Hunting macro lens

Q I bought a budget macro lens, but the autofocus struggles to lock on the subject. What can I do about it? Jonjo Betrand

A However expensive your lens is, there will be times when it won’t focus. It’s usually due to lack of contrast within the scene, particularly when the light is flat.

In these conditions – even if I am photographing something that moves, like a butterfly – I’ll switch to manual focus. However, instead of manually focusing on the subject, I’ll set my closest focusing point, then simply move myself towards or away from the subject until I see the point I want in focus become sharp. Now I can squeeze the shutter to get the shot. This technique avoids the frustration of a constantly ‘hunting’ autofocus system.