Was planning some grayling fishing for this weekend, but all the rivers are torrents of cocoa! So, did a bit detective work on the subject of getting good results with fly shots using compact cameras that have limited manual control. This was prompted by flyfisher17's thread, also in this section.

The problem revolves around trying to get as much as possible in focus and the right 'look' to the finished photo.

I picked a fly with dressing heading off in every direction. I set up my compact, a Canon G10, with my usual lighting set-up of 2 desk lamps fitted with milk carton diffusers.

(I should add that I have not previously tried to photograph flies with this camera!)

I set the camera to 'auto-everything', turned on macro mode, turned off flash, and turned on the self-timer. My first attempts didn't even result in me taking a photo - I could not get the camera to focus on the fly at all. Attempts at moving the fly manually into focus were thwarted by the camera trying to refocus when I tried to take the shot - I always suspected that was an issue

I wondered if it was a case of there not being enough light from the desk lamps for the autofocus system to work properly - flyfisher17 did say he had got better results taking it outdoors. So, I moved everything to the window sill while there was still enough light to work with (a luxury not available when using the big f@ck-off SLR set-up). Sure enough, even the pathetic amount of light coming from a dreich, gray, mid-afternoon in February, Scottish sky made all the difference, and the extra candle-power allowed the camera to focus on the fly.

Here is the result...



Same situation as with flyfisher17 - in dim light the auto settings opt for a wide open aperture - mine here is f2.8 - and that gives you a minimal depth of field, with very little of the shot in focus at any one distance from the camera. You need to try your level best to line up the hook so that the eye, the shank and the point are all equidistant from the plane of the camera's sensor. Not always easy when everything is balanced on a window sill!

From my results I can see I got the hook point about right, but the eye is drifting out. The other problem I found with the G10 in auto is that the autofocus is uncontrollable and just picks whatever it finds to focus on. If that happens to be a fibre of seal's fur much nearer you than the rest of the fly, that is what is going to be in focus and the rest is going to be soft (at f2.8).

I brought it back in to the desk top and played about with it a bit more, essentially having a go at how good I could get it by taking things off auto one by one until I got a decent result.

Here is the shot I got by allowing myself the ability to focus where I wanted - giving me a movable autofocus point, which I moved over the eye of the hook...



Er, but hang on a minute... hadn't the camera just achieved autofocus using desk lamps...

It had. What was the difference? Just the way I had arranged things - second time, the lamps were a bit closer to the fly - must have been throwing a bit more light on it and allowing the AF to get a lock. So, I had another go with 'auto-everything'...



I think this last shot is key to identifying the problem. The autofocus gave a good lock on 2 points of the image. However, those points were in amongst the seal's fur - you can see a good amount of the seal's fur is tack sharp - but in going after the seals' fur, it has left the hook eye and hook point blurry. And it's the hook that our eye looks at to check for sharpness. Compare with the middle shot - still f2.8, but looks better because the focus is on the hook.

Nothing much you can do about it when the aperture is f2.8, the subject is an inch from the camera, and the camera chooses to focus on the outer edges of the fly

All these shots were without trying to use the zoom, which I had a wee play with, and was struggling to make inroads into. If the rivers are still out of sorts next weekend, I'll maybe have a go with it. There might be potential to improve depth of field by getting the fly further away from the camera - though I am not counting on it as increasing focal length reduces depth of field...

Meantime, just make sure the hook is parallel with the camera and the camera is focusing on it.

Col

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My hovercraft is full of eels

Didn'y know you had a G10 Col, you dark horse, you.

Here's my simple, makeshift set up if you're interested. I'm sure you can do better.


Cheapo Argos anglepoise lamp, about 6" between camera and fly, custom white balance, ISO 80, f6.3, all set up on C2. Works OK for most things, add a bit of zoom to taste.

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I admit it, I have sharpness issues.

Hi Alex/

3rd last para of the email I sent you on 09/09/10

Very similar set-up to mine, except I use 2 circular lamps, one down each side. I presume your light has a long strip lamp inside it - good way to manage off just one lamp.

What is your focusing method?

Cheers,

Col

PS: Do you tie right-handed

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My hovercraft is full of eels

Sorry Col, I'll rephrase that. I'd forgotten you had a G10, Ive no got a..ahem photographic memory you know.


Yep, long strip light mate. I often think the two lamp system would be a better option but that would mean clearing a space for a proper little shooting area and, let's be honest, that ain't happening.

Focus method? That's a variable one. Most times I'll just use auto on the head and let the dof bring everything else in but sometimes, on non palmered patterns, I'll centre it on the shank and on others I'll go manual. Whatever suits really.


Yes mate, I tie right handed, as I showed you on the first Malham trip.
I learned from books and that how the vice was shown in the pictures so that's how I did it. Consequently, I never really considered tying left handed as I seemed to get on OK with it the other way around.

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I admit it, I have sharpness issues.

My turn to be forgetful.

I was thrown by the fact that both you and Denson fish leftie but tie rightie.

No reason for it, but as I tie leftie I just naturally sit the fly facing left to photograph it - though I guess that is going to be its best side most of the time as it is the one I can see when I am tying it

OK - here's the decider..... what way do your flies face in your fly box?

Col

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My hovercraft is full of eels

Aye, you got me there mate, to the left. Unless the box gets opened upside down.

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I admit it, I have sharpness issues.

My brain hurts.

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My hovercraft is full of eels

No, here's the decider. Which hand do you wax your dolphin with?

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Too much Saturn, not enough Moon.

Buzzers 2012


Fly Clips & Stands

I use a Black & Decker with a buffing mitten.

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My hovercraft is full of eels

Like it Cap, like it.