material for your lens to blur, either in the background or in the foreground, or both.

Then, practice, as this does not come without some work.

 

[Oasis Montreal]

When I shoot close ups of flowers and bugs I use the highest f/stop I can get away with. In fact, I often use a nikon R1C1 macro flash and f/32. That way most if not all the subject is in focus.
Bee_on_flower_at_Genas-2 by TOM STRAIGHT, on Flickr

This was shot with a 105mm micro nikkor, f/32 R1C1. As you can see, the DoF is deep enough to get the bee in focus. Even at f/32, the background is still blurry enough. Shooting at wide low number f/stops like 1/8, 2.8 etc. have their uses but definitely NOT for closeup floral photography.

wow ! thanks i tought it was the opposite way f1.8 to have bokeh and f.13 etc to take large scenes - so what is F1.8 good for ?

 

[Oasis Montreal]

.. i should increase to F8 or F13 and if i wanted to have a close up - F1.8 - F2.0 would be best to focus on the flower.

You might as well become accustomed to using the correct terminology. Stopping DOWN to f/8 or f/13 implies going to a SMALLER aperture, not an "increase".

Anyway, I usually shoot in aperture mode, which gives priority to the aperture selected, and I watch what the camera will set for the shutter speed (time of opening) in case it goes too slow (too long of opening).

My advice is to learn about depth of field (DOF) and what factors affect it. Then get a DOF calculator (I obtained an app for my phone that I can use to CALCULATE the DOF BEFORE I take the shot. Then if I need to , I can make adjustments to the aperture, or select a different lens, or move back or closer as the DOF calculator indicates.

Thanks - indeed i think i understood the settings the wrong way - i will make other test thanks

 

[Oasis Montreal]

.. in order to have a bit of bokeh ..

Trying to achieve an out-of-focus background (or foreground) with "bokeh" entails paying attention to a multitude of factors, the DOF being one of those factors. Not all lenses are good at making "bokeh", even if you get the fore-and backgrounds out of focus.

First; learn which lenses make satisfactory "bokeh" (the QUALITY of blur) and if you can afford to get one, do so.

Then; learn how to set up the shot so you have some nice material for your lens to blur, either in the background or in the foreground, or both.

Then, practice, as this does not come without some work.

Thats right practice will be my guide !

 

[greybeard]

"So what is 1.8 good for?"

Low Light and a very thin DoF. The closer you are to your subject, the shallower the DoF. With crop frame, I seldom use anything below f/2.8 and with FF f/4.0. Here is a DoF calculator that will give you a good Idea of how f/stop and Depth Of field(focus) are connected.
Online Depth of Field Calculator

 

[mrca]

The f stop is a fraction, f/1.8 is bigger than f/16. As the denominator, the lower number increases, the fraction becomes smaller. What does a large opening do? Kind of what your pupil does if you are old enough to experience this. In low light you will see old folks moving that menu back and forth trying to find the narrow distance they can focus on it. Pupil is wide open like a wide open lens. In bright light, they can have it closer or further away because the pupil is closed down and there is greater dof. ie distance in focus.

 

[SquarePeg]

wow ! thanks i tought it was the opposite way f1.8 to have bokeh and f.13 etc to take large scenes - so what is F1.8 good for ?

You were/are correct. The wider the aperture (f/1.8, f/2...) the larger the area that will be out of focus (bokeh). “Smaller “ apertures have seemingly higher numbers because, as previously mentioned, they are fractions. If you want more of the flower in focus, then you want to close the aperture/stop down (f/8, f/11...).

Personally I think flowers can look good with shallow depth of field if the composition is right. Having identifiable shapes that are out of focus in the foreground is distracting but having some soft blur in the foreground can direct the viewer’s eye inward to your focal point.