Macro shutter release

Hi Guys,

I’m a newbie to the forum and a newbie to digital SLR photography, though I’ve plenty of experience of 35mm cameras and the digital point and shoot pocket cameras. I sold my entire Olympus OM2N kit on Ebay and instantly regretted it because it went for a song, someone got a real bargain….. Anyway, researched all brands of digital and found Pentax was the only choice!! It was for all the reasons that I’ve read about on this forum. The thinking man’s choice – both the camera and this forum!

I’m hoping to supplement my K100D, 55mm kit lens & 70-300 Tamron with a Macro, namely the Sigma 105mm F2.8, and would like to know others’ experiences of ensuring that camera shake does not feature in the pictures taken. I’ll be using a tripod where possible but does one rely on the camera’s delay timer, use a remote corded or remote wireless to ‘press the shutter release’? Which of these is going to be the most practical?

I’m thinking of outdoor macro work where the subjects are likely to have lots of legs….

Thanks for your time and advice.

You sure are a wise man! Welcome to the pentax world and this great forum.

I use the K10D with the sigma 105. A great combination.

About the shutter release, it all depends. With flying insects I don't use anything. Just the camera in my hands.

When possible I use the tripod and a cable release. You can find some cheap ones on ebay. I find the cable release the best for this sort of work as I can look in the viewfinder and press the button on the cable release at the same time.

But the trick with macro is not the shutter release - it is the correct light - and plenty of it. You will find that you can handhold a lot of shots if you use the right flash setup. We have a few experts on this forum when it comes to macro work.

Im sure a few of them will add some info in this thread as well.

I'm not familiar with the K100D but if it has SR then camera shake will not be too much of a problem with handheld shots (with SR turned on) or tripod mounted (with SR turned off).

I like lots of light for my macro shots and so I use 2 x AF240FT flashes + Stofen diffusers to light my subjects whenever possible. These will be replaced by 2 x AF540FGZ's as soon as I receive the second one which I've bought from a forum member.

Lots of light = faster shutter speeds and/or smaller aperture to maximise depth of field when necessary. Shallow DOF also has its creative uses too.

My lenses of choice are SMC Pentax-FA 100mm 1:2.8 Macro and Sigma EX DG 180mm 1:3.5 Macro. I also have a SMC Pentax-FA 50mm Macro which I haven't used yet. Reason, I like to photograph spiders and I'm not yet familiar with the dangerous ones where I now live so for health 'n safety reasons, I use longer Macro lenses to maximise the distance between me and my subject.

EDIT: To minimise the possibility of camera shake, use a tripod, SR off, mirror lock up, and a cable/remote release, and lots of light.

Of course the K100D has SR! Same stuff as the rest of the family...

Thanks for all comments. I agree that the macro shots will need lots of light and in making sure this is done then my shutter speed will help keep camera shake/blur to a minimum, if not eliminate it altogether. I think I will probably go for the cable release, as was indicated, these are relatively inexpensive and will allow for subtle shutter release when the moment is right. I've been taking some experimental night shots and the cable release again will help with keeping camera shake down as the shutter speed will be below 1 second. Needless to say all this is tripod mounted.
Thanks again.
Coriander.
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Try take a look in the kit section on this forum. A few have posted pictures of their macro kit. Might be worth a look.