www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Remember that you always have the option to focus manually! I think it is better to do that with macro photography, as you can be sure that you focus on the right bit! It's often a good idea to pre-focus the lens at the magnification you want and then rock yourself back and forwards until the subject is in focus, rather than changing the lens setting. I use a monopod to keep things steady, while still allowing me some freedom of movement.

The Sony/ex-Minolta lens is excellent - see http://www.kenrockwell.com/minolta/maxxum/100mm-f28.htm for a review - and I certainly wouldn't change it on image quality grounds!

mike

Mike is spot on of course the Minolta is a excellent Macro lens - as your lovely photos illustrate. I use manual focus a lot but I also find that I have to use my camera 'one handed' reasonably often making it impossible to focus manually. Many of the places and situations some of us find ourselves in trying to get a perfect butterfly shot can only be made possible by holding onto something with one hand and taking a photo with the other
On occasion I also need to hold an obstacle out of the way with one hand and take the shot with the other.

A lot depends on your style of photography, some butterflies rarely sit still for long and auto focus can be a lot faster - making the difference between getting the shot or not. Ideally we would be able to use manual focus all of the time. If you really need auto focus for the reasons I've mentioned then it's worth checking out the Sigma. If you're able to use manual focus most of the time then there's definitely no reason to change anything.

FWIW on auto or not, your photos look very good to me.

B'saurus

Today I went to Malling Down early and mainly stayed in the lane. I saw 2 Holly Blues (my first of the year), 2 Orange Tips, 2 Brimstones, 2 Small Tortoiseshells, 1 Peacock, 1 Speckled Wood and my first damselfly of the year. I then went to Pulborough Brooks and saw a Bank Vole.

I love the female Orange-tip shot a very different perspective

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Aaah!! Holly Blue.

You're making me jealous.

Today following other reports of sightings I went to Mill Hill and saw at least 2 Grizzled Skippers and at least one Dingy Skipper and 2 Peacocks.

David M wrote:Aaah!! Holly Blue.

You're making me jealous.

If it makes you feel better the Holly Blues weren't being helpful at all. They kept flying where I couldn't reach them and I pretty much had to stand in brambles to get the photo!

Loving the Skipper shots - especially the last one It's all kicking off now!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thank you! It is definitely kicking off now and harder to choose where to go looking for butterflies.

Love the last Grizzled shot - fantastic.

Best wishes,

Lee

Today I saw my first Green Hairstreaks of the year up on the Downs.

Wurzel wrote:Loving the Skipper shots - especially the last one It's all kicking off now!

Seconded - and that Green Hairstreak is stunning

Thank you! Just a shame the antennae weren't pointing up. When are you going to put us of our misery waiting for news re the pupa William? A boy or a girl OT?

Another photo of the Green Hairstreak

Beautiful green hairstreak

Lovely Greenstreak shots Katrina I need to get me some of those

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Today me and my sister, who is visiting for a couple of days, went to Mill Hill early. We saw several Grizzled and Dingy Skippers one Green Hairstreak and one Small Tortoiseshell. We left just as butterfly activity was increasing as we thought we would try our luck looking for the Dukes at Heyshott. It was not to be, the weather was mainly cloudy with the occasional sunny spell but a cool breeze. We saw 2 butterflies flying which we lost before they landed. We think one was probably a Dingy Skipper and one possibly a Grizzled. We did, however, enjoy the gorgeous flowers there at the moment including large numbers of cowslips and some orchids.

This morning we went to Rewell Wood. We didn't see any PBFs, but did see one Speckled Wood, one rather ghostly looking moth and a Green Tiger Beetle. We then went to Arundel WWT where the highlight was seeing 3 Water Voles.

Lovely. Not sure I've ever seen a water vole.

I read only this week that they have decreased by over 90% in the last 30 years or so...mostly due to the American mink and habitat loss.

Best wishes,

Lee

Arundel WWT is well worth a visit if you want to see water voles. I think they released them onto the reserve some years ago and have fences to protect the birds and voles. I see one approx 50% of the times I go. They can be seen anywhere but the boat ride and reed bed walks are the best bets.