Posted by mike on March 09, 2001 at 19:28:47:
In Reply to: Re: 105mm macro? Get real posted by Jason on March 09, 2001 at 17:02:59:
Where did i learn that handy-dandy little equipment tip? From Chris Newbert, Roger Steene, Stephen Frink, Norbert Wu and Michael Aw to name a few. With certain fast-moving skittish reef fishes, especially small Anthias, Chromis, Mandarinfish etc, if you want a sharp, frame-filling close-up, the 105 mm will get you that shot with the least hassle, damage to the reef skip-breathing etc.
This applies to Catalina blue-banded gobies as well. I have all sorts of half-ass mediocre shots of Catalina gobies that i obtained with my 55mm macro Nikkor.
Why do the photos suck? because the subjects are too small in the frame! Of course, if i wanted to pop on an M2 extension tube, i could get a 1:1 ratio, but than the working distance to the subject is only a couple of inches, one of which is taken up by the extended flat-port required to house the 55mm Micro Nikkor with the tube. Ever try and get to within one inch of a Catalina goby and have enough light to compose, manually focus, and then adequately light the subject with a hand-held strobe? Well, you could, if the goby was stuffed and mounted and sitting on the kitchen table!
Once a diver has spent enough time in the water with a camera, they will know which rules to break and when to break them.