Sony a300: Water droplet shots and macro/manual focus

[BiGT-]

Ok so I bought a Sony a300 SLR and im not totally impressed, I love doing macro shots and depth of field focus shots and wanted to try the water droplet shots that a lot of people do, but the macro doesnt focus at all, everythings really blurry, do I have to buy a separate macro lens to do close ups and the water shots, do I have to use a separate lens for that too or does someone know how to do it on my camera/a200/a350?
another problem is the manual focus, how do I adjust it to actually focus on something ?

Thanks for you help in advance

 

[asim18]

Lenses have a minimum focusing distance. It's varies by lens and dedicated macro lenses will give you the best magnification.

You can buy accessories such as filters and extenders which allow you to shorten the minimum focus distance on your lens.

To manually focus, just turn the focus ring on the lens.

 

[BiGT-]

There is no focus ring on the lens :S just zoom :S

 

[mcc49]

Try turning the front element? The bit that goes in and out when it AF's, its what you had to do on the Canon kit lens. Does it have an AF/MF switch on the lens?

 

[BiGT-]

Yes it has a AF/MF switch but the only thing that turns on the lens is the zoom

 

[Gnomey]

Assuming that it is the 18-70mm lens, the bit you turn is the ribbed ring on the very front of the lens. You will have to set the body to manual focus using the switch which is under the lens release button. It would help to know which lens you are using.

 

[BiGT-]

aaaaah there it is! ...... well done, I was testing you all, you passed congrats.... The lens protecter plastic thing was there so I thought it was nothing, I feel embarrassed,

Cheers guys