SONY 90mm macro lens and SONY A6400 camera: amazing performance without tripod and with image stabilization

12 Oct 2020 Episyrphus balteatus. marmalade hoverfly.
f/7.1. 1/1250 sec. ISO 10.000 [GK_04342.JPG]

When I bought the SONY 90 mm macro lens, the man in the camera shop looked at me and said: buying a macro lens in October?! The autumn is a good time for mushroom photography! I bought the lens at that moment because it has been out of stock for months.

Well, yes, there are a lot of mushroom in October, but there are also insects flying and crawling. See for example the tiny fly above photographed on 12 October.

Pieris brassicae (detail) 14 Oct.
f/10.0 1/8000 sec. ISO 10.000 [GK_4469]

Two days later I detected this caterpillar of the cabbage butterfly on a cabbage (picture above).

dragonfly detail 700x700 pixels. 3 Nov 2020
f/4.5. 1/1000 sec ISO 800. [GK_04813]
Sympetrum striolatum (?) (Bruinrode heidelibel)

On 3 November there was a dragonfly sitting on a bench in the park! I am not sure what species it is, it could be a Common darter male. This is certainly late in the year to observe a dragonfly. The picture shows the attachment of the 4 wings to the body. Impressive piece of engineering!

3 Nov. Citroenvlinder
Gonepteryx rhamni
Common brimstone
f/2.8. 1/4000 sec. ISO 400.

Also on 3 November a butterfly sunbathing! One of the last butterflies of this year? I could not come close enough for a good macro.

7 Nov 2020 Episyrphus balteatus.
Dutch: snorzweefvlieg,
Englisch: marmalade hoverfly
original: 6000x4000; this detail: 1000x800 pixels.

On 7 November this tiny hoverfly (above) was resting on Hedera helix in our garden just long enough to take a picture. Temperature: 14°C.!

Suillia spec. (7 Nov.) resting on mushroom
f/7.1. 1/400 sec.  ISO 8000. 2239x1661 pixels

This is a fly of the species-rich Suillia genus, which contains 130 species. They are very difficult to identify without a microscope, but are beautiful.

9 Nov: Neomyia cornicina (?) (O=99.9%) [GK_04920A]

 

9 Nov: Neomyia cornicina (?)
f/7.1. 1/4000 sec. ISO 4000. [GK_04922A]

The next day I spotted a marmalade hoverfly warming up in the sun. A perfect situation for macro:

10 Nov: Episyrphus balteatus (detail)
D: Snorzweefvlieg. E: marmalade hoverfly.
f/8.0. 1/500 sec. ISO 1000 [GK_04947]

All pictures are freehand with the SONY A6400 and SONY FE 90 mm F2.8 Macro G OSS lens with autofocus and image stabilization enabled. Original size of pictures: 6000x4000 pixels. The light sensitivity settings varied between ISO 800 and 10.000 and shutter speed settings between 1/500 and 1/4000 sec. Click on images to view full size.

It's amazing that freehand photography with this lens delivers such detailed and sharp macro pictures! It seems, this macro lens is designed for freehand photography. I am really happy with the results. 

Still sharper details should be possible with lower ISO values and a tripod and/or artificial light, but I did not yet try this.

So: October and November are certainly not lost months for macro photography: several fly species, a butterfly, a dragonfly and a
caterpillar. Relevant info: I am located in The Netherlands.

If you have any comments or questions, please use the comments field below.

 

PS: I planned to publish this post a month earlier. But I decided to give priority to the new book of Paul Nurse!