Argiope Aurantia Spider, September 2, 2013

Takeda · Sep 2, 2013

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cgipson1 · Sep 2, 2013

Love the Argiope genus.... these are pretty good. I am curious though... the only one that shows what aperture was used is the very last one... F 7.1. The rest do not show an aperture, although other metadata is there.

[PhotoME]
PhotoME version: 0.79R17 (Build 856)

[Overview]
URL: http://bob-ayers.smugmug.com/Other/More-Argiope-Aurantia-Spider/i-M4kmRcb/0/X3/DSC_00052-X3.jpg
File type: JPEG
File size: 372.2 KB
Creation date: 9/2/2013 10:18
Last modification: 9/2/2013 10:51
Make: NIKON CORPORATION (Nikon | Home)
Camera: NIKON D300
Software: Capture NX 2.4.2 W
Dimension: 1388 x 991 px (1.4 MP)
Focal length: 200 mm (equiv. 300 mm)
Aperture: F7.1
Exposure time: 1/250"
ISO speed rating: 200/24°
Program: Manual
Metering Mode: Spot
White Balance: Auto
Flash: Flash fired, compulsory flash mode, return light not detected

Can you tell us how you shot these? I am assuming flash with some of the reflections on the hard chitin, and the eyes... and the Nikon 105mm? Why F7.1 on the last one? It could have used a lot more DOF to show detail all over the spider. I checked out some of your other photos on Smugmug, and see that you used even larger (F6.3) apertures there on some of the other Agiope shots. I usually shoot Macro at F11 to F16... sometimes even as high as F22. If I need more than that, I will try focus stacking if feasible. Just wondering why you use such a shallow DOF?

I found a beautiful Argiope (I think Argiope argentata) in Belize last year... they are gorgeous! Silver Argiope, Argiope argentata+ | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Takeda · Sep 2, 2013

cgipson1 said:
Love the Argiope genus.... these are pretty good. I am curious though... the only one that shows what aperture was used is the very last one... F 7.1. The rest do not show an aperture, although other metadata is there.

[PhotoME]
PhotoME version: 0.79R17 (Build 856)

[Overview]
URL: http://bob-ayers.smugmug.com/Other/More-Argiope-Aurantia-Spider/i-M4kmRcb/0/X3/DSC_00052-X3.jpg
File type: JPEG
File size: 372.2 KB
Creation date: 9/2/2013 10:18
Last modification: 9/2/2013 10:51
Make: NIKON CORPORATION (Nikon | Home)
Camera: NIKON D300
Software: Capture NX 2.4.2 W
Dimension: 1388 x 991 px (1.4 MP)
Focal length: 200 mm (equiv. 300 mm)
Aperture: F7.1
Exposure time: 1/250"
ISO speed rating: 200/24°
Program: Manual
Metering Mode: Spot
White Balance: Auto
Flash: Flash fired, compulsory flash mode, return light not detected

Can you tell us how you shot these? I am assuming flash with some of the reflections on the hard chitin, and the eyes... and the Nikon 105mm? Why F7.1 on the last one? It could have used a lot more DOF to show detail all over the spider. I checked out some of your other photos on Smugmug, and see that you used even larger (F6.3) apertures there on some of the other Agiope shots. I usually shoot Macro at F11 to F16... sometimes even as high as F22. If I need more than that, I will try focus stacking if feasible. Just wondering why you use such a shallow DOF?

