Focus on close-up shots w/DSLR

I had a Canon PowerShot S5 that I was using until about a month ago. I guess it was the small sensor(?) that allowed everything to be in focus so easily. Now I have a T2i and the whole focus situation is entirely different. I don't have a macro lens, but if I can shoot close-ups without a macro lens for the time being I'd like to be able to do that.

I remember always seeing that many macro or close-up shots didn't have everything in focus, and I didn't really understand why, but I saw that it seemed to be okay with everyone. But I don't think the foreground part of the grass stalk being so OOF in this image is okay at all. I think it looks really bad.

The technical data for this shot is:

Canon EOS REBEL T2i
EF-S55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS
2/24/2011 – 5:27:21 PM (late, I know)
1/200 sec
Manual
f/5.6
ISO 400
Focal length 250 mm
Tripod

What could I do differently to not have the foreground OOF, and to improve the whole image with this camera and this lens?

Thank you for any help!

You would have to stop down your aperture to say f/16 or f/22... which may or may not render the grass in focus. When you are doing closeup stuff your DOF (depth of field) is going to be narrow even with a stopped down aperture. A lot of stuff you see in macro galleries where everything is in focus is the byproduct of focus stacking where many images were taken with different focal points and stacked together for greater DOF.

Thank you, Luke. So that means the light would have to be really good. I'll try something in better light, then.

Barbara,

I see you're using a tripod so you don't necessarily need more light. You shot this image at f/5.6 and 1/200 sec. If you stopped down to f/16 your shutter speed would be 1/25 sec. That shutter speed would be problematic if you were hand holding your camera but with a tripod it's no trouble at all. Unless, of course, your subject moves.

Barbara,

To me, the grass blade being out of focus is fine, it's that the main subject - the insect - does not look sharply in focus. From your description/data it looks like you focused manually - if you have not done so, might want to adjust your view-finder diopter for your eyesight so that when you manually focus it will be "right on". In addition, you can use your DOF preview button to check what will be in focus before you take the shot. Smaller f-stops (e.g., f16) will also bring in more of the background. It is difficult to get close-up images (increased magnification) with a telephoto lens alone. You can add extension tubes and close-up "lens" that screw onto the front of the lens like a filter and gives increased magnification.

Barbara, I think your photo is just fine as it is. In a way you might not want the blade of grass to be in sharp focus and distract from the main subject. I also use close-up screw in lenses with my 50-250mm lens. I also have extension tubes. If you decided to purchase extension tubes make sure you get them that will work with Canon S lenses, not all of them will. The info above for tripod is right on, and coupled with live view is a winning combination for close-ups IMHO.

Barbara: I dont mind the OOF portion of the blade in this instance. I think it help isolate your subject. Sometimes what you have in focus tends to become a compromise (at least it does for me at times) because if you shoot with a smaller aperture you'll also have more of the background in focus (as David said) which may or may not be detrimental to your photograph.

One thing to keep in mind is when shooting close-ups with a small focus slice your camera plane becomes more important. If you can get parallel with what you desire to have in sharp focus that is perfect. However, when shooting close-ups a very minor shift in your camera makes a much larger difference in your composition. So once again, it kind of becomes a compromise.

Thank you all so very much for your feedback and the great information.

Barbara. I'll add one thing to what David said above. The way I get sharp focus on the subject in close ups using manual focus is to go to live view, blow the frame up large on a tiny portion of the subject and then focus. You can't miss!