Shooting With Olympus 60mm F2.8 Macro For Insect Photography

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Decided to go to the Butterfly Park one fine Sunday to capture some macro shots. So I made this video!
0:00 Intro
0:37 Butterfly Park
1:22 Macro Gear Setup
2:08 Macro Action 1
3:19 Camera Settings
4:18 Why Macro Is Fun?
4:40 Macro Action 2
5:44 Respect Nature
6:28 Training Ground
7:27 Macro Action 3
8:50 Conclusion
9:26 Bonus Footage
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Music in video:
Dimatis - Moments Together
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[@HypnoNett]

Thank you for reminding that we need to respect nature and to leave the insects undisturbed :)

[@robinwong]

Oh yes, always! Reminder to myself too

[@oakdalegirl57]

[@davidwebb091370]

thanks for sharing this vid, Robin! This 60mm macro F2.8 is the next Olympus lens i'm planning to purchase

[@robinwong]

Thanks, the 60mm macro is one great lens

[@ianllyodlimtago3131]

I love the colors that Olympus renders

[@robinwong]

Me too

[@sweden_ove2074]

I saw this video again. I so much gonna miss you as Olympus ambassador. I lernt so much from you, and you make good videos. I AM so sad for your sake, and hope to see more of your work soon again.

[@ggwildlife]

excellent Robin i got so hyped with your latest video the 90mm macro that i had to pop over and watch this once again to justify why i still love my 60mm haha ;)

[@lancealbon46]

I just purchased a used Olympus OM-D E-M1X which arrives on Friday. Now I need to purchase this Olympus 60mm f2.8 Macro lens, the flashes, and soft box 🤣👍🏼 I’m fascinated by insect photography and I want to learn more and more. I have a used Sony a7s and a7rii that I use for Milky Way photography, but I want to try Macro with Olympus, and later on motorsport photography with the Olympus as well.

[@timothylee5824]

Really beautiful photos, thank you Robin

[@ericmatos1025]

Loved the music and the photos. Great video!

[@berndschimpf89]

Hi Robin, thank you for that video! Amazing pictures!

[@Rafaga777]

Thanks a lot for this highly enjoyable and relaxing video. Much appreciated.

[@rvsam4u]

That was so well presented that I have to subscribe! Well done

[@troporobo]

Robon, you got some great results, especially doing it handheld with insects on wobbly perches! I've been shooting macro with the Oly cameras and the 60mm lens for years (though mainly underwater) and really know what you mean about the thrill of the hunt. Well done.

[@etm7166]

I enjoy all of your videos!

[@Nathan-we8rz]

That was amazing to watch!

[@robinwong]

Thanks Nathan, glad I can share

[@OutRAjious]

Such a great attitude to your subjects 🎉

[@lesreed1635]

Always love the sharpness of your macro shots. Another enjoyable video from you.

[@robinwong]

Thanks!

[@npivs]

Love the photos and the place! thank you for the video!

[@robinwong]

Thanks, glad I can share

[@dougcooper4917]

Good Video and Great Pictures Robin. Thank You.

[@robinwong]

Thanks Doug

[@KimHojbergJensen]

I recently bought an 8-9 year old used OM-D E-M1 to try the system after watching so many of your videos. A couple of days ago I saw a summer campaign where I got this lens with 25% discount, so I couldn't help m self, I had to get it. It came last night. I have to say I am blown away ❤❤❤ I have been shooting Nikon for many years and I have a Z6 with the Nikkor Z 105mm f2.8. That lens costs four times as much as the Olympus lens, and I think they are equal in picture quality. But then the Olympus gear is so much easier to move around with. The Nikkor Z105mm is huge! After a morning shooting shooting flowers and insects in the garden, I am seriously thinking about selling my Nikon Z gear.

[@corykphotography]

Thank you so much for this video Robin! You have seriously taught me so much since ive made the switch to microfourthirds and Olympus cameras. And a big thanks for respecting the earth's tiny creatures! You are awesome!

[@robinwong]

Thanks for the kind words, and yes we must always be respectful to any creatures big or small

[@blaed011]

I like this video a lot, good to see you are able to finally get out and enjoy nature!

[@robinwong]

Thanks Ed. Technically it is not so much of a nature, I was still in the city, but the park is nice

[@mk1photography61]

Absolutely brilliant thank you

[@themacroverse7109]

The 60mm macro was the first lens I got after i bought my good old E-M1 and it's still my most used lens. I can't wait for the spring and insects to come back here in Denmark. Thank you for sharing, Its always nice to see some new bugs.

[@pwx8460]

Beautiful bugs, and very well produced video. Thanks.

