Some macros from today

Not a patch on the couple of posts preceding this by hishammarmin, but I spent a short while bug hunting in the garden earlier whilst trying to get out of decorating.

All taken with the Pentax K-r, Vivitar 2x macro converter and M 50mm f1.7.

A few with an uncooperative shield bug. Third one is a crop of the first, so quite pleased with that as it's reasonably sharp. The fourth one of the butterfly is the best of the butterfly ones, but it's not as sharp as I'd like. Struggled with getting the eyes nailed in focus.

I like using the teleconverter as I can adjust the magnification slightly to achieve focus rather than keep moving the tripod a few mm, but I think the image quality suffers a little compared with the 50mm and tube.

[IMG]http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/bug3.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/bug.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/bug2.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/butterfly.jpg[/IMG]

Nice colour and nice shot.

Photo #1 and 2 : This type of stink bug really quite difficult to shoot because the flattened and extended body shape (must play a lot with the composition to catch the best DOF). I like these photos. The sharpness also acceptable. Lighting is good and enough. Well done and good job!

Nice job!

Wow - I'm impressed!
DOF on No 2 is really good IMHO and the lighting is good.
Well done indeed.

Kind regards
Charlotte

Thanks Charlotte

I did use a smaller aperture this time which helped with the DOF. Usually I'm struggling with the shutter speed so need a bigger aperture, but it was sunny today and quite bright diffused light in the polytunnel.

Used the tripod as well so shutter speed was 1/13 and the aperture around f16. I can't say for certain as I was playing around with different settings and, as it's a manual setup, the exif isn't fully recorded.

Still trying to decide whether or not to get a proper macro lens or to persevere with this for now on.

I'm going to have a try with flash at some point having seen your DIY setup (and the results!). Just need to eat some Pringles first

Thanks, everyone, for your help and encouragement.

Superb shots!

I'll probably get told I'm talking rubbish but ..........

I can see that you used a tripod that has helped with the sharpness - well done there, I can't use the tripod for insect macros it's too cumbersome for me, so I lose clarity because of it.

Polytunnels are great in the way that they filter the light - don't restrict yourself to that environment though - experiment with the flash. Macro photography eats light and as you have found you then have to compensate with the f stop and in turn that loses DOF the more light you have the greater DOF you get.

Kind regards
Charlotte

ps. I love the butterfly's tongue.

Hi Charlotte

Actually the tripod is incredibly cumbersome. It's not heavy, but hard to get where you want it. The focus throw is so small with the lens and tube that I find it almost impossible to position the lens in the right place. I really need a focussing rail to help with the small adjustments, but that's yet more equipment!

This was my first time using the macro converter. It's great in that I can adjust the magnification a little either way instead of humping the tripod back and forth in tiny increments. Also good in that I can stay a little further away than with the 50mm and tube. I think it does take a little of the sharpness away, though, so it's a trade off.

I had a heck of a job getting the butterfly's eye in focus. It was sharp on the camera, but not in the photo. Looking at other cabbage white pictures they all seem to be the same. Something to do with the opacity, perhaps?

It's nice and warm in the polytunnel (and no wind either) - I'll venture out when the insects decide spring has properly arrived and stop using the polytunnel as a hotel....

You might want to grab one of these if you don't already have one:

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_1&products_id=111929

Vic.

Thanks, though I don't actually have a separate flash yet Good price though, but I'm still recovering from the cat's vet bill!

I'm going to try Charlotte's Pringle can DIY diffuser.

Hi Chris

I've been following your macro adventures with interest! I have made a couple of flash diffusers a-la-Charlotte out of Pringles Tubes and they work really well, although I use mine with a flashgun, not the on-board flash. I have made one into a right-angled diffuser which is really effective for insect shots. With regard to the tripod, have you considered using it as a monopod, i.e. extend one of the legs only? This way it is far less cumbersome and still gives you some added stability.

Regards
David

No, I hadn't, which is a bit daft because it's an obvious suggestion, thanks.

If I can get the chores over with early it looks another fine day so hopefully I'll give it a go later.

Any decent flashes you can recommend that don't cost the earth?

I'm not really qualified to advise Chris as the only one I own is an old Miranda multi-dedicated unit (500CD) that I bought about 15-20 years ago. It still works perfectly and I would imagine would cost peanuts now. There are other users on here who could give excellent advice but I have noticed some good deals in the past on the Samsung version of the Pentax AF360FGZ, which is a program TTL flash, identical to the Pentax one except for cosmetics.

Can anyone help Chris with this?

Regards
David

I've been pleased with this so far but have not had the opportunity to try it with macro yet:

http://www.srsmicrosystems.co.uk/5766/Metz-Mecablitz-44-AF-1-Digital-Flash---Pen...

Another pic of it near the bottom of this page mounted on a custom bracket:

https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/topic/whatya-making---33887

Vic.