Macro photos keep focussing on surrounds, not subject

[bvanant]

One issue that you might be having is that you are using continuous lighting. A strobe will very much freeze action. When you get the strobe practice both on the table and outside on things like bugs and spiders.
Bill

 

[Scythegpd]

Good shout thanks, will give that a go

First test your focus works outside the housing.
Take a picture of something on a desk.

If in focus, test camera in housing.

If it focuses, test camera in housing in a bathtub or bucket.

It could be that you simply need more practice with the camera.

 

[Scythegpd]

Cheers, so there’s no heating issues or risks using the strobe out of water?
Getting a bit cold here now for bugs to be out (finally, after a sweltering summer) but I’ve got a fishtank with a betta so might give him a bit of a surprise haha

One issue that you might be having is that you are using continuous lighting. A strobe will very much freeze action. When you get the strobe practice both on the table and outside on things like bugs and spiders.
Bill

 

[Germie]

The focuspoint from the TG is very big. This means with very small things it can take the surroundings instead of what you want.
But I also see a fish as subject and they are hard to focus on. So try with something that is not moving. With fish I also have quite a lot of unsharp pictures with the TG. But it is possible.
The fish you took pictures of most times use the same pattern to swim over and over again. So if it went wrong the first time, wait and it will swim again on the same place. Then you have as second or third chance a better chance to get it sharp.

Further the shutter speed, with 1/15, no picture of a swimming fish will be sharp, so the 'auto' will not work very well.