Spider
Posted 30/03/2012 - 18:58 - Helpful Comment
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That's actually pretty good for a first attempt with a 50mm and tubes - certainly better than my first few goes. It's a little bit noisy - I tend to limit the camera to ISO 200 for macro and it could be a little sharper (macros respond quite well to minor sharpening in post processing), but colour, depth of field and lighting are all good.
Spiders are very hard - I've put one of my recent attempts in the gallery today, but I'm still not totally happy with it.
Which 50mm are you using, how long a tube and which camera?
If you have it, and assuming you are using manual focus, you might find it easier with catch in focus if hand held. I'm actually getting better results with that at the moment than with the tripod because of the difficulties in getting the tripod properly positioned. Even when I do the insect is usually long gone
Spiders are very hard - I've put one of my recent attempts in the gallery today, but I'm still not totally happy with it.
Which 50mm are you using, how long a tube and which camera?
If you have it, and assuming you are using manual focus, you might find it easier with catch in focus if hand held. I'm actually getting better results with that at the moment than with the tripod because of the difficulties in getting the tripod properly positioned. Even when I do the insect is usually long gone
Posted 30/03/2012 - 20:02
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Cheers mate. I'm actually not quite sure I left the ISO on so high, I think I'll give it another go with the ISO on 200 like you .
I love how sharp your image is...Poor fly too haha!
I'm using the K20D with f1.7 M and Vivitar tubes x3 for 68mm.
Arghh I forgot that my camera had catch in focus, I'll have to use that too !
I love how sharp your image is...Poor fly too haha!
I'm using the K20D with f1.7 M and Vivitar tubes x3 for 68mm.
Arghh I forgot that my camera had catch in focus, I'll have to use that too !
Posted 30/03/2012 - 20:21 - Helpful Comment
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I use a 50mm tube with a M 50mm f1.7. Trying to decide whether to get a 'proper' macro lens, but this cheap combination is actually pretty good. Have to get quite close up and personal, though!
Posted 30/03/2012 - 20:53
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Hmm I just tried to use catch in focus but it wont work with my tubes .
I do have another old lens which I picked up the other week, so I might give that a try next...Its pretty heavy in comparison to the 50mm though haha.
I do have another old lens which I picked up the other week, so I might give that a try next...Its pretty heavy in comparison to the 50mm though haha.
Posted 30/03/2012 - 22:51
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I wanted to try out lower ISO and f16-22...So I just went out in the dark with 3 lights and got these, pretty happy now ! Only thing I'm a little disappointed with is the legs being cut out of the picture.
[IMG]http://i44.tinypic.com/2vxr97d.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i39.tinypic.com/rat2cj.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i42.tinypic.com/szhezc.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i44.tinypic.com/2vxr97d.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i39.tinypic.com/rat2cj.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i42.tinypic.com/szhezc.jpg[/IMG]
Posted 30/03/2012 - 23:01 - Helpful Comment
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Those are very good.
Presumably these aren't cropped, then, or you would have left the legs in! Just reduce the number of tubes to lower the magnification. You will still be able to crop if you need to without any loss of detail.
As for catch in focus with the tubes you might need to check the mounting plate of the tube to make sure it's connecting properly. I have a set of Vivitar tubes which were coated in a nice coat of matt black paint. Neither the stop down metering or the catch in focus worked until I cleaned the paint away from the contact point. It's a common problem and the most likely cause if catch in focus works o.k. with the lens on it's own. I have a Pentax branded 50mm tube with a nice shiny plate which worked fine immediately.
Presumably these aren't cropped, then, or you would have left the legs in! Just reduce the number of tubes to lower the magnification. You will still be able to crop if you need to without any loss of detail.
As for catch in focus with the tubes you might need to check the mounting plate of the tube to make sure it's connecting properly. I have a set of Vivitar tubes which were coated in a nice coat of matt black paint. Neither the stop down metering or the catch in focus worked until I cleaned the paint away from the contact point. It's a common problem and the most likely cause if catch in focus works o.k. with the lens on it's own. I have a Pentax branded 50mm tube with a nice shiny plate which worked fine immediately.
Posted 31/03/2012 - 01:26
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milamber wrote:
Those are very good.
Presumably these aren't cropped, then, or you would have left the legs in! Just reduce the number of tubes to lower the magnification. You will still be able to crop if you need to without any loss of detail.
As for catch in focus with the tubes you might need to check the mounting plate of the tube to make sure it's connecting properly. I have a set of Vivitar tubes which were coated in a nice coat of matt black paint. Neither the stop down metering or the catch in focus worked until I cleaned the paint away from the contact point. It's a common problem and the most likely cause if catch in focus works o.k. with the lens on it's own. I have a Pentax branded 50mm tube with a nice shiny plate which worked fine immediately.
Cheers mate . I cropped a little bit but only a couple of mm.Those are very good.
Presumably these aren't cropped, then, or you would have left the legs in! Just reduce the number of tubes to lower the magnification. You will still be able to crop if you need to without any loss of detail.
As for catch in focus with the tubes you might need to check the mounting plate of the tube to make sure it's connecting properly. I have a set of Vivitar tubes which were coated in a nice coat of matt black paint. Neither the stop down metering or the catch in focus worked until I cleaned the paint away from the contact point. It's a common problem and the most likely cause if catch in focus works o.k. with the lens on it's own. I have a Pentax branded 50mm tube with a nice shiny plate which worked fine immediately.
I'll try that next time, I really wanted the whole spider in the image, but I needed just that little bit more room - I probably should have swapped the 20mm for the 12mm. Nonetheless I know for the future pictures.
That's exactly what mine is like, its fully coated in a thin layer of black paint...Is it safe to lightly sand it down? As the 50mm on its own does work with the catch in focus.
Thanks again!
Posted 31/03/2012 - 09:19 - Helpful Comment
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It's perfectly safe to sand it down.
If it's anything like the Vivitar tubes then the paint is quite tough and hard to do manually with any form of neatness. In the end I used a Dremel with a small sanding brush which took it off neatly in seconds. I did the whole ring as it was so easy, but there is a specific area that need sanding - you don't have to do all of it.
Second from bottom post on this link shows the area of paint that needs to come off.
https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/topic/help-needed-with-vivitar-auto-extension-t...#comm_273277
If it's anything like the Vivitar tubes then the paint is quite tough and hard to do manually with any form of neatness. In the end I used a Dremel with a small sanding brush which took it off neatly in seconds. I did the whole ring as it was so easy, but there is a specific area that need sanding - you don't have to do all of it.
Second from bottom post on this link shows the area of paint that needs to come off.
https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/topic/help-needed-with-vivitar-auto-extension-t...#comm_273277
Posted 31/03/2012 - 09:33 - Helpful Comment
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Hi Nick.
You should be very pleased with those results, well done.
Take care.
You should be very pleased with those results, well done.
Take care.
Chris R.
I. El. (Eng). (Rtd).
I. El. (Eng). (Rtd).
Posted 31/03/2012 - 13:02
Link
Cheers! I've managed to sort it and catch in focus now works ! The paint on those tubes is definitely tough though.
Time to test it out.
Thanks again.
Time to test it out.
Thanks again.
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102 posts
14 years
Manchester
This guy attacked my lens which was great to watch!
[IMG]http://i40.tinypic.com/x21nw9.jpg[/IMG]