Question about lenses and images

[Margie28]

Hi everyone,

I would like to venture more in creating detailed images - HDR images to be more precisely- using a Macro lens instead of only using the Macro feature on my camera.

Is it necessay to buy a Macro lens in order to get more detailed photos in order to create a HDR image?

I want to be sure, before I do this big step and buy a macro lens.

Thanks.

[supertackyman]

as far as i understand it, hdr images are more about color/tonal output than high res.
however I have gotten some very good pics using an aftermarket macro lens. it will get you closer to the subject and thereby give you more detail. allthough i have noticed that the greater the magnification, the shallower the depth of field.

[tamlin]

As STM says, HDR (High Dynamic Range) is all about images with a wide tonal range - nothing necessarily to do with detail. This is normally achieved by combining two or more images with different exposures.
There's a bit more info on HDR here: http://forums.biorust.com/3d-modelli...html#post42587 (Hdri)

You don't say what type of camera you have - although I'm guessing it's an SLR of some type - but if you're serious about "proper" macro photography (rather than just "close-up"), you definitely need to invest in a macro lens. How much you spend obviously depends on your budget, but as a general rule when it comes to buying glass you should never scrimp - it's a false economy.

[Margie28]

I forgot to tell you. I have a Sony Alpha 100 and I was thinking about it
and after I saw all those gorgeous HDR images, I would like to give it a try too.

I think I will go shopping for a macro lens that would give more detailed view to my photos.

Thank you so much.

[notjustgraphics]

Macro Photography is not about deatail as much as it is about Close-Up Focus.

Tricks to sharpness in Macro Photography are a very steady hand or preferrably a solid tripod, LOTS of natural light and a subject with lots of detail.

The Macro setting on your Alpha 100 (didnt know it had one) more than likely changes the focus AI and allows it to change the IR Beam to meter for short distances. If you have the Sony Alpha digital lens with a macro mode, you won't find a sharper lens. You can, however, find lenses that will focus on objects CLOSER to the lens than the factory one. (All lenses have a minimum focuse distance).

Of course, with macro photography, the lens is closer to the subject which makes the minute details larger and therefore yields a much more detailed looking photo.

Enhance this by supra-bracketing (2-3 stops between exposures) and you can stack 4-5 frames into some STUNNING HDR Images.

I hope this helps!

Cheers.

[Margie28]

I used the Macro mode on my camera and I've shot a beautiful flower I have in a vase in my living room and did the bracketing mode in the set up on my camera and WOW, the results are so STUNNING, just like you said! I used 5 images for this image.

Thank you so much for your advice. I'm so happy with the results!

[tamlin]

Originally Posted by Margie28

Thank you so much for your advice. I'm so happy with the results!

Why not post it in the Gallery? I'm sure we'd like to see it.

[Margie28]

I have uploaded my HDR flower image in the gallery for you to see.

Any advice on how to improve it even more would be great.

The title is: HDR Flower Results.

Thanks so much

[luckypictures]

Originally Posted by Margie28

I have uploaded my HDR flower image in the gallery for you to see.

Any advice on how to improve it even more would be great.

The title is: HDR Flower Results.

Thanks so much

Heading over to check it out now!

[kokopedal]

I just ordered the sigma 150mm 2.8 macro bla bla bla. when it comes in I will let you know how it works on my nikon.

[photostar73]

I think a macro lens is very much needed for any shot of this type. Anyway it's right what the others said about the depth of field and so on. It's not simple to make great macro shots, but they're very rewarding if done properly!
I personally use a Sigma 105mm, and I think is very good. Consider that with a 105mm you can see a rose at full view, so i don't think you need more if is not necessary to get some abstracts.
Have a nice time!

[VinzPhotos]

Originally Posted by Margie28

I would like to venture more in creating detailed images - HDR images to be more precisely- using a Macro lens instead of only using the Macro feature on my camera.

As others have said - HDR is more about dynamic range than more detail. Enough said about that.

If you would like to try to get more detail information then a trick you could do is shoot individual images with an overlap (a pano-head is very usefull here) and stitch them together.
I.e. if you normally shoot an image getting 10 Mpx, you could shoot the same image dividing it into four quarters and shooting 4x 10Mpx. Your resulting image would be somewhere around 30-35 Mpx (you loose some in the overlap ofcourse).
Granted, with macro photography this might be a nice challenge (one I might even pick up myself) but it should be possible. Granted #2, this won't work with high speed subject, but last time I checked... flowers don't fall into that category.
The image you took could be done this way imho.

Regards,
<<< Vinz >>>

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