Macro Photo thread
Discussion
Seemed to have had more dragonflies visiting the garden this year for some reason.
southern hawker dragonfly closeup by Nigel, on Flickr
southern hawker dragonfly by Nigel, on Flickr
southern hawker dragonfly closeup by Nigel, on Flickrsouthern hawker dragonfly by Nigel, on Flickr
It's been a macabre few days in the garden....
DSC_3456_00006 by Glynn Hobbs, on Flickr
DSC_3860_00002 by Glynn Hobbs, on Flickr
DSC_3723_00014 by Glynn Hobbs, on Flickr
DSC_3282 by Glynn Hobbs, on Flickr
DSC_3456_00006 by Glynn Hobbs, on FlickrDSC_3860_00002 by Glynn Hobbs, on FlickrDSC_3723_00014 by Glynn Hobbs, on FlickrDSC_3282 by Glynn Hobbs, on FlickrNice work chaps.
Glyn's number ....0014 is remarkable for what I take to be a kit lens as the basis of the shot.
Obviously DD with a wealth of experience is well and truly into a good stride.
Inspired by this activity and slightly bored with my usual subject matter, a package with some inexpensive gadgets arrived this morning to assist my intention to make full use of the nice late summer conditions to enjoy snapping the fauna in the garden.
The package was promptly followed by rain then thunder and a suspicion that I may have jinxed everyone's Bank Holiday and the entire late summer/autumn to follow.
If it turns out that way please accept my apologies in advance!
Glyn's number ....0014 is remarkable for what I take to be a kit lens as the basis of the shot.
Obviously DD with a wealth of experience is well and truly into a good stride.
Inspired by this activity and slightly bored with my usual subject matter, a package with some inexpensive gadgets arrived this morning to assist my intention to make full use of the nice late summer conditions to enjoy snapping the fauna in the garden.
The package was promptly followed by rain then thunder and a suspicion that I may have jinxed everyone's Bank Holiday and the entire late summer/autumn to follow.
If it turns out that way please accept my apologies in advance!
DibblyDobbler said:
'inexpensive gadgets' ?! do tell 
Well apart from the sensor cleaning wipes that will, hopefully, get to the invisible to the eye but sometime obvious dirt that the Arctic Butterfly cannot shift ... and a filter wrap that replaces an ancient item that has fallen to pieces after only about 50 years and left most of its nice red "plush" lining as powder on the filters ...There is a hot shoe fitting twin arm LED light (not a flash) suitable for smaller and mirrorless cameras, the efficacy of which I thought I would try out with my old G10 although as it's not a flash it could be used in other ways.
Then there is a ring light (also not a flash) intended for macro illumination that fits to the lens and takes AA batteries although I spotted that it also has a 5V socket that is not mentioned anywhere in the documentation.
And lastly a set of 4 closeup lenses(+1, +2, +4, +10) which hopefully will provide more or less the same sort of function that your Raynox offers. These come with a case with a plush lining similar to but larger than the one for the filters that I have just binned. Some initial playing with the lenses on a 24-105 suggest they will be "interesting" and possibly even more so on the 70-200. They can be stacked, apparently. That should make them really interesting if not, perhaps, extremely challenging.
On the 70-300 DO the apparent effect at 300 is odd - possibly because of the Diffractive Optics of the lens. However I have long had a suspicion that the lens is not often working correctly at the long end (despite 2 service fixes) and that the close up lens is just highlighting the shortcoming.
That said and having just tried it out with the larger Macro light, at full zoom the 70-200 plus 2x extender exhibits the same tendency so it may well be just a limitation to be lived with and allowed for.
If there is any decent light and dry conditions over the weekend I hope to find some uncommitted time to find out.
[quote=LongQ]Nice work chaps.
Glyn's number ....0014 is remarkable for what I take to be a kit lens as the basis of the shot.
Yes, it was taken with the standard 18-55 kit lens and the Raynox attached. - The subject was against the white metal wall of my garden shed, so to be honest, was only taken as a 'throw-away' shot.
It's been so hot here in SW France for the past two months (high 30's/low 40's most days) that insects are about the only thing that I can find to photograph. Even the lizards are hiding from the sun!
General wildlife has all but disappeared and i've not even seen a bird in the garden for ages.
I'm now looking forward to some cooler weather and the return of some new subjects!
