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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Clovishound" data-source="post: 836826" data-attributes="member: 50197">It sounds to me, from your post that you are using autofocus. I would recommend that you use manual focus. You can either use the switch on the lens, or the menu item in your camera to switch to manual. It also sounds like you have a focusing rail, which is a good tool for macro work, especially studio. Looking at the image you posted, it looks like the focus point is at, or near, the back of the gemstone. Try this: Using manual focus, turn the focus ring until you are at minimum focus distance. Use the focusing rail to move the camera back and forth until the front of the gem is in focus. Then advance until the facets about a 1/3 of the distance between the front and back of the gem are in focus. Then take your shot. If you need to reposition the tripod, because you have reached the front or back limit of the focusing rail, then reposition it. The EXIF shows your posted image was shot at F5.6, 1/400 sec and ISO 220. I would stop down to F16 and then lower your shutter speed to whatever it takes to get to ISO 100 to 200. Since you have a stable subject and are shooting from a tripod, you can use as low a shutter speed as you need, as long as you practice good shutter technique, IE use a remote release, or self timer for long exposures, say below 1/50 sec. The smaller aperture of F16 will give you more depth of field, which allows more of your image to be in focus. If you need a little more, you can try F22 or even F32, although your image quality will suffer somewhat beyond F16. As stated in BF's post, if you need more depth of field than a small aperture gives you, it will be necessary to use focus stacking, also called focus bracketing to get everything into focus. You can cross that bridge later if necessary. Good luck and let us know how you are doing.</blockquote>

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