[@robinwong]

Thanks! I try my best

[@werdhawangsa8889]

awesome!!! i think i need this lens, thank u robin

[@photooutdoor2574]

The 60mm lens is great! I‘m waiting for spring in Germany!

[@robinwong]

Oh yes, then go shoot all the bugs!

[@d.k.1394]

Wonderful video. Wonderful butterfly park

[@robinwong]

Thanks

[@leric4205]

Tu es vraiment une personne très sympathique et pleine de bons conseils ;)

[@joanantonim.p.2400]

Thanks , Robin... 👌👍👍🙏

[@robinwong]

Cheers

[@dunnymonster]

Fantastic images Robin 👍

[@robinwong]

Thanks for the kind words

[@rafaelquiroz5865]

Thanks for the video Robin. Next time I am in Kuala Lumpur, I´ll go to those biutiful parks you have over there. Greetings from México!

[@robinwong]

Thanks Rafael, appreciate the kind words, and yes do please visit them!

[@cliffterpher]

Really interesting that you say it's like training of your skills. This training is working well. Beautiful images ☺️

[@robinwong]

Yeah it is a really nice training ground, exercising technical execution at least

[@robjeeves]

Good save on the flash !!!

[@hamzawildlife]

Hi Robin, I live in KL and has been looking out for a fellow macro photography huntur sharing tips and his/her experience. I can say your enthusiasm and positivity just contagious from the first moment and I quite enjoyed your video. Hope to meet one day & who knows maybe macro hunt together ! All the best

[@PaulCoggins-eh6vq]

Hi Robin, another great video, many thanks. I have just ordered the 60mm lens and can't wait to give macro a go. I will look to see if can find any of your videos to help me get to grips with the lens

[@HypnoNett]

Excellent video, Robin. I am wanting to get into insect macro photography, so this has been very useful to watch, thank you

[@robinwong]

Thanks, and glad I can share!

[@AaronSmith-sx4ez]

Great shots!

[@robinwong]

Thanks Aaron

[@nsbhagwat]

Awesome Robin. Thanks for taking us along. The photos look fantastic when viewed in 4K. What are the precautions you take to make sure that the bugs don't fly off? For non ibis camera's, what is the minmum shutter speed you will recommend?

[@irishrose89775]

Thanks for great video Robin. Have a new/ used 30mm Olympus macro on the way to me now. Looking forward to many great hours of photographing the tiny creatures around us!

[@robinwong]

Thanks. The 30mm macro lens will be more challenging to use, because you need to go a lot nearer and that might scare the bugs away

[@rudolfabelin383]

This is so inspiring Robin! Spring is coming soon, with lots of bugs. I am bird feeding right outside my kitchen, sometimes there are 30 birds in 2 square meters. Must rig my Olympus 75-300 MkII with my "new" OM-D E-M1 Mark II.

[@robinwong]

Oh yes go get those birds!

[@DefamsTV]

Awesome you did it handheld

[@user-ji6bp2lx5c]

Nice video - wonder if you do much manual focus with this set up, as you are holding the camera with one hand. I look forward to your videos with the new 90mm macro lens.

[@HammeredNZ]

Thanks, Robin. Absolutely incredible footage of the butterfly park, and some really incredible photos. Might try to find somewhere to do the same in NZ. Whilst we don't own a macro lens, we'll try to make do with the lenses we have and some extension tubes. Cheers!

[@robinwong]

No worries, glad I can share. Extension tubes work well too!

[@highwayman1224]

It really is a great lens! I use it on my Lumix G9.

[@robinwong]

Amazing! I am sure you get some cool results too

[@maroskn3008]

Cool.

[@pietermarais8576]

Thanks Robin, delivered with great enthusiasm as usual :) I had my 2nd macro shoot last week, came out well! May I ask what diffuser you use? Thanks! (edit: O, I watched on my monitor and could make out the logo, Gamilight :)

[@trevb464]

Hey Robin Great video! The 60mm macro will be my next lens purchase. I'll be using it on my EM10mkiv. Can I expect the same great results that you achieve with your camera. Thanks Trev 👍

[@rogermuggleton8127]

Your insects are very docile, maybe because they are captive. Here in the UK insects in the wild are vary wary of a change to their environment and fly off as I get near. I have to stalk them from a distance to avoid a shadow falling on them, and firing a flashgun means you get only one shot before they're off. I find it best to keep at least 1 metre away from the insect, and tend to use my 40-150 f/2.8 instead, maybe with a teleconverter. Using natural light means many compromises, but at least I can get in more than one shot.

[@robinwong]

Maybe I am just a really nice guy the insects love me

[@leckywoznicki5393]

Thank you :)

[@robinwong]

Thanks!

