How di do

Hey all I'm rob from Woking if u didn't already guess, I'm new to photogaphy this is my first ever camera and Iv just got myself a k10-d with a tamron 18-250 lens and im really enjoying it, there is a couple of things I'm struggling with tho one of them is that I'm finding it really hard to get good close up in focus shotsis this my lens or just me? the other question is how do u take a picture of a bird flying in the sky? Iv got some good sky shots but my birds r black shadows haha hope u all r well and I look forward to talking to u and seeing all of ur pictures

Thank u for reading rob

Hi Rob. Not all lenses have 'macro' capabilities which is the ability to focus very close. Most lenses are a compromise in one way or another.

As for birds in the sky my advice is to wait for an overcast day. You'll find it much easier.

Hi Rob and welcome to the forums, I am unfamiliar with the Tamron lens you mention, but most lenses have a distance at which they can focus correctly.
This is called the close focusing distance and I believe it is 18inches.

For macro you need to shoot around f11 and above to achieve a resonable depth of field for the shot. Set the dial, top left to A/V and set the f number to f11. I would then choose ISO of 400 vie the menu button. If your not using a tripod try and place the camera on a sturdy surface, sometimes when outside I use my raised knee as a tripod. If you go into the menus you can also set the self timer to take the shot, this reduces the chances of any movement and should give a sharper image. Place the camera on sturdy surface, press shutter button and the timer will count down and take the shot.

Bird photography is a very difficult genre, and many on here are more experienced than me. Depending on the sky, i.e. sunny/dull/overcast/ect
you may need to overexpose the shot using the exp compensation button or set this within the menus on the camera. Shooting in RAW format, again set within the menus means you can save what would be a badly exposed shot in post processing.

Hi Rob

Welcome to the forum, enjoy the experience. There is a vast amount of help within here.

The closest your lens will focus down to is approx 0.5m, any closer than this and you will not get results.

Birds in flight present more of a problem, you really need some good light but perhaps most of all you will need to practise 'panning' In other words moving your camera in the direction of the moving object.

Have a look at this link: -

http://digital-photography-school.com/mastering-panning-to-photograph-moving-sub...

Have fun and enjoy your camera

Paul

Rob

And Snappy just got in before me with some more good help

Paul

Thank u both so much, I did think that, what lens would u recommend?

I can catch the bird in flight and u can see its in focus it's just dark, I'm not sure if I deleted it, if I can find it I will post it up

Your lens should do you well for most of your work until you get used to everything. Dont lash out until you get the hang. Then, and more importantly DONT get LBA like most of the rest of us, )Lens Buying Addiction)

Paul

Haha I hope I don't but I think I am already, I am impressed with the range of my lens, I was just thinking a good lens for close ups so I can practice it all for now, Iv been looking at a tamron 90mm f2.8 macro 1.1? Any views on this?

Hello and Welcome to the forum, enjoy your camera.

Hello and welcome