Some recent bug shots :)

Lord VetinariLord Vetinari Registered Users Posts: 15,901 Major grins
edited September 10, 2006 in Holy Macro
Recently been doing some aperture tests on the MPE-65 checking the balance between DOF and diffraction softening. At higher magnifications diffraction softening kicks in at quite open apertures. I looked at this when I felt some of my high magnification shots were a bit soft. Shooting at lower apertures means I'm using focus stacking even more.

Optimum appears to be
1:1 2:1 3:1 4:1 5:1
...F11 .F9 .F8 .F7.1

Anyway some shots using above settings

Brian V.

Flesh fly 3:1 F9 uncropped focus stacked from 3 pics

230711798_c727a197fd_o.jpg

Cranefly close up uncropped focus stacked from 3 pics

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Dragonfly sunning itself on a sunchair :) 1:1 focus stacked from 5 pics

235023272_abc0286662_o.jpg

A predatory spider mite 2mm long taken at 4:1 and yes those are it's eyes

235796337_434d1060d3_o.jpg

Comments

  • Awais YaqubAwais Yaqub Registered Users Posts: 10,572 Major grins
    edited September 8, 2006
    eek7.gif Bugs everywhere :D
    Great photos what can i say ne_nau.gif These are superb
    which one is closest i mean what is limit of megnification you can get headscratch.gif
    Thine is the beauty of light; mine is the song of fire. Thy beauty exalts the heart; my song inspires the soul. Allama Iqbal

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  • Lord VetinariLord Vetinari Registered Users Posts: 15,901 Major grins
    edited September 8, 2006
    eek7.gif Bugs everywhere :D
    Great photos what can i say ne_nau.gif These are superb
    which one is closest i mean what is limit of megnification you can get headscratch.gif
    Thanks Awais
    The last shot is the highest magnification- about 45X on the PC screen taken at 4:1

    I did do some experimental shots using the MPE-65 at 5:1 plus a 20 dioptre closeup lens on the front and a 1.4X TC on the back tjhis gave a magnification of 9.9:1 (FOV width of 2.2mm)
    Shots below are crops taken at this magnification.
    Brian V.

    Pollen grains

    230812934_4611d087f1.jpg

    Edge of an orchid petal

    229918780_340fd3ea36.jpg
  • RhuarcRhuarc Registered Users Posts: 1,464 Major grins
    edited September 8, 2006
    Wow! I'm seriously amazed! Do you have any pictures of the setup you use? I'd be curious to see what type of equipment you use and how large your setup is.
  • gluwatergluwater Registered Users Posts: 3,599 Major grins
    edited September 8, 2006
    Rhuarc wrote:
    Wow! I'm seriously amazed! Do you have any pictures of the setup you use? I'd be curious to see what type of equipment you use and how large your setup is.
    Lord V uses a MPE-65. A specialty macro lens that does 1:1-5:1 magnification. But it's not the equipment, Brian is the man bowdown.gif. Those pollen grains and Orchid petal are just beyond words.
    Nick
    SmugMug Technical Account Manager
    Travel = good. Woo, shooting!
    nickwphoto
  • GraphyFotozGraphyFotoz Registered Users Posts: 2,267 Major grins
    edited September 8, 2006
    gluwater wrote:
    Lord V uses a MPE-65. A specialty macro lens that does 1:1-5:1 magnification. But it's not the equipment, Brian is the man bowdown.gif. Those pollen grains and Orchid petal are just beyond words.


    He uses the same lens I have....Sigma EX DG 105mm f2.8 Macro.
    Just He is WAY better at using it than I am! rolleyes1.gif

    His photo's do nothing but amaze me!!!! thumb.gifthumb.gifthumb.gifbowdown.gif
    Canon 60D | Nikon Cooloix P7700
    Manfrotto Mono | Bag- LowePro Slingshot 100AW

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  • mushymushy Registered Users Posts: 643 Major grins
    edited September 8, 2006
    By far some of the best macro shots from Lord V ever!!bowdown.gif That first photo is just wild and so are the extra extra closeups!!eek7.gif
    May I take your picture?
  • gusgus Registered Users Posts: 16,209 Major grins
    edited September 8, 2006
    jebus brian...how much closer can you get...any more & we could check dental records for gods sake. I have had my macro for about a month now & the drough is so bad that i am struggling to find stuff when usually our bugs are lined up at the door to get in.
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited September 8, 2006
    Brian,
    I'm speechless... totally speechless! bowdown.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • TristanPTristanP Registered Users Posts: 1,107 Major grins
    edited September 9, 2006
    Dragonfly thumb.gif . 'Nuff said.
    panekfamily.smugmug.com (personal)
    tristansphotography.com (motorsports)

    Canon 20D | 10-22 | 17-85 IS | 50/1.4 | 70-300 IS | 100/2.8 macro
    Sony F717 | Hoya R72
  • douglasdouglas Registered Users Posts: 696 Major grins
    edited September 9, 2006
    Amazing shots, truly stunning!
    Best regards,
    douglas
  • Lord VetinariLord Vetinari Registered Users Posts: 15,901 Major grins
    edited September 9, 2006
    Rhuarc wrote:
    Wow! I'm seriously amazed! Do you have any pictures of the setup you use? I'd be curious to see what type of equipment you use and how large your setup is.
    Thanks :)
    Here's some pics ot the 2 setups I'm using at the moment.
    First 2 pics Canon 20D with MPE-65 . Third shot my canon 300D with my 105mm EX- still use this a lot for shots at 1:1 or less.
    Last shot using my bean-pole stabiliser

    Brian V.