Glyn's number ....0014 is remarkable for what I take to be a kit lens as the basis of the shot.
Yes, it was taken with the standard 18-55 kit lens and the Raynox attached. - The subject was against the white metal wall of my garden shed, so to be honest, was only taken as a 'throw-away' shot.
It's been so hot here in SW France for the past two months (high 30's/low 40's most days) that insects are about the only thing that I can find to photograph. Even the lizards are hiding from the sun!
General wildlife has all but disappeared and i've not even seen a bird in the garden for ages.
I'm now looking forward to some cooler weather and the return of some new subjects!
LongQ said:
Well apart from the sensor cleaning wipes that will, hopefully, get to the invisible to the eye but sometime obvious dirt that the Arctic Butterfly cannot shift ... and a filter wrap that replaces an ancient item that has fallen to pieces after only about 50 years and left most of its nice red "plush" lining as powder on the filters ...
There is a hot shoe fitting twin arm LED light (not a flash) suitable for smaller and mirrorless cameras, the efficacy of which I thought I would try out with my old G10 although as it's not a flash it could be used in other ways.
Then there is a ring light (also not a flash) intended for macro illumination that fits to the lens and takes AA batteries although I spotted that it also has a 5V socket that is not mentioned anywhere in the documentation.
And lastly a set of 4 closeup lenses(+1, +2, +4, +10) which hopefully will provide more or less the same sort of function that your Raynox offers. These come with a case with a plush lining similar to but larger than the one for the filters that I have just binned. Some initial playing with the lenses on a 24-105 suggest they will be "interesting" and possibly even more so on the 70-200. They can be stacked, apparently. That should make them really interesting if not, perhaps, extremely challenging.
On the 70-300 DO the apparent effect at 300 is odd - possibly because of the Diffractive Optics of the lens. However I have long had a suspicion that the lens is not often working correctly at the long end (despite 2 service fixes) and that the close up lens is just highlighting the shortcoming.
That said and having just tried it out with the larger Macro light, at full zoom the 70-200 plus 2x extender exhibits the same tendency so it may well be just a limitation to be lived with and allowed for.
If there is any decent light and dry conditions over the weekend I hope to find some uncommitted time to find out.
Sounds like you are all tooled up now LQ - go find some bugs! There is a hot shoe fitting twin arm LED light (not a flash) suitable for smaller and mirrorless cameras, the efficacy of which I thought I would try out with my old G10 although as it's not a flash it could be used in other ways.
Then there is a ring light (also not a flash) intended for macro illumination that fits to the lens and takes AA batteries although I spotted that it also has a 5V socket that is not mentioned anywhere in the documentation.
And lastly a set of 4 closeup lenses(+1, +2, +4, +10) which hopefully will provide more or less the same sort of function that your Raynox offers. These come with a case with a plush lining similar to but larger than the one for the filters that I have just binned. Some initial playing with the lenses on a 24-105 suggest they will be "interesting" and possibly even more so on the 70-200. They can be stacked, apparently. That should make them really interesting if not, perhaps, extremely challenging.
On the 70-300 DO the apparent effect at 300 is odd - possibly because of the Diffractive Optics of the lens. However I have long had a suspicion that the lens is not often working correctly at the long end (despite 2 service fixes) and that the close up lens is just highlighting the shortcoming.
That said and having just tried it out with the larger Macro light, at full zoom the 70-200 plus 2x extender exhibits the same tendency so it may well be just a limitation to be lived with and allowed for.
If there is any decent light and dry conditions over the weekend I hope to find some uncommitted time to find out.
DibblyDobbler said:
Sounds like you are all tooled up now LQ - go find some bugs!
Hmm,Not quite.
The large LED light is pretty useful but not bright enough to allow sensible shutter speed and aperture for DOF without using high ISO and my cameras are of an age that makes high ISO a poor option.
Plus there is no way to get a viable fit to a 77mm lens. It will sort of push fit to the Macro lens but not securely. I was concerned I might find it dropping off as I went out to try it for the first time but I didn't expect that to happen in less than 10 seconds. Result - non working and rattling light. Fortunately it was just one of the battery connector that had flattened on impact. As I found out after I had dismantled everything.
I then repeated the drop as son as I took it out again! Soooo easy to fumble it without a third hand available. Same result but a very easy fix that time.
