Have a Macro coming

[Second Hand Pat]

Finally have my macro lens coming. Should be here tomorrow.
Pat

[Solid]

What lens did you order? I have been looking for a good macro lens.

[Second Hand Pat]

What lens did you order? I have been looking for a good macro lens.

Hi Matt, it is for my Nikon D7000. It is a Nikon AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED. Paul (pcsb23) recommended it a while back so figured a nice way to spend part of my tax return.
Pat

[Solid]

Nice! I have a canon so that wont work for me, but it sounds like a good one. I cant wait to see the pictures you take with it!

[Second Hand Pat]

Nice! I have a canon so that wont work for me, but it sounds like a good one. I cant wait to see the pictures you take with it!

Thanks Matt, looking forward to playing with it. Should be here tomorrow.
Pat

[rickztahone]

You always hit the ground running Pat! That's a good one. Can't wait to see what you do with that bad boy.

[dagray]

Pat that will be a great lens for you. and if you couple that with extension tubes you will be able to get insect eyes very clearly :)

[Second Hand Pat]

You always hit the ground running Pat! That's a good one. Can't wait to see what you do with that bad boy.

Me too Ricardo :D
Pat

[Second Hand Pat]

Pat that will be a great lens for you. and if you couple that with extension tubes you will be able to get insect eyes very clearly :)

Now that is cool Dave :D

[Second Hand Pat]

My macro lens came and I love it. A few test pictures. Need more practice with it to nail down that crystal clear focus.

Rain Lily - Florida native flower. Only blooms when there is lots of rain.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8724/16683295083_e9ab43fde8_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rqffoF)DSC_8411 (https://flic.kr/p/rqffoF) (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8811/17303068461_20735576ce_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sn1Kqz)DSC_8421 (https://flic.kr/p/sn1Kqz) (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7715/17277576666_f4cc6617a9_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sjL6AS)DSC_8419 (https://flic.kr/p/sjL6AS) (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)

[Second Hand Pat]

and some other flowers around the house

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7700/16681225134_df5a053df2_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rq4D4U)DSC_8424 (https://flic.kr/p/rq4D4U) (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8825/17303063631_752b9a7e31_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sn1HZi)DSC_8423 (https://flic.kr/p/sn1HZi) (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7668/17117315329_22e5dd1149_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s5AHun)DSC_8425 (https://flic.kr/p/s5AHun) (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)

[dagray]

Nice Pat :) I think too with your macro you can focus down, take the photo, and then crop the photo in post processing to enlarge the area you want viewed even more :) Trust me your photo data file has the information :)

[rickztahone]

Great bokeh from this lens. Most apparent in the second shot which happens to be my favorite. Have fun Pat and keep your eyes down lol.

[Second Hand Pat]

Thanks Dave and Ricardo, went back for round two with a tripod. Have a lot to learn about tripod etiquette.

Same composition but slightly different lighting. Sort of liked both of them.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7682/17117495770_1353d9fe9a_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s5BD8q)DSC_8461 (https://flic.kr/p/s5BD8q)[/url]

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7696/16684757083_7f2f9bcb09_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)DSC_8483 (https://flic.kr/p/rqnJZz) (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)

Caught this guy taking a pollen bath.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7674/16682569064_9aeba5cd50_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rqbwz7)DSC_8470 (https://flic.kr/p/rqbwz7)[url=https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/]

[dagray]

And that Bottom one is precisely what that lens is for :) And you can crop down so you have some flower and a whole lot of ant :) yes you can over do it, but it is a tool :)

[Keith Perkins]

I was hoping for a tight shot of one of those pink flowers before I got to the last post, but NOT with an ant! Good grief. :bomb:

[Second Hand Pat]

I was hoping for a tight shot of one of those pink flowers before I got to the last post, but NOT with an ant! Good grief. :bomb:

I can fix you up if needed Keith :D
Pat

[Second Hand Pat]

This macro has other uses....telephoto (sort of)

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8700/16684560784_699c62b37c_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rqmJD7)DSC_8430 (https://flic.kr/p/rqmJD7) [/url]

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8781/16686742883_5cebfd5ef5_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)DSC_8433 (https://flic.kr/p/rqxViv) [url=https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/]

[Second Hand Pat]

and fish pictures

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8690/17305264152_4a76f76f4b_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/snd18j)DSC_8501 (https://flic.kr/p/snd18j) (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8731/17099685497_0c8940bb34_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s43mKK)DSC_8489 (https://flic.kr/p/s43mKK) (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8773/17281122376_d290639078_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sk5gBN)DSC_8511 (https://flic.kr/p/sk5gBN) (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)

[rickztahone]

Wow, sharp sharp sharp

[dagray]

now you're cooking Pat :)

[Second Hand Pat]

Thanks guys, liking this lens :D

[Second Hand Pat]

I am still having a time getting a sharp focus on this lens. Had this curlew join me in the front yard after mowing.

