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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

PowerShot A95 (1 Viewer)

RichardH_Temp

Lancashire Lepper
I'm trying to photograph moths. So the closer the better. However, (problem 1!) I can't seem to get the auto focus to work properly in macro mode and (problem 2) in low light I can use the flash because it totally floods the image with white light. Manually changing the exposeure to cope in the low light helps but then I end up with a blurred image, which is very bad for IDing the moth!

Any help apprecited... I think a minature tripod may cure problem 2... any one know how much they are?
 
RichardH_Temp said:
I'm trying to photograph moths. So the closer the better. However, (problem 1!) I can't seem to get the auto focus to work properly in macro mode and (problem 2) in low light I can use the flash because it totally floods the image with white light. Manually changing the exposeure to cope in the low light helps but then I end up with a blurred image, which is very bad for IDing the moth!

Any help apprecited... I think a minature tripod may cure problem 2... any one know how much they are?
Richard,
Have a look at the pictures on post :-
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=35125
(pictures have been cropped and re-sized in Photoshop Elements II)
These were taken using a Canon A95, hand-held, using flash with some zoom so as not to get too close and burn out the light colours. I believe that using flash negates the need for a tripod, providing you keep the camera reasonably steady.

Roger
 
rogerscoth said:
Richard,
Have a look at the pictures on post :-
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=35125
(pictures have been cropped and re-sized in Photoshop Elements II)
These were taken using a Canon A95, hand-held, using flash with some zoom so as not to get too close and burn out the light colours. I believe that using flash negates the need for a tripod, providing you keep the camera reasonably steady.

Roger

Cheers Roger.Strange actually, I just read that thread and admired the pictures, lovely colours on the carpet. Ill try your method tonight if i get a moth. btw do you use auto focus?
 
The small tripods are pretty cheap, and they give you opportunity to close the aperture down to its smallest (on the aperture priority setting), giving you a good depth of focus which can be a help for the macro work.

Should be able to stop the aperture down with flash as well of course. Suspect you are photographing the moths at night though - it's nice to do it in the morning in natural light with a tripod. Try putting them in a little box in the fridge overnight (don't tell your wife...) - also calms them down a bit for photography (well not always for the Geometrids - difficult to photograph them anywhere other than where you find them).
 
RichardH_Temp said:
Cheers Roger.Strange actually, I just read that thread and admired the pictures, lovely colours on the carpet. Ill try your method tonight if i get a moth. btw do you use auto focus?
Richard, yes I did use auto-focus.
The problem with using a tripod is that it is not always practical, especially with the small pocket-sized type. The Green Carpet moth was high up on the wall near the ceiling, and I had to stand on a chair to take the photo'. I had to chase the White Ermine moth round the garage until it settled under the freezer then carefully coax it on to the piece of wood, where it calmed down. The second White Ermine moth hid itself very well under some covered garden chairs, and I never did see that again! My neighbours must think I am mad - and they are right.

Roger
 
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