On the plus side the thing seems stronger than it looks having survived both drops onto stone paving. Well, except for the battery connection "springs".
Lenses smaller than the 77mm should be fine as there are adapter rings supplied and they appear to clip in quite firmly and screw fit to the lens.
However, the macro lenses I have are 77mm so although I have other adapters to allow me to fit 77,, filters or lenses to the front of smaller lenses ... that won't help with the flash fitment.
The 10x lens proved very tricky to use as you might expect - especially trying to hold the light in place as well. First impressions as that it is pretty good in the centre but focus/sharpness falls off very rapidly. That works quite well on a concave flower but not so well on a subject that is more or less flat or convex. There are some other things going on that as yet I am not sure whether they are down to the lens or the lighting.
It's been raining all day today which is not so bad as we had social event to attend so no garden time was lost!
Tomorrow is supposed to be better. Hopefully if will be good enough and wind free enough to get out and continue the learning exercise and testing.
LongQ said:
Hmm,
Not quite.
The large LED light is pretty useful but not bright enough to allow sensible shutter speed and aperture for DOF without using high ISO and my cameras are of an age that makes high ISO a poor option.
Plus there is no way to get a viable fit to a 77mm lens. It will sort of push fit to the Macro lens but not securely. I was concerned I might find it dropping off as I went out to try it for the first time but I didn't expect that to happen in less than 10 seconds. Result - non working and rattling light. Fortunately it was just one of the battery connector that had flattened on impact. As I found out after I had dismantled everything.
I then repeated the drop as son as I took it out again! Soooo easy to fumble it without a third hand available. Same result but a very easy fix that time.
On the plus side the thing seems stronger than it looks having survived both drops onto stone paving. Well, except for the battery connection "springs".
Lenses smaller than the 77mm should be fine as there are adapter rings supplied and they appear to clip in quite firmly and screw fit to the lens.
However, the macro lenses I have are 77mm so although I have other adapters to allow me to fit 77,, filters or lenses to the front of smaller lenses ... that won't help with the flash fitment.
The 10x lens proved very tricky to use as you might expect - especially trying to hold the light in place as well. First impressions as that it is pretty good in the centre but focus/sharpness falls off very rapidly. That works quite well on a concave flower but not so well on a subject that is more or less flat or convex. There are some other things going on that as yet I am not sure whether they are down to the lens or the lighting.
It's been raining all day today which is not so bad as we had social event to attend so no garden time was lost!
Tomorrow is supposed to be better. Hopefully if will be good enough and wind free enough to get out and continue the learning exercise and testing.
When I started messing about with flash on my macro set-up I spent some time trying it out indoors on some static subjects to get a handle on the settings, limitations and techniques without the variables of flying subjects or windblown vegetation. Also helps when you fumble the kit it lands on the carpet rather than on the paving or in the mud. Not quite.
The large LED light is pretty useful but not bright enough to allow sensible shutter speed and aperture for DOF without using high ISO and my cameras are of an age that makes high ISO a poor option.
Plus there is no way to get a viable fit to a 77mm lens. It will sort of push fit to the Macro lens but not securely. I was concerned I might find it dropping off as I went out to try it for the first time but I didn't expect that to happen in less than 10 seconds. Result - non working and rattling light. Fortunately it was just one of the battery connector that had flattened on impact. As I found out after I had dismantled everything.
I then repeated the drop as son as I took it out again! Soooo easy to fumble it without a third hand available. Same result but a very easy fix that time.
On the plus side the thing seems stronger than it looks having survived both drops onto stone paving. Well, except for the battery connection "springs".
Lenses smaller than the 77mm should be fine as there are adapter rings supplied and they appear to clip in quite firmly and screw fit to the lens.
However, the macro lenses I have are 77mm so although I have other adapters to allow me to fit 77,, filters or lenses to the front of smaller lenses ... that won't help with the flash fitment.
The 10x lens proved very tricky to use as you might expect - especially trying to hold the light in place as well. First impressions as that it is pretty good in the centre but focus/sharpness falls off very rapidly. That works quite well on a concave flower but not so well on a subject that is more or less flat or convex. There are some other things going on that as yet I am not sure whether they are down to the lens or the lighting.
It's been raining all day today which is not so bad as we had social event to attend so no garden time was lost!
