Once you get up close and personal with subjects, the depth of field you have to play with is very small. Consequently, to make sure you have focused exactly where you intended, it is best to use manual focusing. And manual focusing is something the X100 does not do well.
So it was with little hope of success that I spent some time this morning shooting exclusively in macro mode, and indeed the camera was nowhere near as easy to use close-up as the Panasonic GF1. No problem with grabbing focus, but I was never sure what had been grabbed. I could zoom in and confirm that indeed it had not focused exactly where I wanted, but then trying to spin the useless manual focusing ring was a waste of time.
Still, when it did work, the shots looked OK (to my eyes). But if I was going out to shoot macro again I would leave the Fuji at home and take the GF1 (if I can stop she who must be obeyed from “borrowing” it).
Some Fuji macro shots, mainly at F4:
Comments 🔗
2011-07-29| Wally saysI reckon you carry those bees around with you in a box then get them to pose on flowers and sticky sweet cakes just so you can take photos of them to impress your loyal readers – I recognise one of the bees from previous postings ! The third from bottom photo was obviously included in order to provoke a response from the curious – what is it, a fan palm that has been sepiarised (good word !) ? Excellent pics as usual by the way.
2011-07-30| Spike saysYes, that bee is called Alfred, he has been with me a while.
It is indeed a palm, with another palm behind it casting a shadow. The photo looked too much like a palm, so I changed the colour to bring out the pattern.
My favourite is the first one, the out of focus areas look like they have been painted. Nice one Fuji.
2011-07-31| Wally saysI prefer the second one with Alfred and his petite panniers packed with plundered pollen. That’s all my p’s used up for the rest of the week.
2011-08-02| genuinej saysI think Alfred used to bee with David Attenborough on the Bee Bee Cee, before he skipped the country whilst facing honey laundering charges.
2011-08-02| Spike saysAnd before that he was in the Bee Gees. Their last album caused quite a buzz.