Macro Mode (1 Viewer)

W

Widowmaker

Guest

• Oct 15, 2003

• #1

I have the Canon EOS Digital Rebel but this question probably applies to other cameras as well. What exactly does the macro mode on the camera do? Does it do anything other than selecting the apreture and shutter speed?

I have been using the manual mode and getting good results. The reason I ask this question is could I be getting better results using the Macro mode?

Thanks

 

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Oct 15, 2003

• #2

Good question and I am going to subscribe to this thread to see all the answers that come in.:t:

 

tarves57

Well-known member

• Oct 15, 2003

• #3

To use macro mode you first of all need to have a macro lens. I believe the most recommended is the 100mm macro lens which costs around £600, although it can be found for less second-hand and goes on Ebay for around £300.

At the moment I am using the 28-135mm which has "macro" written on it, but the closest I have been able to focus the camera (manually) is about 10ins.

On the other hand, you are probably referring to macro mode in conjunction with a spotting scope. Something I have no experience of with the 10D (similar to 300D), but certainly with my Nikon 990 I got the best pictures through the scope using macro.

Susan

 

tarves57

Well-known member

• Oct 15, 2003

• #4

OOPS! That's not what you asked. Sorry, it's a bit early here and I'm half asleep.

:egghead:

 

Alastair Rae

London birder

• Oct 15, 2003

• #5

As far as I know, it is just a hint to the camera that you want to focus up close to something. It helps the autofocus know what sort of ranges to hunt in. Just like setting infinity stops the autofocus, macro stops it wizzing around between ner and middle distance.

It also helps it work out exposures and flash settings.

 

Adey Baker

Member

• Oct 15, 2003

• #6

I presume this is the same as on 35mm cameras from Canon and other makers - basically it sorts out what it assumes you would choose if you were making the settings yourself.

Thus it will choose a small aperture to maximise depth-of-field, etc.

Other program modes are set differently - 'Sport' mode, for instance, will choose a fast shutter speed to freeze action.

 

T

Tammie

Well-known member

• Oct 15, 2003

• #7

I thought macro was strictly for close up shooting.... really closeup! With my Sony DSC F-717, I can put the camera within an inch of something on macro setting.

 

Adey Baker

Member

• Oct 15, 2003

• #8

These varying modes on SLR cameras are purely exposure-setting modes - they're basically designed for the beginner who doesn't know which shutter speed/aperture/flash combination to set in a given situation

Adey

 

christineredgate

Winner of the Copeland Wildlife Photographer of th

• Oct 15, 2003

• #9

I am an amateur,but agree with Tammie and Alistair.If you want to take a really close up pic of say a flower or butterfly set the camera to micro mode and it does everything for you.But I am only speaking for the basic digi cams,not the more complicated slr types.
Christine.

 

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Oct 15, 2003

• #10

Well I use the Macro setting when I am digiscoping with far better results than with any other setting. It would be nice to know exactly why I get better results.

 

W

Widowmaker

Guest

• Oct 16, 2003

• #11

I may try using it more but it will be when the subject is not going to move anytime soon and I am using the tripod. Its been my experience that the choosing the macro mode usually does not work well handheld. Its been a while since I tried but if I recall it seems it always chooses a slower shutter speed.

 

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Oct 16, 2003

• #12

Well, I'm still hand holding my camera up to the scope as I have yet to find an adapter I love for ease of use and it has been doing okay by me this way with the macro mode *she says as she is knocking on wood*

 

W

Widowmaker

Guest

• Oct 16, 2003

• #13

KCFoggin said:

Well, I'm still hand holding my camera up to the scope as I have yet to find an adapter I love for ease of use and it has been doing okay by me this way with the macro mode *she says as she is knocking on wood*

Click to expand...

What shutter speed is the camera selecting on average?

 

Last edited: Oct 16, 2003

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Oct 16, 2003

• #14

I'm not sure what you are asking here as I shoot in manual mode with the shutter speed varying between 1/60 and up depending on the lighting. Usually my shutter speed is around 1/125.

 

W

Widowmaker

Guest

• Oct 16, 2003

• #15

KCFoggin said:

I'm not sure what you are asking here as I shoot in manual mode with the shutter speed varying between 1/60 and up depending on the lighting. Usually my shutter speed is around 1/125.

Click to expand...

Yes thats what Im asking. Its very seldom that the subject is still here due to wind. I can't see me ever getting by with a 1/60. I will have to try it again but if I recall I was not happy with the shutter speeds being selected or the apreture. If you are getting good results at 1/60 handheld to a scope then you need to get an adapter and shutter release because it would improve them even more.

 

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Oct 16, 2003

• #16

Don't I wish I could find an adapter I am happy with. I love the ease of being able to take the camera away immediately without unscrewing screws if the bird moves a bit and I need to re-focus the scope. I'm sure I waste a lot of good pics with these interruptions but I missed even more unscrewing the adapter to re-focus.

 

Geoff Brown

Well-known member

• Oct 16, 2003

• #17

I accidentally left my coolpix on Macro and took several landscape type shots that look perfectly good to me. Provided that the shots come out alright it doesn't seem to matter how the camera is setup. I think the main thing is to have it solidly fixed or on a tripod when the shutter fires. Most rotten shots especially with an SLR or a digital when you can see if you are in focus or not is usually caused by imperceptible camera movement as the shutter is pressed.