[@johnwest6141]

Many thanks for this impressive demonstration Robin. I struggle to hold the flash in one hand and the camera in the other, particularly when using manual focus. Do you ever put the flash on a stand? I use a Lumix GX80 and the Olympus 60mm macro lens which is a light combination but the camera grip is a bit small. I am thinking of upgrading to an Olympus E-M1 or perhaps even an OM System OM-1.

[@erin758]

Excellent setup. I just wish OM system would release at least 3x or 5x macro in the future.

[@robertgebhardt8936]

Thank you for all your informative and beautiful videos! I recently purchased the STF-8 macro flash. Do you have any thoughts or tips for using it instead of the remotely triggered handheld flash? I have never tried “bug macro”…

[@zachallerton1724]

The 60mm 2.8 is my favorite lens- superbly sharp. I am the only limitation! I want to try the wireless flash next. Great video as always Robin!

[@robinwong]

Oh yes go give the wireless flash a try

[@richardturner81]

@@robinwong Any chance of a wireless flash instructional video Robin? I’m also interested in trying out flash photography. Thanks.

[@JimNicholls]

Great photos in a lovely location, Robin. But for a butterfly park, there seemed to be a distinct shortage of butterflies in the place.

[@robinwong]

The butterflies are there, but I don't need a macro lens to shoot butterflies, and they are not small enough to be "fun" for macro.

[@leoyoung6]

Robin, very inspiring macro work! What are the dimensions of your diffuser? thanks

[@caw25sha]

OMDS have a macro zoom upcoming. Should be interesting.

[@DW_Underwater]

Do you have any additional details on this upcoming lens?

[@gigilatex65]

nice

[@rubyvictoria7055]

Hey Robin, hoping you will read this. Awesome video!!! There's sooo many of your videos I keep referring to. Each time I do a Google search you come up as the authority to go to. We would be lost without you!!! Question. I gather your shooting auto and not holding the lens at 1:1, which you'd need two hands for? Mapping a manual button for the EM5 iii, I've not done yet as unsure whether to change mode 1 or 3, as it needs to be out of mode 2 to map it to another button. Suggestions? I use the camera for many styles so don't want to make specific for macro at expense of having to change back mapped settings, buttons for landscape, astro or portrait. Thanks in advance 👍

[@jen3960]

Robin, love your videos. What Softbox are you using in this video?

[@GoTravelPlanet]

Hey Robin, love your videos. My question is, I need a macro lens for food photography, I shoot with a G9 and a GH5m2 Lumix, and cannot decide whether to get the Olympus 60mm or the Laowa 50mm. Which one would you think is best for food photography? Amazing how you manage to do macro handheld, brvo!!!

[@guntherdrobisch4735]

Great video, thank you. But how do you shoot macro fotographs from more dangerous spiders or other animals with poison, what is the distance you keep to be not attaced?

[@NeilW210]

Hello Robin, thank you for an excellent video. I have an OM-1 and a Godox TT685O, as well as the little Olympus FL-LM3 unit mounted on the OM-1. I have the Godox in Manual and slave mode, and the FL-LM3 will fire the slave unit if indoors in relatively low light, but as soon as I take it outside the Godox will not fire. Can you offer me any suggestions?

[@perm0115]

Great video Were the close up crops or full size ? How much work was done in post ? Thanks

[@MichaelGerrard]

Thanks Robin, wonderful macro shots as always. Do you sometimes use the in camera focus stacking? I was wondering how good that is handheld?

[@robinwong]

In an ideal situation, of course hand-held focus stacking works. But if you watch the video again, the leaves and branches move to much, the insect literally goes out of frame with so much movement. It is impossible for any hand-held or even tripod stacking.

[@MichaelGerrard]

@@robinwong thanks Robin, more for static objects, makes sense.

[@BatuHijau]

Hiya Robin. I'm a pensioner, so buying new expensive gear is out of the question. Is it possible to use a 12-40mm f2.8 pro or even the 40-150 f2.8 to shoot macro or will this be a case of hit & miss? Thanks again for a great video.

[@licici]

Lets do this!

[@maxcerruti447]

The soft Box you used in the video? Thanks

[@paudkoberazzahra1910]

hi robin, i have a question, i have omd em1 and em10 mark ii, why the autofocus on em1 is bad compare to em10 ii

[@ridealongwithrandy]

Amazing stuff! I recently mounted my FL-50R on a tall tripod and put it close to the trees near my bird feeders and am enjoying much better bird photography. BTW, mental activities like this makes for no Alzheimer's ... heehee

[@skadi6040]

if you compare with 7artisan 60mm f2.8 macro, which one better?

[@richardturner81]

Hi Robin, do you know of any decent soft boxes for the Olympus FL-LM3 mini flash at all? This is the only flash I have currently.