Tomorrow is supposed to be better. Hopefully if will be good enough and wind free enough to get out and continue the learning exercise and testing.
good luck
nre said:
LongQ said:
Hmm,
Not quite.
The large LED light is pretty useful but not bright enough to allow sensible shutter speed and aperture for DOF without using high ISO and my cameras are of an age that makes high ISO a poor option.
Plus there is no way to get a viable fit to a 77mm lens. It will sort of push fit to the Macro lens but not securely. I was concerned I might find it dropping off as I went out to try it for the first time but I didn't expect that to happen in less than 10 seconds. Result - non working and rattling light. Fortunately it was just one of the battery connector that had flattened on impact. As I found out after I had dismantled everything.
I then repeated the drop as son as I took it out again! Soooo easy to fumble it without a third hand available. Same result but a very easy fix that time.
On the plus side the thing seems stronger than it looks having survived both drops onto stone paving. Well, except for the battery connection "springs".
Lenses smaller than the 77mm should be fine as there are adapter rings supplied and they appear to clip in quite firmly and screw fit to the lens.
However, the macro lenses I have are 77mm so although I have other adapters to allow me to fit 77,, filters or lenses to the front of smaller lenses ... that won't help with the flash fitment.
The 10x lens proved very tricky to use as you might expect - especially trying to hold the light in place as well. First impressions as that it is pretty good in the centre but focus/sharpness falls off very rapidly. That works quite well on a concave flower but not so well on a subject that is more or less flat or convex. There are some other things going on that as yet I am not sure whether they are down to the lens or the lighting.
It's been raining all day today which is not so bad as we had social event to attend so no garden time was lost!
Tomorrow is supposed to be better. Hopefully if will be good enough and wind free enough to get out and continue the learning exercise and testing.
When I started messing about with flash on my macro set-up I spent some time trying it out indoors on some static subjects to get a handle on the settings, limitations and techniques without the variables of flying subjects or windblown vegetation. Also helps when you fumble the kit it lands on the carpet rather than on the paving or in the mud. Not quite.
The large LED light is pretty useful but not bright enough to allow sensible shutter speed and aperture for DOF without using high ISO and my cameras are of an age that makes high ISO a poor option.
Plus there is no way to get a viable fit to a 77mm lens. It will sort of push fit to the Macro lens but not securely. I was concerned I might find it dropping off as I went out to try it for the first time but I didn't expect that to happen in less than 10 seconds. Result - non working and rattling light. Fortunately it was just one of the battery connector that had flattened on impact. As I found out after I had dismantled everything.
I then repeated the drop as son as I took it out again! Soooo easy to fumble it without a third hand available. Same result but a very easy fix that time.
On the plus side the thing seems stronger than it looks having survived both drops onto stone paving. Well, except for the battery connection "springs".
Lenses smaller than the 77mm should be fine as there are adapter rings supplied and they appear to clip in quite firmly and screw fit to the lens.
However, the macro lenses I have are 77mm so although I have other adapters to allow me to fit 77,, filters or lenses to the front of smaller lenses ... that won't help with the flash fitment.
The 10x lens proved very tricky to use as you might expect - especially trying to hold the light in place as well. First impressions as that it is pretty good in the centre but focus/sharpness falls off very rapidly. That works quite well on a concave flower but not so well on a subject that is more or less flat or convex. There are some other things going on that as yet I am not sure whether they are down to the lens or the lighting.
It's been raining all day today which is not so bad as we had social event to attend so no garden time was lost!
Tomorrow is supposed to be better. Hopefully if will be good enough and wind free enough to get out and continue the learning exercise and testing.
good luck
Plus I could not find any bugs in the house at the time!
Today, outside, we have no rain at present and light which is not very bright but is diffused so not bad.
Far too much wind though.
I suspect that the real benefit of this version of the LED ring light is having a way to illuminate the subject while setting up the shot. I have some Elinchrom Quadra kit that offers a modelling light but it's quite a bit of kit to set up and hardly portable in the sense of being able to chase live bugs around. Also, for the heads I have, high speed sync is limited.
One of my older cameras has the capability of focus at 0mm. Basically if can focus something sitting on the lens albeit it not macro and it's not high resolution and does not offer RAW files. It sound like a great idea until you face the prospect of trying to get light on the subject. Potentially useful for silhouettes. A rare requirement in digital close up photography I suspect.
