Leaf Cutter Bee in flight
Jul 24, 2015 07:45:18 #
Leaf cutter bee stocking a nest in fence post bolt hole. Tripod mounted and manually pre-focused. Several shots until one was in focus!
Canon EOS 6D with Canon 100mm Macro lens, hotshoe-mounted Canon 430EX II speedlight set to High speed sync, ISO 800, 1/4000-sec at /8.0
Canon EOS 6D with Canon 100mm Macro lens, hotshoe-mounted Canon 430EX II speedlight set to High speed sync, ISO 800, 1/4000-sec at /8.0
Jul 24, 2015 10:38:54 #
Jul 24, 2015 11:30:43 #
Jul 24, 2015 11:39:52 #
Jul 24, 2015 13:21:07 #
Excellent example of pre-planning and patience. Well done! :thumbup:
For anyone interested in this technique, here is a primer:
FAQ: High-Speed Synch (HSS aka Auto FP) Speedlight Photography
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-74372-1.html
For anyone interested in this technique, here is a primer:
FAQ: High-Speed Synch (HSS aka Auto FP) Speedlight Photography
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-74372-1.html
Jul 24, 2015 13:40:59 #
Jul 24, 2015 14:08:06 #
Jul 24, 2015 14:23:58 #
Did you attempt these shots at a lower shutter speed? Can you describe your flash (was it diffused?, etc). What were the light conditions?
I have never attempted HSS and am curious about what you think about that technique and what it offers. Knowing an insects projected path and pre-planning the shot is a wonderful idea! I assume you used a remote shutter?
I have never attempted HSS and am curious about what you think about that technique and what it offers. Knowing an insects projected path and pre-planning the shot is a wonderful idea! I assume you used a remote shutter?
Jul 24, 2015 15:06:12 #
This was my first day of ever using HSS. What I initially was trying to do was freeze the wings.
I tried longer shutter durations, but I got too much movement from the whole insect.
For macro work with this lens, I am stuck with f/8 if I want to maintain image quality.
It was bright sunny day, but with f/8 at 1/4000-sec, it makes very little difference.
I had a cheap eBay diffuser cap on the flash, which was mounted on the camera hot shoe (I need to get a lead so I can HSS off camera). I then tried some hand held shots. If I can nail the focus, then HSS eliminates camera shake!
I will post an example with same settings but no tripod.
I tried longer shutter durations, but I got too much movement from the whole insect.
For macro work with this lens, I am stuck with f/8 if I want to maintain image quality.
It was bright sunny day, but with f/8 at 1/4000-sec, it makes very little difference.
I had a cheap eBay diffuser cap on the flash, which was mounted on the camera hot shoe (I need to get a lead so I can HSS off camera). I then tried some hand held shots. If I can nail the focus, then HSS eliminates camera shake!
I will post an example with same settings but no tripod.
Jul 24, 2015 15:36:23 #
Thank you Douglass for the link, and thank you Crazytooth for this information. Yeah at 1/4000-sec and small aperture, I imagine things get dark. So upping the ISO on a camera with nice low-light characteristics becomes an option up to a point. And I am guessing that the more/better the light is diffused, well that might make for a nicer image in one sense, stealing further light would be a cost.
I was thinking about the remote shutter more from a comfort and staying away from flying bees/hornets thing. I imagine the pre-focus is pretty much a requirement as by the time the camera achieved focus, the bee is probably long gone.. So then it becomes a game of guessing when to pull the trigger for a burst of shots (I'm guessing AI-servo). I guess a motion detector might serve as a trigger for a pre-focused shot also.
Anyway, I guess if a bee is hovering, auto-focus might work, but if the bee is taking a bee-line, then manual might be all you've got. (just thinking out-loud, but not necessarily clearly)
I was thinking about the remote shutter more from a comfort and staying away from flying bees/hornets thing. I imagine the pre-focus is pretty much a requirement as by the time the camera achieved focus, the bee is probably long gone.. So then it becomes a game of guessing when to pull the trigger for a burst of shots (I'm guessing AI-servo). I guess a motion detector might serve as a trigger for a pre-focused shot also.
Anyway, I guess if a bee is hovering, auto-focus might work, but if the bee is taking a bee-line, then manual might be all you've got. (just thinking out-loud, but not necessarily clearly)
Jul 25, 2015 22:36:31 #
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Jul 27, 2015 14:14:58 #
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