Morning Macros

Got out early this morning and tried a few macros. CC welcome

It looks to me like:-

1: No tripod used
2: No additional Light used

Which means you've probably used

3: High ISO
4: Large aperture

These images are a good first attempt but somewhat less than spectacular as none appears to be sharp to me.

Which lens did you use?

Very noisy, no d.o.field, and not very sharp, try using flash and a lower ISO, but keep trying, don't give in.


Jacko.

Looking at the EXIF ISO setting was at 200 so I am assuming lack of light on the first one.

On the second one same ISO setting but its out of focus. Just wondering if it was camera shake or just plain out of focus. Anyway my modest opinion on this is f/2.8 is definitely way too open and even with that shutter speed was 1/60 only. Bumping ISO perhaps would have helped. But that out of focus would still have been a problem.

PentaxBabe did you use tripod and autofocus? Try focusing manually, works better on certain shots. Also my advice is get a wireless shutter release from SRS, its going to be one of your best investments, they are so cheap. I felt a huge difference in my macros when I started using wireless shutter release. I do not use it always, but on certain shots where I am very close or I feel that I need to use it I make full use of it. Works wonders.
You will be surprised at the sake the camera suffers even when you press the shutter release button. Very minute but still affects the image depending on how you press it. It takes a lot of experience to be able to press that shutter release button without affecting movement of the camera. I certainly have a long way to go until I master that skill , so until I get good at it the wireless remote is constantly in my pocket whenever I have a camera with me

Hope this helps

Thanks for your comments. To answer your points -

Manesty - ISO200 and used a tripod Sigma 105mm Macro.
Jacko - had to use the camera flash (which I thought was what was showing in the first picture?)as I am in the process of trying to buy a proper flash and ISO200 and already removed noise which is a bit worrying. Will keep trying but not today!
Amin - You are correct, I need a remote. I have actually bought one but haven't figured out how to set it up yet! Yes, the
plants are in a deark part of the garden and the light was very grey, hence the use of the flash and F2.8 which I have never had before. I tried higher F numbers but they come out really dark and even adjusting the curves doesn't mae them that much brighter. I take it a proper flash will help with this?

Thanks again