Flies !

Lord Vetinari

Some fly pics from Yesterday.

Brian V.

Click on pics for larger size



Crop from above

Skippy

Lord Vetinari wrote:

Some fly pics from Yesterday.

Brian V.

Click on pics for larger size
Crop from above

Hey there Brian what is that first fly sitting on?
I love that background of that very first fly, and the second one being the crop of the first I'm yet to see you post a bad shot I tell ya

...... Skippy
.

Rhuarc

I never thought I would say a fly is beautiful, but seeing them as something other than a little annoying insect makes you realize just how amazing they are. Not like you need anyone to tell you this, but great captures!!

Dalantech

Excellent composition and lighting Brian!

Lord Vetinari

Skippy wrote:

Hey there Brian what is that first fly sitting on?
I love that background of that very first fly, and the second one being the crop of the first I'm yet to see you post a bad shot I tell ya

...... Skippy
.

Thanks Skippy

First fly is sitting on a fibre door mat - I have several of these round the garden supposedly for me to sit on when taking pics- doesn't seem to work that way though- normally find either my cat or various bugs using them

Brian V.

Lord Vetinari

Thanks Rhuarc and Dalentech for looking and commenting.
Agree re flies- they look quite amazing close up- lots of interesting detail.
Brian V.

Milan

Wow, amazing. Great shots!

Seamus

Brilliant pics Brian, a macro lens is on my wish list.

Lord Vetinari

Seamus wrote:

Brilliant pics Brian, a macro lens is on my wish list.

Thanks for the kind comments Milan and Seamus
Brian v.

Awais Yaqub

Wow amazing what a bird

Van Isle

Amazing. I do not yet do any macro work, but when I grow up I wanna be like you! I imagine you used a tripod/beanbag for these shots, or were they handheld? Thanks.

VI

PS love the smugmug website.

Lord Vetinari

Thanks Awais and VI
VI- no I don't use either- I'm normally resting the lens on the same surface as the bug (if solid) or using a cross between your suggestions- a bean pole - no not a joke- see below.
Brian V.

DanDan

good shot.. watch it like from a microscope

tlee

I really enjoy your images. Thanks for sharing them, and for sharing your technique(s). Great images--as always!!

Lord Vetinari

Thanks for the kind comments Tlee and Dan Dan
Much appreciated
Brian V.

Rhuarc

LV, if you don't mind me asking what lenses do you do for all this fantastic macro work of insects? At some point I want to get a macro lens and start practicing, but I wouldn't know where to start looking...

Lord Vetinari

Rhuarc wrote:

LV, if you don't mind me asking what lenses do you do for all this fantastic macro work of insects? At some point I want to get a macro lens and start practicing, but I wouldn't know where to start looking...

Thanks
I started using a sigma 105mm EX then got a set of extension tubes, then started reversing a 50mm lens on the end of that. That ends up being pretty good optically but a bit unwieldy so I eventually after about a year I got an MPE-65. I do still use the sigma a lot though for lower magnification stuff.
I'd recommend you get one of the macro lenses around 100mm (Tamron 90, sigma 105, canon 100mm) and a set of kenko ext tubes to start with.
Brian V.

BigAl

Another super set Brian. The last one takes the cake

Were these stacked?

Lord Vetinari

BigAl wrote:

Another super set Brian. The last one takes the cake

Were these stacked?

Thanks Al,
From memory #1 was stacked from 2 shots the others were not.
Brian V.

pete w

Lord Vetinari wrote:

Thanks
I started using a sigma 105mm EX then got a set of extension tubes, then I'd recommend you get one of the macro lenses around 100mm (Tamron 90, sigma 105, canon 100mm) and a set of kenko ext tubes to start with.
Brian V.

Brian, couple of questions, just how good is the MPE-65 V;s the above lenses. The DOF and detail appears much better than a 100mm etc.

I also notice you using a hand held light , are most of your pictures taken with flash of external lighting?

Great pics by the way enjoyed looking through your galleries.

Aaron Bernard

Amazing! very interesting shots!

What is the setup on a shot like this? can you take me through one of the above photos?

Lord Vetinari

Aaron Bernard wrote:

Amazing! very interesting shots!

What is the setup on a shot like this? can you take me through one of the above photos?

Thanks Aaron.
Shots taken in situ in garden, camera rig pic below- canon 20D with MPE-65 lens at about 2:1- could be taken with normal macro lens with full set of Kenko ext tubes. 430EX flashgun with homemade coca-cola can diffuser.
Camera settings M mode, ISO200, F8,1/200th, ETTL flash.
Think both #1 & #3 were focus stacked from 2 shots.
Focus stacking tutorial here
http://www.flickr.com/groups/macroviewers/discuss/163367/

Brian V.

Lord Vetinari

pete w wrote:

Brian, couple of questions, just how good is the MPE-65 V;s the above lenses. The DOF and detail appears much better than a 100mm etc.

I also notice you using a hand held light , are most of your pictures taken with flash of external lighting?

Great pics by the way enjoyed looking through your galleries.

Thanks Pete.
The MPE-65 is the "king" of macro lenses does from 1:1 to 5:1 magnifications with no additions. I don't think it is particularly sharper than normal macro lenses at 1:1. Main disadvantage is that it does not go any lower than 1:1 (longest focus distance is 4" in front of the lens). Most of my pics are taken with a flash gun mounted on a flash bracket- see pic above.
The DOF from any lens at the same magnification and aperture on a given camera body is exactly the same. Shots #1 and #3 are both focus stacked from 2 shots to get extra DOF.
Brian V.