Steve'sDigicams

mtngal · Jul 1, 2007, 11:36 PM

I've never managed to take a good picture of a dragon or a damsel fly - they are usually too quick to leave, plus I don't really have a macro lens long enough to get them. Friday I managed to take a picture of this one with the Phoenix 100mm macro. I still wasn't close enough - these are 100% crops from the K10.

mtngal · Jul 1, 2007, 11:38 PM

None of these are all that great, but I thought the face on this one was just too funny not to post.

mtngal · Jul 1, 2007, 11:39 PM

Last one. I adjusted the levels a bit, did a little selective smart sharpening and heavily cropped (they are 100%, not resized at all).

Rodney9 · Jul 2, 2007, 1:15 AM

Well, I disagree, I think they are great shots. I have yet to get one decent shot of a dragonfly. No 2 is very good and quite funny.

rodney

robar · Jul 2, 2007, 6:42 AM

ditto, rodney...
do you have a set of TCs ? for dragons i like a 200mm prime with all my TCs and a bounced or difussed flash. never tried it with the 300mm but i will soon.

roy

robar · Jul 2, 2007, 6:42 AM

got me to double post, when will i learn.

mtngal · Jul 2, 2007, 7:59 AM

Roy - have you tried an extension tube with the A*300? I've thought about getting a set a couple of times (most seriously when I decided on buying the Phoenix instead) but there are times when I wish I had a 300mm lens that had a closer focusing distance than 10 plus feet!

ennacac · Jul 2, 2007, 8:42 AM

Nice shots and yes that is a damsel fly!

Tom

NonEntity1 · Jul 2, 2007, 3:27 PM

Hi Harriet, Yes, those are damsel flies and I don't see any reason for you to complain. I am not the keeper of any great secrets, but I have found some success with dragon and damsel flies by watching them for awhile. Generally they seem to have favorite perches that they return to. I then position myself relative to the perch, freeze,and wait for them to return. It has even worked for me once for butterflies, but they are not normally so predictable.

Tim

penolta · Jul 2, 2007, 6:03 PM

I really like that second one - it shows you everything you neeed to know to tell a damsel fly from a dragon fly - the eyes are widely separated rather than meeting on the top of the head, and the wings are folded over the back when sitting rather than being spread out as in the dragonflies. Also the damsels are more delicate than the more robust dragonflies, and they tend to hover and flit more than the dragonflies which have a more direct flight.

As for your 300,this is not the best of solutions, but have you tried plus lenses? They are better than nothing in a pinch, and preserve your autofocus, while most TCs will not. The Tamron 70-300 tele macro yields up to 1:2 magnification and is not bad for a relatively inexpensive walk-around lens than will get you both birds and bugs without having to change lenses (the wasp on milkweed photos that you have seen were taken with that lens).

Jul 1, 2007, 11:36 PM	#1
mtngal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Frazier Park, CA Posts: 16,177	I've never managed to take a good picture of a dragon or a damsel fly - they are usually too quick to leave, plus I don't really have a macro lens long enough to get them. Friday I managed to take a picture of this one with the Phoenix 100mm macro. I still wasn't close enough - these are 100% crops from the K10. Attached Images

Jul 1, 2007, 11:38 PM	#2
mtngal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Frazier Park, CA Posts: 16,177	None of these are all that great, but I thought the face on this one was just too funny not to post. Attached Images

Jul 1, 2007, 11:39 PM	#3
mtngal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Frazier Park, CA Posts: 16,177	Last one. I adjusted the levels a bit, did a little selective smart sharpening and heavily cropped (they are 100%, not resized at all). Attached Images

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Jul 2, 2007, 1:15 AM	#4
Rodney9 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Yeronga, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Posts: 3,518	Well, I disagree, I think they are great shots. I have yet to get one decent shot of a dragonfly. No 2 is very good and quite funny. rodney

Jul 2, 2007, 6:42 AM	#5
robar Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: D/FW area Texas Posts: 7,590	ditto, rodney... do you have a set of TCs ? for dragons i like a 200mm prime with all my TCs and a bounced or difussed flash. never tried it with the 300mm but i will soon. roy

Jul 2, 2007, 7:59 AM	#7
mtngal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Frazier Park, CA Posts: 16,177	Roy - have you tried an extension tube with the A*300? I've thought about getting a set a couple of times (most seriously when I decided on buying the Phoenix instead) but there are times when I wish I had a 300mm lens that had a closer focusing distance than 10 plus feet!

Jul 2, 2007, 8:42 AM	#8
ennacac Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 4,198	Nice shots and yes that is a damsel fly! Tom

Jul 2, 2007, 3:27 PM	#9
NonEntity1 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Lake Placid Florida USA Posts: 2,689	Hi Harriet, Yes, those are damsel flies and I don't see any reason for you to complain. I am not the keeper of any great secrets, but I have found some success with dragon and damsel flies by watching them for awhile. Generally they seem to have favorite perches that they return to. I then position myself relative to the perch, freeze,and wait for them to return. It has even worked for me once for butterflies, but they are not normally so predictable. Tim

Jul 2, 2007, 6:03 PM	#10
penolta Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: California USA Posts: 5,206	I really like that second one - it shows you everything you neeed to know to tell a damsel fly from a dragon fly - the eyes are widely separated rather than meeting on the top of the head, and the wings are folded over the back when sitting rather than being spread out as in the dragonflies. Also the damsels are more delicate than the more robust dragonflies, and they tend to hover and flit more than the dragonflies which have a more direct flight. As for your 300,this is not the best of solutions, but have you tried plus lenses? They are better than nothing in a pinch, and preserve your autofocus, while most TCs will not. The Tamron 70-300 tele macro yields up to 1:2 magnification and is not bad for a relatively inexpensive walk-around lens than will get you both birds and bugs without having to change lenses (the wasp on milkweed photos that you have seen were taken with that lens).