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Macro Photography Camera Settings

Welcome to my macro photography camera settings page. For super close-ups you have to experiment with different camera settings, evaluate the images and decide for yourself which results you prefer. The suggestions here will give you a good starting point.

Camera Settings

I suggest you use the following macro photography camera settings:

* Manual Mode
* ISO 100
* Aperture f/11 - f/13
* Shutter around 1/160th-1/200th
* Flash in ETTL mode.

The main reason for these settings is to get good Depth of Field (DOF). For example, on Aperture mode with an aperture of f/2.8 or thereabouts you get a much faster shutter speed which is great for sharpness, but very little of your subject will be in focus.

Macro Photography Tips

* For a slightly more natural look you can try upping the IS0 to 200 and changing the shutter speed/ aperture until the manual settings give only a 1/3 or 2/3 stop underexposure and then still use the flash.

* For fully natural light shots up to 1:1 magnification, increase the ISO to 400. Then try aperture F8-F11, and shutter speed 1/120th- 1/200th in either Av or Tv mode depending on what you're shooting.

* Deploy the built in wide angle diffuser on your flash. Some expert macro photographers also use homemade softbox diffusers.

* When shooting above 1:1 you may find that you need to increase the aperture to achieve good detail because diffraction softening kicks in as you up the magnification.

If you found this page on macro photography camera settings useful, make sure to visit the following pages too:

* Macro Photography Tips

* Macro Photography Equipment

* Macro Photography Lighting

* Making Money with Photography

(From Macro Photography Camera Settings back to Macro Photography) (From Macro Photography Camera Settings back to Basic Photography Tips Home)

Read, reflect and be inspired. If you find something of value on our Macro Photography Tips page, enjoy its gifts and please pass it on to your friends.

SBI!