Sharpness problems

[TMG1961]

Hi everyone, I just got started with macro photography. Using a sony a6400 with laowa 100mm f/2.8 macro lens and a meike speedlight mk320. The biggest problem i have is getting sharp photos. I use focus peaking so that i can see what is in focus. I use aperture between f/8 and f/11. I added a photo, aperture was f/11 and the entire little plant was covered by the focus peaking colour. But to me the photo is not completely sharp. Am i doing something wrong?

 

[Jack]

Hello TMG1961 ,

there are some reason why the photo is not sharp, low light, you haven’t focused well on subject, using wring camera settings.

If you’d like the whole subject to be in focus, I would recommend to use focus stacking techniques, you can find tutorials on our Resources page.
I also recommend you to build own diffuser , there are some tutorials available for that as well.

I don’t own Laowa lens, but I believe is manual focus ?

MinitecaPhotographie Helix_2648 might add more regarding your question.

 

[TMG1961]

Hello TMG1961 ,

there are some reason why the photo is not sharp, low light, you haven’t focused well on subject, using wring camera settings.

If you’d like the whole subject to be in focus, I would recommend to use focus stacking techniques, you can find tutorials on our Resources page.
I also recommend you to build own diffuser , there are some tutorials available for that as well.

I don’t own Laowa lens, but I believe is manual focus ?

MinitecaPhotographie Helix_2648 might add more regarding your question.

The laowa lens is complete manual. No auto focus. I am using a diffuser, but still learning how to use the speedlight correct. At the moment i just leave focus stacking to what it is. First need to learn the basics

 

[Jack]

The laowa lens is complete manual. No auto focus. I am using a diffuser, but still learning how to use the speedlight correct. At the moment i just leave focus stacking to what it is. First need to learn the basics

Then you should use a tripod as well.

What I would recommend, is to set your camera on ISO priority, which means you set the ISO and the camera will choose for you the aperture and shutter speed. And see how it works. The Flashlight you can set on auto mode as well.

Does your flash has TTL ?

 

[MinitecaPhotographie]

I've used the Laowa 100mm for a year before changing my D7200 for an Olympus MFT OM-D e-m10 mark iii. I use all the time flash with diffuser. The MK320 that I use actually on my Olympus, can't be used for focus stacking with handheld camera because the recycling time is too long. I've been using a speedlight cobra flash on my D7200 because the recycling time was only 2s that allows me, with external batteries, to shoot handheld in burst mode at 7 images per seconds. Enough to do focus stacking. Which speed did you choose in your settings? Most of the time lack of sharpness is due to motion blur. I recommend 1/200 or 1/250s with flash in TTL mode.

 

[MinitecaPhotographie]

Then you should use a tripod as well.

What I would recommend, is to set your camera on ISO priority, which means you set the ISO and the camera will choose for you the aperture and shutter speed. And see how it works. The Flashlight you can set on auto mode as well.

Does your flash has TTL ?

Better to fix ISO at low level....

 

[Jack]

Better to fix ISO at low level....

That I forgot to mention, to set the ISO the low level, to avoid the picture to be overexposed.

 

[TMG1961]

Then you should use a tripod as well.

What I would recommend, is to set your camera on ISO priority, which means you set the ISO and the camera will choose for you the aperture and shutter speed. And see how it works. The Flashlight you can set on auto mode as well.

Does your flash has TTL ?

The flash has TTL but the lens is complete manual. TTL does work with other lenses but not with the laowa lens. Sony a6400 does not have ISO priority.

 

[TMG1961]

I've used the Laowa 100mm for a year before changing my D7200 for an Olympus MFT OM-D e-m10 mark iii. I use all the time flash with diffuser. The MK320 that I use actually on my Olympus, can't be used for focus stacking with handheld camera because the recycling time is too long. I've been using a speedlight cobra flash on my D7200 because the recycling time was only 2s that allows me, with external batteries, to shoot handheld in burst mode at 7 images per seconds. Enough to do focus stacking. Which speed did you choose in your settings? Most of the time lack of sharpness is due to motion blur. I recommend 1/200 or 1/250s with flash in TTL mode.

IF i use flash then it is max 1/160 (max flash sync time sony a6400) With the Laowa lens i cant use TTL, it is a complete manual lens

 

[Jack]

The flash has TTL but the lens is complete manual. TTL does work with other lenses but not with the laowa lens. Sony a6400 does not have ISO priority.

I wasn’t aware of this info, that Sony doesn’t have iso priority. The only thing which I can recommend is to learn stacking techniques.

Hope Sergey Prokofiev can add some light here as he is owning Sony cameras as well.