[@dionysisnikolopoulos7989]

Hi Robin, how you deal with handshaking and keeping in focus? With the DoF being so shallow sometimes I focus spot on and my hands move slightly to the front or back before actuating shutter. For that reason I shoot 4-5 shots at high FPS

[@d.k.1394]

Dof: is depth of field

[@robinwong]

I don't keep things in focus. As the AF is confirmed I immediately pressed the shutter button. You don't wait

[@dionysisnikolopoulos7989]

@@robinwong Thanks, I think I have improved with this in mind. I just fully press immediately now.

[@MDMiller60]

If you set 1:1 on the lens, does it stay set until you turn off camera?

[@systemanaturae105]

Hi Robin. Just to check with you. Which setting did you use on the dial on the side of the 60mm macro lens. And did you use the flash on TTL or set it up manually. Nice video video clip as always. The small sections you did using video looked ok. Assume you used no additional lighting with these ?? 😊😊

[@robinwong]

There is only one setting on the dial for macro. Flash was on TTL most of the time, unless I have very specific thing i want to do (go full power to blast through petals of flower, for example). Of course the video looks fine, because there were movement, and motion blur makes the video looks nice. The blur however, will not look good on photos (look at how much the leaves and branches move). Flash helps freeze motion.

[@TheNarrowbandChannel]

Great images Robin. Focus stacking at all?

[@robinwong]

Not possible. Did you see the footage of how much the leaves or branches move due to wind?

[@TheNarrowbandChannel]

@@robinwong Yes I did. I confess I asked while I was only half way through the video. :) I get excited about macro.

[@robinwong]

@@TheNarrowbandChannel ideally when nothing moves surely hand-held focus stacking is possible. But at this rate, even if I use a tripod, the movement of the leaf/branch the bug is perching on is so violent I don't think any composite mode would work!

[@portiaPH]

Hi Robin, portia here Robert's friend. What did you use for videos in this episode? thanks and more power!

[@fanb0y777]

Great video, Damn shame what Olympus did. I will hit Like & Subscribe.

[@kokhowe]

Were you shooting with manual focusing too? Or did you rely on the AF of the camera?

[@jtmlc348]

Hi Robin. I saw online there is an Olympus 50mm f/2.8 lens. Can I request a review and comparison video between the 50mm & 60mm?

[@jameslove1092]

Hii robin. Hope you are well. Whhat system are you using in 2023. Best regards james in scotland.

[@MacroTh3ory]

Robin, are you on Instagram; would love to follow you if so! Your videos has helped ease my nerves waiting on my first micro four thirds camera. I have shot Nikon Full Frame for 15 years (and will still continue to).. but I am trying to take Macro to the next level.

[@johnkilmerstone]

Hi Robin, which lens were you shooting this video on?

[@robinwong]

It was an action camera

[@johnkilmerstone]

@@robinwong Thanks. I'm assuming it was a GoPro.

[@j16m02]

Probably a stupid question Robin. Maybe I missed it, but are you shooting in manual focus and just moving your body, or are you using AF? Thanks.

[@robinwong]

As shown in the video, AF

[@macmij]

Is your flash set on manual or TTL?

[@robinwong]

Most of the time TTL unless I have something specific I wanted to do

[@kungula]

Robin, why don't you use focus bracketing or stacking ? I always use it with 1 or 2 Led lights. Depth of field is a lot better already @ f 2.8 and with the E-M1 mk 3 and it can be done handheld.

[@robinwong]

Did you see the leaves move?

[@kungula]

@@robinwong just try it ! It should also work with a bit of wind if you do not merge more than 20 images. More important is the subject than anything else in my view.

[@robinwong]

Not a bit. The insect goes entirely out of frame.

[@leasetime65rat-g29]

Die you also go to the nearby Orchid Park ?

[@robinwong]

No. Macro photography is physically intense. I was wiped out after this one session

[@leasetime65rat-g29]

Hi Robin, thank you for your reply. Would love to visit friends and family in Malaysia again… but no can do at the moment … whenever I am there (around Kajang) maybe can meet for a coffee (or some local delights)

[@d.k.1394]

There seemed so few butterflies however!😪😪😪

[@robinwong]

They have butterflies, but you don't need a macro lens to shoot butterflies. A kit lens will do

[@Lordvader330]

Any tips on focusing with this lens? I find it very slow.

[@dionysisnikolopoulos7989]

Use the limiter, it should be very fast.

[@robinwong]

I have no issue so far

[@calvint3419]

Beauty, can we sell photos for money?

[@Gamehighlight2023]

Thank you so much....I just got my first Olympus camera and I love the macro photography buy I can't afford this amazing lens $500 is too much for me even it may worth it....:(