Bugs close up

Some impressive images from the Telegraph.

link

His set-up is here.

link

Best regards

Amazing!!! Truly amazing!!

I agree - proper fantastic, I was looking at these two links myself yesterday... made me immediately head to ebay to check out the price of bellows... maybe next summer....

Regards

Fabulous shots...... Zeiss 63mm Luminar macro lens...... not cheap!!
The Nikon 63mm EL is considered almost as good.
I would think the Pentax bellows are better than the Novoflex ones.
Novoflex adapters are ludicously expensive.

Very nice images
But the work involved

For example, this is a focus stack of 66 - sixty six! - images!

And this is a stack of 93 images! Yikes! That's dedication!!

(uses Zerene Stacker)

Check here.

Matt

Fantastic shots

Paul

Who needs 'Hollywood Aliens' if you got real ones in your back garden?

I'd guess that using HR video and moving the camera through the point of focus could produce the images to stack quite easily (probably much simpler than taking a single reasonably focused macro shot.

Hang on, that means I've now got a use for video... I'm going to have to upgrade!

Some shots of his setup plus lens tests:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnhallmen/4273955428/

Macro lens tests:

http://savazzi.freehostia.com/photography/enlargerlensespm.htm

This is a SPOOKY animated gif:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnhallmen/4420778970/in/set-72157604592459772/

Hey folks, thanks for the nice comments on this forum. I just checked in to see what was drawing traffic to my flickr site.

I think the HD video approach to stacking that petrochemist mentions is quite interesting. Especially if you consider what might happen in a few years with 4K video becoming more accessible and the sensors getting better S/N ratios at high ISO values all the time. At this point the 2MP (approximately) output from an HD video recording can't compete with the results from multiple high resolution exposures. Another difficulty at this point is that lighting conditions often demand shutter speeds around 1s, which would easily result in blurred images if the camera were to be moved continuously.

Motorized stacking solutions are already commercially available, and I know several people getting nice results from them (I haven't used them myself): http://www.cognisys-inc.com/stackshot/stackshot.php

Cheers!

John Hallmén
http://flickr.com/johnhallmen

Hi John and Welcome to the forum

I notice that you've used the 50mm EL Nikkor and not the 63mm EL Nikkor which is widely regarded as a good macro lens and I remember reading somewhere that it was actually designed as something more than an enlarging lens. About 20 years ago it came out top in the BJP enlarging lens tests. It was also used in a lot of copying machines such as the Bowens Illumitran slide copier. Is it just that you haven't come across one?

Also what focusing rack are you using? I notice you mentioned 0.1 increments on a normal rack, but I couldn't see any mention of a rack with a fine screw drive?

Algi,

Yes, I think you're right about the 63mm EL-nikkor having more of a reputation as a macro lens than the 50/2.8. I've not had the opportunity to try this lens though and the 50/2.8 is much more common and less expensive. Since I have the Zeiss Luminar 63/4.5 as well as a Leitz Milar 65/4.5 (both excellent performers) I'm not too inclined to hunt down a 63mm EL-nikkor but if the opportunity arises I'll be tempted.

The EL-nikkor 50/2.8 is good (especially if you find a good copy – I've noticed some sample variation and mine is not among the best) but I tend to prefer other lenses such as the Luminar 63mm, Milar 40/4.5 or Componon 35/f4. BTW, the most flawless lens I've come across so far, from a strictly optical standpoint, would probably be the Schneider-Kreuznach Apo-Componon 90/4.5. A superb lens in the field!

Incremental focusing is a key aspect to stacking and I went through a whole bunch of rails before I ended up with the solution I use now: A Newport Linear stage with Starrett micrometer actuator. One tick mark on the micrometer moves the rig 0.02mm so it's precise enough for wide aperture stacking up to around 15X (I've done 23X but it was a stretch – you really need 0.002 steps at 20X and above).



The Newport stage and the micrometer actuator sits between the Manfrotto geared head and the Novoflex Microconnect attached to the bellows. This also shows the Apo-Componon 90/4.5 mounted reversed with a M39 extension tube working as a lens hood.

/John

Thanks John, no need for the 63mm Nikkor if you've got a Luminar. The Apo-Componon 90/4.5 was an expensive lens in it's day. I've got the 50mm Componon-S which was a lot cheaper. Not sure what they are like for macros but the Omicron EL range were about the best for enlarging in the late 70's. They go for about 5 UKP on ebay.

I've never done any focus stacking and your setup is much better than the stuff I have. I've just got a Novoflex rail, Pentax rail and Pentax K bayonet bellows and about 6 enlarger lenses and flashguns. At first I thought you'd used a Manfrotto rail, but you have used something far more elaborate and better. I might try to rig up some sort of screw drive to push/pull the Pentax rail with, it does run very smooth, but hasn't got a scale on it. I could then try it out on something like a burnt match

fantastic

It's actually in production still: PDF

And still expensive if you buy them new. You can sometimes find them at bargain prices when people toss out their entire darkroom equipment (I paid around £60 for my copy).

I had actually never heard of Omicron so thanks for mentioning it – I'll keep my eye out for them!

I've tried the Manfrotto rail but I didn't like it. I have an old Novoflex rail (not tried the fancy new ones) that is pretty good in terms of stability but it's a bit coarse at higher magnifications. The Pentax K bellows seem like an excellent unit!

/John