This is the sharpest of the lot.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7705/17127147658_78369c45d0_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s6t7ih)DSC_8558 (https://flic.kr/p/s6t7ih) (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7700/17314495331_0aaba46630_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/so2jez)DSC_8543 (https://flic.kr/p/so2jez) (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7674/17128718769_ed6db20a7a_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s6Bakp)DSC_8539 (https://flic.kr/p/s6Bakp) (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)

Some front porch wildlife

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8730/16692491914_aabc85142e_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rr4ohJ)DSC_8522 (https://flic.kr/p/rr4ohJ) (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)

[limige]

love the pink flower pics!
like solid I have a cannon body, so far I invested in a telephoto lens. I would like to pickup a good macro lens sometime. that's something I haven't done much with recently, you got me itching to finally pic up a remote shutter and start playing around

[dagray]

Pat,
Could that be an Ibis and not a Curlew? I ask as the Curlew we have here every summer are brown toned and the bill while the same shape as your bird is sharper and smaller diameter. Ours are about the size or a little bigger than a Pheasant.

And I love what you are doing with that lens. Your white balance is great, your color saturation, and your sharpness are excellent. Any of these photos posted today could easily be enlarged to twice life size. Think a six foot tall bird photo :)

[Second Hand Pat]

love the pink flower pics!
like solid I have a cannon body, so far I invested in a telephoto lens. I would like to pickup a good macro lens sometime. that's something I haven't done much with recently, you got me itching to finally pic up a remote shutter and start playing around

I hope you do just that Mike :D
Pat

[Second Hand Pat]

Pat,
Could that be an Ibis and not a Curlew? I ask as the Curlew we have here every summer are brown toned and the bill while the same shape as your bird is sharper and smaller diameter. Ours are about the size or a little bigger than a Pheasant.

And I love what you are doing with that lens. Your white balance is great, your color saturation, and your sharpness are excellent. Any of these photos posted today could easily be enlarged to twice life size. Think a six foot tall bird photo :)

Thanks Dave, just playing is all and taking advantage of opportunities where I can. :) I will admit that the white balance, color saturation are being controlled by the camera but I can mostly take credit for the sharpness. :D:D Yes, I am sure that is a curlew. An ibis has a totally different bill. Six foot bird....scary :)

[Second Hand Pat]

And some small fish pictures with this lens.

Could be sharper
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7684/17290878586_e067a481d3_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/skWgNj)DSC_8581 (https://flic.kr/p/skWgNj) [/url]

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8827/17290883706_22196eb8d9_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)DSC_8573 (https://flic.kr/p/skWijA)
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8770/17316846765_4acd893fb1_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)DSC_8567 (https://flic.kr/p/soenex)

Dirty glass lol
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7751/17314994582_fba4f2bfd2_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)DSC_8568 (https://flic.kr/p/so4SDm) [url=https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/]

[Ardan]

Nice pictures Pat! Looks like you are enjoying the new lens:)

Ardan

[Second Hand Pat]

Nice pictures Pat! Looks like you are enjoying the new lens:)

Ardan

Very much so Ardan :)
Pat

[SMB2]

It is a great lens Pat. I have had two over the last 30 years and the newer edition is a joy. You are right, it also makes a great portrait lens. All your shots show an incremental improvement.

(I do think the bird is a White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)

http://greglasley.com/images/W/White-Ibis-F2.jpg

[Second Hand Pat]

It is a great lens Pat. I have had two over the last 30 years and the newer edition is a joy. You are right, it also makes a great portrait lens. All your shots show an incremental improvement.

(I do think the bird is a White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)

http://greglasley.com/images/W/White-Ibis-F2.jpg

Thanks Stan and you are correct on the ibis. I will need to correct my dad :). I am loving this lens but I am getting greedy. I still have not found the sweet spot with this lens. Manner of practice?
Pat

[dagray]

Pat I was thinking it was an Ibis. I shot a Glossy Ibis in March of 1999 at the Blackthorn Wildlife Drive (a 20 mile loop on dirt road) between Titusville and Cocoa Beach when I was in Cocoa Beach for a joint military exercise.

