8 sharp (bug) macros: Indoors with flash! (long load)

[Paul Iddon]

So all these are taken indoors, removing the leaves off a fuschia bush and with the camera tripod mounted and hotshoe diffused flash, they are all really quite sharp.

Sigma 105 with 3 extension tubes.

Last one a 100% crop. Some totally uncropped, others cropped slightly to A4 dimensions.


I thought at first it was a leaf-hopper/frog-hopper, but at the moment I'm not so sure. Whatever it is, it walks very quickly, and it measured just 4mm in length.


Sorry I got carried away taking eight, but I was enjoying myself...


http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn206/pauliddon001/hop05.jpg


http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn206/pauliddon001/hop08.jpg


http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn206/pauliddon001/hop04.jpg


http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn206/pauliddon001/hop3.jpg


http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn206/pauliddon001/hop02.jpg


http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn206/pauliddon001/hop07.jpg


http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn206/pauliddon001/hop06.jpg


http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn206/pauliddon001/hop09.jpg



Paul.

[GOLDENORFE]

nice shots, it is a capsid bug, they damage all flowering shoots on fuchias ,i had hardly any flowers on mine last year. hope you dispatched it to insect hell!
phil.

[Lord Vetinari]

Lovely series Paul :)
What aperture were you using ?
Brian V.

[Paul Iddon]

HI Brian.

The first five were at F/14, and the remaining three were at F/11.


Paul.

[Lord Vetinari]

HI Brian.

The first five were at F/14, and the remaining three were at F/11.


Paul.

Try shooting at F11 at 1:1 and around F8 when using all the tubes at minimum focus (2:1) - think you'll find the shots will be even sharper but obviously with some loss of DOF.

Brian V.

[Paul Iddon]

Thanks Brian.

I have no idea what the best settings are when using tubes. Plus I also assumed that f32 would give me better than f11 for DoF when doing macro.

So you would suggest in a nutshell:

Lens alone, f11 in most circumstances (why not 22, 32 or 45)?
Tubes, f8 with all 3?
And any recommendations for the combination of tubes (13, 21 and 31mm)?



I tried to stack again last night but it didn't work very well, mind you it was a fly and was still breathing so there was movement..



Paul.

[Skippy]

So all these are taken indoors, removing the leaves off a fuschia bush and with the camera tripod mounted and hotshoe diffused flash, they are all really quite sharp.

Sigma 105 with 3 extension tubes.

Last one a 100% crop. Some totally uncropped, others cropped slightly to A4 dimensions.

I thought at first it was a leaf-hopper/frog-hopper, but at the moment I'm not so sure. Whatever it is, it walks very quickly, and it measured just 4mm in length.

Sorry I got carried away taking eight, but I was enjoying myself...

Paul.

That is a tiny little fella 4mm ... it's exciting to see such detail when you find something really small then see it on your screen larger than Life.

Thanks for sharing Paul :thumb ... Skippy :D
.

[Lord Vetinari]

Thanks Brian.

I have no idea what the best settings are when using tubes. Plus I also assumed that f32 would give me better than f11 for DoF when doing macro.

So you would suggest in a nutshell:

Lens alone, f11 in most circumstances (why not 22, 32 or 45)?
Tubes, f8 with all 3?
And any recommendations for the combination of tubes (13, 21 and 31mm)?



I tried to stack again last night but it didn't work very well, mind you it was a fly and was still breathing so there was movement..



Paul.

Paul at 1:1 you start getting significant image softening with smaller apertures than F11 caused by diffraction softening. As the magnification increases this gets worse so at 2:1 I normally shoot at f8 or F9. It's all a bit of balance and depends on whether you want shots with good dof but slightly soft or good sharpness with less DOF. This is of course the reason I use focus stacking a lot to get sharp shots and good DOF. Just suggest you try a day's shots at those apertures and compare to your normal.

brian V.

[Paul Iddon]

Thanks Max ine :) :lust


And thanks again Brian. :thumb



Paul.

[teamracephotos]

Great questions and advice. Thanks MM