Closeup help plz..

slipknot

I just got a new Cannon T3, Not sure how to work it yet as far as settings. Can anyone tell me why these skirts are coming out a little blurry? I am set at 1/60, F6.3 ISO auto.
I take alot of closeups of the lures I make, and need them to be sharp, and clear.
Thanks

Menzies

Probably because the focus is on the front of the lure. For those shots try going back six inches or more and getting a better focus on all of the lure. Then crop the image to what you originally wanted. Also play with the color, contrast and sharpening.

Chuckc

Try F11 or higher so the DOF is better wider and do as Menzies suggested. Also, orient the subject 90 degrees to the camera so more of it is in the focal plane. If you have the time and inclination you can use focus stacking software as well.

Flash

Also make sure that you are not inside the minimum focusing distance of the lens you are using.

mississippi mac

all of the above plus buying a 50mm or 60mm macro...
if you're going to be shooting a lot of close-ups, buy a macro....
they can be had cheap for a good used one from keh, b&h, adorama, calmetta(sp?)....

tim

Flash

Cameta Camera

slipknot

Thanks for the replies,I will try some things.

Onewolf

High f-stop, slow shutter speed, and use a tripod!

Guidenet

For casual close-ups, I'd just back up a bit and crop out the lure when you're done. I think your camera is too close to the lure.

As others have mentioned, your depth of field is too shallow, as well. One part of the lure is closer to being in focus than another part. The smaller the aperture, the more depth of field but as you exceed around f/11, the image quality suffers due to diffraction. Now, I could care less about diffraction. It's never bothered me in the least. I belong to the old f/22 club and that's what I'd suggest for you as well.

There are several other tricks I use. One of them is focus stacking. Using a tripod I'll take a number of images, moving the camera closer and closer with each shot. I start with the nearest part of the subject sharp, and I end with the farthest part of it being in focus. It has to be done precisely on a tripod and I use a focusing rail and a top of the line macro lens. I then merge al the shots together in Photoshop. Photoshop's merging application uses the sharp part of each image to put it together.

If you're serious and really want to do it right, focus stacking, a still life shooting table and studio lighting is the way to go along with double focusing rails. This would hold true for serious advertising and such. If you're near Orlando, maybe we can get together during some free time and I'll show you what it takes and let you try it out.

This is a geared double focusing rail for macro. The camera has a couple of SB200 strobes mounted on a 150mm macro lens. Out of sight are two Stellar X 300 w/s studio monolights and a still life table. It's set up for my daughter to use to take some eBay shots. It's all not as expensive as you'd believe.



Let me know and take care. :-)