The Curlew are noisy, and get to close to their nest and they will dive bomb you and even hit you (I have been hit a few times at my old job). In Mexico the Curlew are a game bird much like pheasant is here, but here they are protected. They (Curlew) come up here every spring to nest.

[Second Hand Pat]

Playing around again and found my little spider. I actually did a bit of sharpening using ViewNX 2 which is the editing software which comes with the Nikon.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7703/17129697397_55bb34579f_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s6Gbfi)DSC_8600 (https://flic.kr/p/s6Gbfi)

[dagray]

Very nice bug eater :) great shot.

[Second Hand Pat]

Very nice bug eater :) great shot.

Thanks Dave, that spider is about an inch. :)
Pat

[rickztahone]

Love that last one Pat, but I will give you my C&C as always lol. I'm not saying it will be better, but I am curious how a portrait orientation would look for this shot, rather than the landscape. Again, not sure if it will improve, but the subject being vertical as it is, would seem to flow better with a portrait orientation.

[Keith Perkins]

Playing around again and found my little spider. I actually did a bit of sharpening using ViewNX 2 which is the editing software which comes with the Nikon.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7703/17129697397_55bb34579f_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s6Gbfi)DSC_8600 (https://flic.kr/p/s6Gbfi)

I'm suddenly liking the earlier ant a lot better. Haha

[Second Hand Pat]

Love that last one Pat, but I will give you my C&C as always lol. I'm not saying it will be better, but I am curious how a portrait orientation would look for this shot, rather than the landscape. Again, not sure if it will improve, but the subject being vertical as it is, would seem to flow better with a portrait orientation.

Better?

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7797/16715704304_630ddcaa9b_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rt7mwm)DSC_8600 (https://flic.kr/p/rt7mwm)

[Second Hand Pat]

I'm suddenly liking the earlier ant a lot better. Haha

I will see if I can get some rain lilies for you Keith :D
Pat

[SMB2]

Very nice. The lens has beautiful Bokeh (background out of focus blur).
Is this on a tripod? That will help sharpening as well. When you set up this shot try images at different F stops, say F 2.8, 5.6, 8, 11, 16 and 22.
See which you like.
(Also with your editing try to add just a smidge more contrast.)

I really like that you did not shoot this straight on, gives a sense of depth.

[rickztahone]

I actually do prefer this format, but I was hoping you had cropped down from the original frame. Now I am thinking you possibly shot it at that format and can't go more vertically than what is shown by both the top and bottom legs? Either way, this is really a special shot. You loving that macro?!?

[Second Hand Pat]

Very nice. The lens has beautiful Bokeh (background out of focus blur).
Is this on a tripod? That will help sharpening as well. When you set up this shot try images at different F stops, say F 2.8, 5.6, 8, 11, 16 and 22.
See which you like.
(Also with your editing try to add just a smidge more contrast.)

I really like that you did not shoot this straight on, gives a sense of depth.

Stan, this little guy is about 4 inches off the ground so I am laying on the ground and using my elbows for support. I have stayed about f-stop of about 8 as the DOF is so shallow. I will try a variety of f-stops. Straight on just seemed wrong. :)

[Second Hand Pat]

I actually do prefer this format, but I was hoping you had cropped down from the original frame. Now I am thinking you possibly shot it at that format and can't go more vertically than what is shown by both the top and bottom legs? Either way, this is really a special shot. You loving that macro?!?

Ricardo, I have the jpeg in the original format. I should have copied the raw before editing but didn't.

[Second Hand Pat]

Stan, care to demonstrate smidge? Add a bit more contrast on this one.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8830/17150519868_22b9713426_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s8wU3q)DSC_8600_01 (https://flic.kr/p/s8wU3q)

[rickztahone]

Ricardo, I have the jpeg in the original format. I should have copied the raw before editing but didn't.

A tough lesson learned young grasshopper :). Always remember to work on your RAW file, but save it out as jpeg. This will retain the RAW file as you shot it. If you would like to keep a processed raw file, save it as a separate file.

[Second Hand Pat]

A tough lesson learned young grasshopper :). Always remember to work on your RAW file, but save it out as jpeg. This will retain the RAW file as you shot it. If you would like to keep a processed raw file, save it as a separate file.

Yea I know...from my software days. :)

[SMB2]

Pat I tried this but working with the JPEG is a bit harder!
I added some contrast to the spider body and tried to reduce the body highlights. It may look over done.


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