Eden Gardens | North Ryde | Sydney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nikon D700 – Low Light, High ISO Macro Photography

Decided that my hand-held macro technique needed some “brushing up” this weekend. It has been awhile since I did any macro photography and as they say practice makes perfect! I never use a tripod for macro as I find it inconvenient and I am too lazy to cart a tripod around anyway.

It was showering all Sunday morning so I just waited in the cafe sipping cappuccino until it stopped. Anyway, the shower was a bonus really with all that water droplets on the flowers makes for great macro photography!

Shot hand-held with Nikon D700 + Nikon 105mm f/2.8 AF Micro

ISO 320 | f/11@1/320 | No Flash

 

Shot hand-held with Nikon D700 + Nikon 105mm f/2.8 AF Micro

ISO 400 | f/11@1/250 | No Flash

Shot hand-held with Nikon D700 + Nikon 105mm f/2.8 AF Micro

ISO 1600 | f/8@1/200 | No Flash

Majority of my macros shots are 1:1, it took awhile to get the technique down pat but now I have quite a good hit rate for sharp macro shots. I need to work on my insects macro shots, especially bees. I have not gotten a bee macro that I have been totally happy with.

 

Shot hand-held with Nikon D700 + Nikon 105mm f/2.8 AF Micro

ISO 400 | f/16@1/500 | Flash

 
Shot hand-held with Nikon D700 + Nikon 105mm f/2.8 AF Micro

ISO 1600 | f/8@1/400 | No Flash

Shot hand-held with Nikon D700 + Nikon 105mm f/2.8 AF Micro

ISO 640 | f/11@1/30 | No Flash

Shot hand-held with Nikon D700 + Nikon 105mm f/2.8 AF Micro

ISO 1600 | f/8@1/250 | No Flash

This weekend I decided to shoot at a higher ISO than normal just to see what the results would be like. I also didn’t use any flash for the majority of the shoot. I think that they were okay up until about ISO 640 after that they where a bit furry when viewed at 100%.

Shot hand-held with Nikon D700 + Nikon 105mm f/2.8 AF Micro

ISO 1250 | f/9@1/640 | No Flash


Shot hand-held with Nikon D700 + Nikon 105mm f/2.8 AF Micro
ISO 400 | f/16@1/500 | Flash

Shot hand-held with Nikon D700 + Nikon 105mm f/2.8 AF Micro
ISO 320 | f/11@1/320 | No flash

Overall, I was happy the results from this weekend. I am interested in getting the Nikon R1 Close-up Speedlight Remote Kit. My current home brewed macro rig consists of 2 x SB-800s which can get pretty heavy after awhile. A lighter load would provide more stability and greatly improve my chances of obtaining sharper and crisper macros shots.

Early Spring in Sydney - Tulips

We have been experiencing unusually hot weather for the last few weeks. In fact this has been the hottest August in years. Spring has arrived early this year and the tulips, in the botanical garden, blossomed 2-3 weeks earlier than normal.

I love the bokeh

The background or bokeh in the photo below is just amazing, It reminds me of a water colour painting. The Nikon 105mm macro/micro lens is awesome.



I never realised that tulips came in so many different colours and patterns. They were just beautiful. I just wished I came earlier when they had just blossomed.

Up Close and Personal with theTulips

Macro 1:1, hand held

This is not a tulip, I think it's a daisy - Macro 1:1, hand held, no flash

It was extremely difficult to shoot at 1:1 as it was very windy. Just had to be extremely patient and wait for the wind to drop, take the shot before it picked up again.

Yellow Tulip with red racing stripe

Gorgeous Pink Tulip

Lovely White Tulip