Fly Photography

[critter 0]

I may have missed it, but for the flies, what has been your preferred lens? I have a decent macro lense, and I have used a telephoto lens. Two similar yet different results when I have played around as of late.

I have been using 60 and 100 mm macro as of late, but have used 135mm as well, for flies I`d say the macro`s are the better choice.

Checked out your blog very nice flies and photos.

 

Thanks, I appreciate the encouragement and the information. The most recent posts of the flies you saw on my blog were using a 24mm f2.8-22 macro lens, which requires that I have the fly less then a foot away from it and some simple cropping with Adobe Photoshop. If I were to use a 100mm lens, how would image, etc. change from what I am doing now?

 

Critter

[jimk 0]

The longer focal length would decrease the depth of field, blurring the background more. You would not need to crop the photo as much. The photo would likely be sharper.

 

 

 

Canon 100mm f2.8 macro

[critter 0]

The longer focal length would decrease the depth of field, blurring the background more. You would not need to crop the photo as much. The photo would likely be sharper.

 

 

 

Canon 100mm f2.8 macro

 

I see. After doing some web pricing, there seems to be a definite jump in prices between the 60mm and 90mm or 105mm lenses that I found my Nikon. I think, if I were to pull the trigger after reading what I found for reviews, that I definitely would want go with the higher mm lenses and not bother with the 60mm.

[jimk 0]

I prefer the longer focal length because you don't have to get as close to the subject thus decreasing the chance of scaring it if it's a live bug and decreasing the chance of you getting in your own light. A side benefit is that they make good portrait lenses at 90 to 100 mm. Look into a Tamron 90mm - nice sharp lens with a good reputation and not as expensive as a Nikon.

[critter 0]

Oh that makes me feel better as I was leaning towards the Tamron 90mm Macro that I found at their website. Mostly because I have several of that brand and have been pretty happy with them over the years. In fact, they were the only lenses I've owned up until last year when I upgraded from film to digital that included a Nikkor lens with the D60 "kit."

[Al Beatty 0]

Hi critter,

 

I have 2 Tamron 90mm macro lenses. I started my search for a lens a year or more ago after deciding to get a Nikon 105mm. At the time I just couldn't justify the expense of the Nikon. Instead, I found an old manual Tamron lens for less than $100.00 on eBay and bought it. On my camera I could use it in Apeture Priority Mode and only had to manual focus which is what I do most of the time anyway for fly photography. That lens is really sharp and does a good job. I have one camera dedicated to a fly-photo work station and it stays there almost all the time.

 

A couple months ago I got a chance to get a new Tamron 90mm for a good price and got it. I use it on another camera for field work (macro & portrait). What I really like about this lens (besides producing a really sharp image) is the AF/Manual change feature. This lens has a regular sized manual focus ring that is also the "change switch." To change from manual to auto focus just slip the focus ring back and forth. I never have to look at the side of the lens to find the AF/M switch. This is especially helpful for macro shooting in the field when the camera starts focus searching when it can't decide which subject I want in focus. In that case I just pull on the focus ring slipping the lens into the manual mode and focus by hand never taking the camera from my eye.

 

On the negative side: I've never found any third party lens that is as smooth as a Nikon lens (on our Nikon/Fugi cameras). Not that the Tamron lens isn't great; I just have a couple of Nikon lenses that the focus motor is sooo quiet that I can't hear it. I can usually hear the focus motor on the Tamron. Take care & ...

 

Tight Lines - Gretchen & Al Beatty

www.btsflyfishing.com

[critter 0]

Thank you very much for your insight Al. I think that helps me understand what to consider in my purchase, and it is nice (kinda) that we both have noticed the "motor noise" disparity between the Nikkon and Tamron lenses. Since I don't have any photo-buddies in my fly fishing/tying network, I had to just assume their was nothing wrong with my setups since they produced pictures and nothing blew up.

 

I also hadn't considered an old lens that I could just focus with manually. If the price is right, it could most definitely just be a dedicated "fly lens." I also like the idea of how the Tamron AF/Manual can switch in and out of Macro witout using a little switch. That sounds very convienient and more improtantly, simple.