Macro Magnolia

The above picture was captured with the Pentax ZX-L , on CVS 400 color film using a Sigma 28 to 80 zoom on the Macro setting. It is very similar to a print I have hanging in my living room and millions of others similarly hanging in homes all over South Louisiana and Mississippi.

The Magnolia is actually the Mississippi state flower. Magnolia trees grow throughout the Gulf Coast and bloom about this time of year.

I was actually a little disappointed in this photograph. The green leaves are sharper and seem to have more detail than the petals of the magnolia flower. Of course this is my very first experience with a macro lens. I suspect the on-board exposure meter and AF systems may not be set up to handle macro photography. I know little or nothing about the CVS film I was using and this is not a high resolution scan which might show more detail.

The conclusion therefore is inconclusive. I do believe this lens has more to offer so I think I need to “play” around a bit more with this “macro thing” and probably use manual focus and EV settings to see if I can get better results. The ZX-L has a “Close Up” program mode I may try as well.