Where this light might work really well is with old manual lenses reverse fitted to the camera body where light on the subject when stopped down is usually totally inadequate to see what one is doing. However that means I need to evolve a way to attach the ring light to the camera body end of (in my case) old Canon FD mount lenses. I have a feeling finding anything "off the shelf" might be a challenge ...
LongQ said:
One of my older cameras has the capability of focus at 0mm. Basically if can focus something sitting on the lens albeit it not macro and it's not high resolution and does not offer RAW files. It sound like a great idea until you face the prospect of trying to get light on the subject. Potentially useful for silhouettes. A rare requirement in digital close up photography I suspect.
...
Years ago I had a Canon video camera that would focus right down to the front element, I really couldn't see the point apart from highlighting any dust and marks that were on the lens....
nre said:
LongQ said:
One of my older cameras has the capability of focus at 0mm. Basically if can focus something sitting on the lens albeit it not macro and it's not high resolution and does not offer RAW files. It sound like a great idea until you face the prospect of trying to get light on the subject. Potentially useful for silhouettes. A rare requirement in digital close up photography I suspect.
...
Years ago I had a Canon video camera that would focus right down to the front element, I really couldn't see the point apart from highlighting any dust and marks that were on the lens....
If one could get quite close and still have light it was somewhat interesting. Shooting the underside of bugs through glass for example. Not quite 0mm but close enough to make the functionality of interest. Still difficult to get light on the subject of course ...
Just had a first go with the new lens in the garden, also with a newly cobbled together bracket to hold 2 x 580EXii flashguns, 1 each side of the lens.
The flash was triggered by one flash (master) connected with an off-camera cord, and the second (as a slave) fired remotely via optical wireless. This current config supports ETTL metering.
It'll need a fair bit of practise and modification regarding the flash mountings etc.. , but I didn't think it was too bad for a first go at it.
Kit setup:
by conradsphotos, on Flickr
Small flower - only about 5mm across:
flower_1 by conradsphotos, on Flickr
A small butterfly (don't know which type - possibly small blue?):
butterfly_2 by conradsphotos, on Flickr
Finally some flies on blackberries:
fly_2 by conradsphotos, on Flickr
fly by conradsphotos, on Flickr
The flash was triggered by one flash (master) connected with an off-camera cord, and the second (as a slave) fired remotely via optical wireless. This current config supports ETTL metering.
It'll need a fair bit of practise and modification regarding the flash mountings etc.. , but I didn't think it was too bad for a first go at it.
Kit setup:
by conradsphotos, on FlickrSmall flower - only about 5mm across:
flower_1 by conradsphotos, on FlickrA small butterfly (don't know which type - possibly small blue?):
butterfly_2 by conradsphotos, on FlickrFinally some flies on blackberries:
fly_2 by conradsphotos, on Flickrfly by conradsphotos, on Flickrnre said:
^^great shots, particularly that last fly. I think the butterfly is a Holly Blue.
Agreed. (about the shots. I have no idea about the ID of the butterfly.)I found a short time to go and test without additional light.
I have concluded that the +10 is not compatible with attempts to use a 70-200 plus 2x multiplier. especially at the 200 end.
The +4 is different but not better.
Lovely bokeh from both and some pretty bright blue edges to and vertical(ish) lines.
The trouble is the blue edges are not really desirable and the the bokeh is all I get.
My experiments will continue until I find a lens combination that seems to work.
nre said:
^^great shots, particularly that last fly. I think the butterfly is a Holly Blue.
Thanks. Having now looked up the Holly Blue, I think you're right - especially as the typical location and distribution is a much better fit.DibblyDobbler said:
+1 - next step, get some diffusers rigged up for your flashes to give a softer light (packing foam, paper plates etc - homemade is best!)
Certainly agree I need to work on diffusing the light. Having seen some of the contraptions put together both on here and on other macro threads on the Talk Photography forum, and the results achieved, home made definitely seems the way to go - both in terms of the quality of light and also the fun to be had making and gradually improving the diffusers! I can see this becoming quite addictive - especially as on first glance there didn't seem to be a lot to photograph in the garden, but the above was just the result of wandering around and looking more carefully for a total of around 20 minutes.
DibblyDobbler said:
Really nice butterfly - I'm sure I've not seen one before - are they native to the uk?Gassing Station | Photography & Video | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff