How can I get sharper, more vivid close-up photos with an 18–55mm kit lens?
Asked 2/26/2016
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I’m new to DSLR close-up photography and have been experimenting with the 18–55mm kit lens. I like the shallow depth of field I’m getting, but many shots have only a tiny area in focus, and I’d like the sharp parts to be crisper. I’d also like a bit more magnification, since the lens won’t focus any closer once I frame very tightly.
The photos were taken handheld on a dull, overcast afternoon, so I’m also wondering how much the flat light is affecting sharpness, contrast, and colour.
What will make the biggest difference here: using a smaller aperture for more depth of field, better light, a tripod, shooting RAW, or buying a dedicated macro lens? Will a macro lens mainly let me focus closer and work from farther away, or should I expect a major improvement in sharpness and depth of field too?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
10y ago
2 Answers
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Welcome to the world of large-sensors camera. The larger your sensor is, the shallower your depth of field is. In macro photography, shallow depth of field can be a very nice tool to keep the center of interest on your subject (for the images you are showing, I find the shallow depth of field positive. I think the images you would get with a greater DoF would be less interesting), but it's also something you have to fight with. Search "depth of field macro photography" in your favorite search engine or in this website. For example:
How can I get more of this macro photo in focus?
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/macro.htm
Essentially, you have to close your diaphragm a bit more to get more depth of field.
To get more vivid images, the first thing is to find the right light (typically, shoot at golden hours), but changing the camera or post-processing settings (especially if you soot raw) can help.
Note that this is just the beginning: what you are doing is not really macro photography. I bet that a few month/years from now, you'll buy some dedicated hardware (extension tube, macro lens, ...) and then you'll see what shallow depth of field means (i.e. 1 mm depth of field is the best you can hope for ... ;-) ).
Originally by user40449. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user40449
10y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The biggest gains will come from technique and light, not a new camera body.
For macro, depth of field is naturally very shallow, especially on a DSLR. If you want more of the subject in focus, stop the lens down to a smaller aperture. That increases depth of field, but you’ll need more light or a slower shutter speed.
Because close-up shots magnify movement too, handheld shooting can easily introduce slight blur. Better light helps by allowing faster shutter speeds; a tripod can help a lot if the subject is still.
A dedicated macro lens is useful mainly because it focuses much closer, gives higher magnification, and often lets you work from a more comfortable distance. It can also be very sharp, but it will not magically give you deep depth of field—macro shots still have limited focus depth.
Overcast light can make colours and contrast look flatter. Better light can make images look more vivid, and white balance or RAW processing can help refine colour afterward.
So: use a smaller aperture, improve stability, seek better light, and consider a macro lens if you want greater magnification and longer working distance.
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