This is what I like about macro - getting into the deep detail. As Roger says, it can be a bit fiddly but when you get results like these, it all seems worth it. Thanks for sharing them Roger. The fly's eyes are amazing.

Splendid shots. You are determined to make me jealous of that 200mm aren't you

Going back to the A 50mm, here's one that shows the same problem you had - "which bit shall I focus on?" - when faced with a scrum of emerging
larvae; in this case, ladybirds. These tiny savages fought over and ate nearly every last bit of their egg cases. It was vicious stuff and no holds barred.

The last two are lovely. I wish I could afford one of those

The detail is wonderful on the 2nd one.

Can't comment on new lenses but the A series f2.8, 50mm macro behaves exactly as you describe and show here. It's a fantastic bit of kit.

Cor. Blast the little perishers with flashguns ! It works too. The detail is just great.
However, I presume with all that kit you are restricted to just the one flower that it's all pointing at?

Given the importance of the 'pop-up' dog I think f2 is quite appropriate since it grabs the subject and mutes the surroundings. To have gone to a smaller aperture would introduce a lot of competing detail. (I'm assuming you don't have a wider one!).

This 'pop-up' fox was a grab shot too, but at about f11.
It's a manual lens so I barely had time to focus before he legged it. The detail in the field, middle right takes visual precedence over the fox. Bright sunshine is glinting off everything in oversharp focus. No, yours comes out of it far better for a wider aperture.

It looks like air bubbles trapped beneath the protective film (which he said was still present).

It amazes me what can be done with relatively straightforward gear - if you know how to use it !! Well done.

I certainly agree. B&W suits this one very well.