I found a beautiful Argiope (I think Argiope argentata) in Belize last year... they are gorgeous! Silver Argiope, Argiope argentata+ | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Thanks for your post Charlie! I don't have any trouble looking at the EXIF data in any of the photos. Here is the EXIF data for the 1st photo:

Filename - DSC_00004.jpg
Make - NIKON CORPORATION
Model - NIKON D300
Orientation - Top left
XResolution - 300
YResolution - 300
ResolutionUnit - Inch
Software - Capture NX 2.4.2 W
DateTime - 2013:09:02 11:22:39
Artist -
YCbCrPositioning - Centered
ReferenceBlackWhite - 0
Copyright -
ExifOffset - 410
ExposureTime - 1/200 seconds
FNumber - 7.10
ExposureProgram - Aperture priority
ISOSpeedRatings - 200
ExifVersion - 0230
DateTimeOriginal - 2013:09:02 09:58:22
DateTimeDigitized - 2013:09:02 09:58:22
ComponentsConfiguration - YCbCr
ExposureBiasValue - 0.00
MaxApertureValue - F 4.00
MeteringMode - Spot
LightSource - Auto
Flash - Not fired
FocalLength - 200 mm
UserComment -
SubsecTime - 08
SubsecTimeOriginal - 08
SubsecTimeDigitized - 08
FlashPixVersion - 0100
ColorSpace - Uncalibrated/Unknown (-1)
ExifImageWidth - 4288
ExifImageHeight - 2848
SensingMethod - One-chip color area sensor
FileSource - DSC - Digital still camera
SceneType - A directly photographed image
CustomRendered - Normal process
ExposureMode - Auto
White Balance - Auto
DigitalZoomRatio - 1 x
FocalLengthIn35mmFilm - 300 mm
SceneCaptureType - Standard
GainControl - None
Contrast - Normal
Saturation - Normal
Sharpness - Hard
SubjectDistanceRange - Unknown

GPS information: -
GPSVersionID - 2.2.0.0

Maker Note (Vendor): -

Thumbnail: -
Compression - 6 (JPG)
XResolution - 300
YResolution - 300
ResolutionUnit - Inch
JpegIFOffset - 9816
JpegIFByteCount - 5227

I'm not sure where you get I'm using the 105, I'm actually using the 200mm f/4 AF-D. If you look at your data, the focal length is 200mm (300mm equiv.) .I only used flash in the last 2 photos, where I was shooting into the sun.

Thanks again!

cgipson1 · Sep 2, 2013

Takeda said:
cgipson1 said:

Love the Argiope genus.... these are pretty good. I am curious though... the only one that shows what aperture was used is the very last one... F 7.1. The rest do not show an aperture, although other metadata is there.

[PhotoME]
PhotoME version: 0.79R17 (Build 856)

[Overview]
URL: http://bob-ayers.smugmug.com/Other/More-Argiope-Aurantia-Spider/i-M4kmRcb/0/X3/DSC_00052-X3.jpg
File type: JPEG
File size: 372.2 KB
Creation date: 9/2/2013 10:18
Last modification: 9/2/2013 10:51
Make: NIKON CORPORATION (Nikon | Home)
Camera: NIKON D300
Software: Capture NX 2.4.2 W
Dimension: 1388 x 991 px (1.4 MP)
Focal length: 200 mm (equiv. 300 mm)
Aperture: F7.1
Exposure time: 1/250"
ISO speed rating: 200/24°
Program: Manual
Metering Mode: Spot
White Balance: Auto
Flash: Flash fired, compulsory flash mode, return light not detected

Can you tell us how you shot these? I am assuming flash with some of the reflections on the hard chitin, and the eyes... and the Nikon 105mm? Why F7.1 on the last one? It could have used a lot more DOF to show detail all over the spider. I checked out some of your other photos on Smugmug, and see that you used even larger (F6.3) apertures there on some of the other Agiope shots. I usually shoot Macro at F11 to F16... sometimes even as high as F22. If I need more than that, I will try focus stacking if feasible. Just wondering why you use such a shallow DOF?

I found a beautiful Argiope (I think Argiope argentata) in Belize last year... they are gorgeous! Silver Argiope, Argiope argentata+ | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Click to expand...

Thanks for your post Charlie! I don't have any trouble looking at the EXIF data in any of the photos. Here is the EXIF data for the 1st photo:

Filename - DSC_00004.jpg
Make - NIKON CORPORATION

I'm not sure where you get I'm using the 105, I'm actually using the 200mm f/4 AF-D. If you look at your data, the focal length is 200mm (300mm equiv.) .I only used flash in the last 2 photos, where I was shooting into the sun.

