Go Comparee!!

[JackSellers16]

First of all, a random title.

I am looking for some help with two things.
Firstly i have recently purchased a macro lens and there are a few things i am still confused about. Like what are the best settings regarding aperture size etc. Also is the point of a macro lens to get better pictures when your closer to the subject or when your zoomed in from further away cause i have read different view lately.

Secondly is anyone here a user of gimp? Can you use tutorials for photo shop to help you with gimp as they are basically the same and also can you direct me to a website with gimp tutorials regarding photo manipulation?

Cheers in advance.

 

[tirediron]

Macro lenses are specially designed as close-focusing lenses. The point of them is to be able to focus very closely on small objects or small portions of objects and reproduce that area at 1:1 on your camera's sensor.
Regarding settings, really, it depends totally on the situation. I will caution you however not to get too carried away with the aperture. A common issue with beginning macro shooters is to try and stop the lens down to it's maximum aperture (often as high as f32) in an effort to gain more depth of field, which is usually measured in millimeters at most (It's not uncommon to have a DoF that is only 1mm or little more than 1/32"). Most lenses perform best around f8 - 16, and if you need more DoF, than move back slightly (by slightly I mean a few inches to a foot).
Gimp is similar to Photoshop, and the techniques in many Photoshop tutorials can be used, not generally not the actual functionality. Regarding Gimp tutorials...