    154297458_0d861973d9.jpg
    154297457_9cd653c7ec.jpg
    201782131_b85af08f10.jpg

    75900443_a7aa850a50.jpg
  • Lord VetinariLord Vetinari Registered Users Posts: 15,901 Major grins
    edited September 9, 2006
    Thanks for the kind comments all :): :):
    Very much appreciated- I'm still learning and playing :)
    Brian V.
  • RhuarcRhuarc Registered Users Posts: 1,464 Major grins
    edited September 9, 2006
    With that setup how close do you have to physically be to the insects to take the shots? I mean are we talking millimeters or centimeters? I can't imagine how you got some of those shots without them flying away! What are you doing, gassing them first? rolleyes1.gif
  • Lord VetinariLord Vetinari Registered Users Posts: 15,901 Major grins
    edited September 9, 2006
    Rhuarc wrote:
    With that setup how close do you have to physically be to the insects to take the shots? I mean are we talking millimeters or centimeters? I can't imagine how you got some of those shots without them flying away! What are you doing, gassing them first? rolleyes1.gif

    Generally the front of the lens is between 1.5" and 4" away from the subject. There is a slight art to approaching bugs with a camera and not getting them spooked there's some hints here.
    http://www.flickr.com/groups/macroviewers/discuss/72057594073223102/

    Obviously I don't get pics of the bugs I do spook :).
    Luckily very small bugs tend not to take too much notice of you :)
    Brian V.
  • gtcgtc Registered Users Posts: 916 Major grins
    edited September 9, 2006
    excellent
    you have the focus stacking down pat-well done as alwaysclap.gif
    Latitude: 37° 52'South
    Longitude: 145° 08'East

    Canon 20d,EFS-60mm Macro,Canon 85mm/1.8. Pentax Spotmatic SP,Pentax Super Takumars 50/1.4 &135/3.5,Pentax Super-Multi-Coated Takumars 200/4 ,300/4,400/5.6,Sigma 600/8.
  • USAIRUSAIR Registered Users Posts: 2,646 Major grins
    edited September 9, 2006
    Amazing shots as alwaysbowdown.gif

    Nice to see your set up too

    Thanks
    Fred
  • Lord VetinariLord Vetinari Registered Users Posts: 15,901 Major grins
    edited September 9, 2006
    gtc wrote:
    you have the focus stacking down pat-well done as alwaysclap.gif
    Thanks Greg :)
    As I keep on saying to others, focus stacking like taking macro shots is jst about practice- the more you do it the better you get :)
    Brian V.
  • Lord VetinariLord Vetinari Registered Users Posts: 15,901 Major grins
    edited September 9, 2006
    USAIR wrote:
    Amazing shots as alwaysbowdown.gif

    Nice to see your set up too

    Thanks
    Fred

    Thanks Fred :)
    I get asked quite frequently about it so have a section on flickr I can refer to :)
    Brian V.
  • SkippySkippy Registered Users Posts: 12,075 Major grins
    edited September 10, 2006
    Recently been doing some aperture tests on the MPE-65 checking the balance between DOF and diffraction softening. At higher magnifications diffraction softening kicks in at quite open apertures. I looked at this when I felt some of my high magnification shots were a bit soft. Shooting at lower apertures means I'm using focus stacking even more.

    Optimum appears to be
    1:1 2:1 3:1 4:1 5:1
    ...F11 .F9 .F8 .F7.1

    Anyway some shots using above settings
    Brian V.
    Flesh fly 3:1 F9 uncropped focus stacked from 3 pics
    Cranefly close up uncropped focus stacked from 3 pics
    Dragonfly sunning itself on a sunchair :) 1:1 focus stacked from 5 pics
    A predatory spider mite 2mm long taken at 4:1 and yes those are it's eyes

    Brian I sit in awe of your amazing shots, your work is worthy of National Geographic ..... you continue to amaze everyone here of your incrediable ability to shot Macro clap.gifclap.gifclap.gif I long to walk in your footsteps, and hopefully some day be as good as you ......thanks your for sharing.

    Skippy (Australia)
    .
    Skippy (Australia) - Moderator of "HOLY MACRO" and "OTHER COOL SHOTS"

    ALBUM http://ozzieskip.smugmug.com/

    :skippy Everyone has the right to be stupid, but some people just abuse the privilege :dgrin
  • Lord VetinariLord Vetinari Registered Users Posts: 15,901 Major grins
    edited September 10, 2006
    Skippy wrote:
    Brian I sit in awe of your amazing shots, your work is worthy of National Geographic ..... you continue to amaze everyone here of your incrediable ability to shot Macro clap.gifclap.gifclap.gif I long to walk in your footsteps, and hopefully some day be as good as you ......thanks your for sharing.

    Skippy (Australia)
    Thanks for the compliments Skippy, think I just have more time to do my shots than many people :)
    Brian V.
  • Jeff FillmoreJeff Fillmore Registered Users Posts: 411 Major grins
    edited September 10, 2006
    Truly amazing work.
    Thanks!
    Jeff

    flickr

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