Photographing small objects

S

Stryker412

Member
I'm trying to take a picture of big spider in our yard. The lens keeps focusing on the grass in the background rather than the spider/web. I'm using a Canon S3 IS. Anyone have some suggestions? I tried manual focus but this is the best I could get:

 
That is a big spider! I would say you are on the right track with the manual focus, you just need to play with it a little more. Then again, I joined here to learn myself, so let's see what the other guys and gals have to say.
 
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two options are to move back a bit and zoom in or try the macro mode. i don't do a lot of this type of photography so it's just a basic suggestion.
 
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It looks like you are pretty close to the spider. Check to see what the minimum focus distance is for the lens you are using. If you are too close, the lens won't be able to focus on the spider.
 
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i just quickly looked at your camera specs and found this:

1-you can set your autofocus point manually instead of letting letting the camera decide.

2- it looks like you might have to set your camera manually to macro mode, where it is supposed to have 0 cm. close focus.
 
The S3 is only a little bit diff. than the S1.

How close are you? Shooting at the wide end or telephoto end? (been my experience that the macro is better at the wide end)

Like Craig said, you may have to activate the macro mode to "unlock" that area of focusing. But the problem arises because when you are shooting that close, even with manual focus, your depth of field is soooooooooooooooo narrow.

This I got with my S1, but I wasn't near them. It's a crop.

<img src="http://www.themeparkphotos.us/cpg140/albums/uploads/052307/B/IMG_0939crop.jpg" />
 
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When doing macro work, here's what works for me.

1) Zoom in as close as you can.
2) Adjust the focus as close as possible.
3) Move the camera in and out to find the place with the proper focus.
 
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Okay - it's been my experience that the Canon will do better with macro at the wide end.

So follow Mark Barbieri's advice - use the manual focus and try and get it in focus as you can. If it's not in focus at all when you are manually focusing, you must be too close, so move back.

You will probably need to crop the image to get a more zoomed in look.

BTW those spiders won't hurt you. As someone who's met more than a dozen BWs, there is nothing to fear.


(But I know how you feel - I had a beautiful St. Andrews Cross spider at my wife's parents house right after they passed away but I couldn't get a good shot as I wasn't there to take pictures)
 
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Well technically I think all spiders are poisonous. The question is whether their venom is dangerous to humans, or just painful.. or whether you'd even notice it.
 
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Well he/she should be there somewhere. Another white spiny backed orb weaver spun a web Monday night in our front path, but between the bushes and trees so if you follow the path you won't run into it.
 
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Here's the little bugger; decided to pull my macro lens out since it seems I'm sending my toy to irvine for service soon.

[This attachment has been purged. Older attachments are purged from time to time to conserve disk space. Please feel free to repost your image.]
 
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