All Forum Comments
Comment by milamber posted on Bumble Bee mites at 27/03/2012 - 17:44
Fantastic, and a little depressing. Everytime I think I'm making progress you post something like this
Comment by milamber posted on Macro | Green bottle fly at 27/03/2012 - 15:22
Saw this Bumble Bee earlier covered in eggs, then noticed a mite crawling about on it. Thought it might be the varroa virus which is spreading everywhere, but looks to be harmless (according to Google, at least)
[IMG]http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/bee1.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/bee2.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/bee1.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/bee2.jpg[/IMG]
Comment by milamber posted on Bumble Bee mites at 27/03/2012 - 15:20
davidstorm wrote:
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.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
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?
Comment by milamber posted on Some macros from today at 26/03/2012 - 07:39
xbow wrote:
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!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.
I'm going to try Charlotte's Pringle can DIY diffuser.
Comment by milamber posted on Some macros from today at 25/03/2012 - 22:41
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....
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....
Comment by milamber posted on Some macros from today at 25/03/2012 - 20:52
Charlotte wrote:
Wow - I'm impressed!
DOF on No 2 is really good IMHO and the lighting is good.
Well done indeed.
Kind regards
Charlotte
Thanks CharlotteWow - I'm impressed!
DOF on No 2 is really good IMHO and the lighting is good.
Well done indeed.
Kind regards
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.
Comment by milamber posted on Some macros from today at 25/03/2012 - 20:24
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]
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]
Comment by milamber posted on Some macros from today at 25/03/2012 - 17:03
WaypointCharlie wrote:
Thank you for your reply milamber.
Do you know if The K-5 can obtain all the information from the Tamron that it can obtain from the Pentax DA 18-250mm? For instance, can it read the focal length information in order to correctly implement shake reduction? I guess it must do - having to enter it manually on a zoom lens would be a pain! Also, can it read the lens distortion information in order to perform in-body lens correction? (I would tend to do this PP anyway).
I have a K-r so can't speak for the K-5, but I'm sure the answer is yes.Thank you for your reply milamber.
Do you know if The K-5 can obtain all the information from the Tamron that it can obtain from the Pentax DA 18-250mm? For instance, can it read the focal length information in order to correctly implement shake reduction? I guess it must do - having to enter it manually on a zoom lens would be a pain! Also, can it read the lens distortion information in order to perform in-body lens correction? (I would tend to do this PP anyway).
Comment by milamber posted on FS: Tamron 18-250mm superb condition / B+W CPL filter at 23/03/2012 - 15:26
A gift in two ways. Firstly as the 'gift that keeps coming' (as long as I feed them!) and, secondly, because the spotty egg on the right is from an ex-battery hen who we have had 4 years now. She is the last of the batch and we didn't think she would last the winter.
(and I know the vignette competition was last week, but it's taken me this long to work out how to do it.....)
Eggs
[IMG]http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/eggs4.jpg[/IMG]
Pentax K-r with Sears 135mm 'soft focus' macro lens, f3.5, 1/400, ISO 200.
(and I know the vignette competition was last week, but it's taken me this long to work out how to do it.....)
Eggs
[IMG]http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/eggs4.jpg[/IMG]
Pentax K-r with Sears 135mm 'soft focus' macro lens, f3.5, 1/400, ISO 200.
Comment by milamber posted on Fortnightly competition 89 : Natures gifts at 22/03/2012 - 18:53
Big fleas have little fleas,
Upon their backs to bite 'em,
And little fleas have lesser fleas,
and so, ad infinitum.
Lovely pictures though, if varroa, hardly harmless - see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diseases_of_the_honey_bee
regards
Bernard