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Hi Pete,
You don't tell us what you're photographing, but from your mention of breezes I'm assuming flowers or leaves.
Large apertures like f3.5 will give you very shallow depth of field and not much room for error. I wouldn't expect noise to become unmanageable until you get much above ISO 1600, so try a higher setting with a smaller aperture. Even outdoors with faster shutter speeds I would still consider using a tripod, it will let you compose the picture and leave you free to worry about focus etc.
Your choices for close-up work are quite wide. Close-Up lenses are the cheap option and a bit limited. Extension tubes will allow you get really close and because they have no glass they don't affect the optics of the lens they're being used with. However, don't be tempted to get a cheap set. You must make sure they have all the electrical connections necessary and also have metal mounts. You should budget about £100 for a decent set.
Bellows will get you even closer and, like extension tubes, have no optics. But, you will lose all your A/F and auto functions. So, unless your lens has manual facility that won't help at all.
Finally, if macro is what you want to do you should consider a dedicated macro lens. Something between 80mm and 100mm will give you good close-up facility without getting too close to your subject.
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