Thanks again!

Ok.. why the large aperture, especially with that lens.. that was my main question. Why not close down for more DOF? The 200 is a great lens if used properly, (I didn't notice it in your gear list.. oversight on my part!) The 200 can also be one of more difficult macro lenses to use, due to the long focal length and the extremely shallow DOF inherent to longer FL's. With that lens in particular, closing down the aperture is almost a must for adequate DOF, as evidenced by the shots you posted. Especially with flash... F16 would have worked very well. Using smaller apertures for Macro is one of the reasons I use flash almost all the time (that and the motion freezing aspect of flash, which is again.. very useful for Macro.)

As to the Metadata / Aperture question... this is what I get when I check metadata on the majority of your shots....

Takeda · Sep 2, 2013

cgipson1 said:
Takeda said:

cgipson1 said:

Love the Argiope genus.... these are pretty good. I am curious though... the only one that shows what aperture was used is the very last one... F 7.1. The rest do not show an aperture, although other metadata is there.

[PhotoME]
PhotoME version: 0.79R17 (Build 856)

[Overview]
URL: http://bob-ayers.smugmug.com/Other/More-Argiope-Aurantia-Spider/i-M4kmRcb/0/X3/DSC_00052-X3.jpg
File type: JPEG
File size: 372.2 KB
Creation date: 9/2/2013 10:18
Last modification: 9/2/2013 10:51
Make: NIKON CORPORATION (Nikon | Home)
Camera: NIKON D300
Software: Capture NX 2.4.2 W
Dimension: 1388 x 991 px (1.4 MP)
Focal length: 200 mm (equiv. 300 mm)
Aperture: F7.1
Exposure time: 1/250"
ISO speed rating: 200/24°
Program: Manual
Metering Mode: Spot
White Balance: Auto
Flash: Flash fired, compulsory flash mode, return light not detected

Can you tell us how you shot these? I am assuming flash with some of the reflections on the hard chitin, and the eyes... and the Nikon 105mm? Why F7.1 on the last one? It could have used a lot more DOF to show detail all over the spider. I checked out some of your other photos on Smugmug, and see that you used even larger (F6.3) apertures there on some of the other Agiope shots. I usually shoot Macro at F11 to F16... sometimes even as high as F22. If I need more than that, I will try focus stacking if feasible. Just wondering why you use such a shallow DOF?

I found a beautiful Argiope (I think Argiope argentata) in Belize last year... they are gorgeous! Silver Argiope, Argiope argentata+ | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Click to expand...

Thanks for your post Charlie! I don't have any trouble looking at the EXIF data in any of the photos. Here is the EXIF data for the 1st photo:

Filename - DSC_00004.jpg
Make - NIKON CORPORATION

I'm not sure where you get I'm using the 105, I'm actually using the 200mm f/4 AF-D. If you look at your data, the focal length is 200mm (300mm equiv.) .I only used flash in the last 2 photos, where I was shooting into the sun.

Thanks again!

Click to expand...

Ok.. why the large aperture, especially with that lens.. that was my main question. Why not close down for more DOF? The 200 is a great lens if used properly, (I didn't notice it in your gear list.. oversight on my part!) The 200 can also be one of more difficult macro lenses to use, due to the long focal length and the extremely shallow DOF inherent to longer FL's. With that lens in particular, closing down the aperture is almost a must for adequate DOF, as evidenced by the shots you posted. Especially with flash... F16 would have worked very well. Using smaller apertures for Macro is one of the reasons I use flash almost all the time (that and the motion freezing aspect of flash, which is again.. very useful for Macro.)

As to the Metadata / Aperture question... this is what I get when I check metadata on the majority of your shots....

View attachment 54547

Good point on the aperture size Charlie, I should have stopped it down on the last 2 shots. Thanks again for your comments. I don't know what to tell you on your EXIF tool, as you can see I don't have a problem.