sportyman140 Loc: Juliette, GA

I bought the Polaroid Studio Series 48 Led Macro Ring Light, the Polaroid 48 LED Macro ring light was not only designed for macro photography but for portraits, medical, technical applications or other items as well. It will constantly emit balanced, shadowless light and provide permanent lighting for subjects. The 48 LED ring light is effective when the subject distance is between 1 - 40". With the LED mode controller, you can adjust the light to three different modes: 1) All 48 LED, 2) Left Side 24 LED, 3) Right Side 24 LED. There is two different options to power your 48 LED Ring Light 1) 2 AA batteries which is ideal for the photographer on the go. 2) AC adapter for the at home or studio photographer. Included in the box is 6 different adapter rings (49mm, 52mm, 55mm, 58mm, 62mm, 67mm) allowing you to attach the Macro Ring Light to almost every SLR Camera lens in the market. and the price was pretty reasonable too on Amazon.com.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

80mm f4 Schneider Componon S enlarging lens on bellows - allows approx. 2:1 enlargements. 80mm is a good compromise focal length on these bellows ( for crop frame). Lens is mounted in a drilled plastic body cap. Bellows are about $60 on e-Bay and lens is about $85 on eBay. Lighting is 96 LED continueous but will soon upgrade to 126 LED. ..... 2nd picture is Pentax 645 with Pentacon 6 adapter and Pentacon bellows with 135mm F4.5 Wollensak enlarging lens.

Roger Sr. Loc: Central Coast of California

I use a couple different cameras for macro with two different light set ups, and a couple different lenses, but now I have a Nikkor 105D macro lens that I use on my Nikon D300. I'm in the process of upgrading my camera bodies. I just sold my D200, and am waiting on a D7000, so only have the one body right now (used to take this photo).

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

I'm another Lester Dine 105 macro lens user & while I also have the portable ring light for it, I find my self using my SB-600 more often than not. I've attached some old shots with the lens on a Nikon D70s along with a "Joe Demb" DFD Pro diffuser. I'm currently using a Nikon D300 (which ,unlike the D70s, meters with my older manual focus lenses)...The setup shows the camera on a tripod with a focus rail, but most of my shots are handheld....I'm also posting another image showing the older MF macro lenses that I use (wit the exception of a Spiratone 55-mm f/2.8 macro lens I acquired since this picture was taken. From left to right is a Vivitar 90-mm f2.8 macro, a Micro Nikkor 55-mm f/2.8 & my Lester A Dine 105-mm f/2.8. Not shown is a Vivitar 135-mm f/2.8 "Close Focus" that's goes to 1/2 life-size.

Vivitar 90-mm f/2.8 macro, a Micro Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 & my Lester A Dine 105-mm f/2.8

napabob Loc: Napa CA

My set up is RRS (really right stuff) made in the USA (San Luis Obispo CA).
Tripod in lower right is what I use to hold things still, the dowel is clip central.

Roger Sr. Loc: Central Coast of California

I just received my brand new Nikon D7000. It is a lot smaller then my D300, so here is one of my setups for it with a Nikkor 105mm macro lens, with Auto-Extension tubes, a ring light, and a home made L-grip.

naturepics43 Loc: Hocking Co. Ohio - USA

I'm currently using a Nikon D90 with an AF Micro Nikkor 105D macro lens with the Nikon R1 Speedlight close up flash kit which consists of 2 SB-R200 wireless remote flash units and various adapters for different lens filter sizes. It also includes snap-on diffusers for both flash units. The flash units can be triggered from the built-in flash unit set as a commander, or my Nikon SB-800 speedlight set as a commander.

eframgoldberg Loc: South Florida

Nikon D5100 with reverse-mounted Nikkor Ai-S 28mm f/2.8 lens, Nikon SB-600 speedlight mounted on a Wimberly F2 macro bracket.

For photo-stacking, here is an up-close of the micrometer (image #3). I first try to focus from the near point until the far point to see the distance needed, for example the dof I need is 2mm. Then I will tare it, and record the length of DOF by shooting and then moving closer until the DOF's overlap and do this a few times to get an average number, such as 0.025mm each shot will cover. Then divide these numbers
for example 2mm needed, / .025mm a shot= 80 shots. So I Move to the front, and tare the micrometer, take a shot, move the rig close, and repeat the process. I use an electronic remote to control the shutter and try to wait a few seconds between shots for vibrations to damp down. I have both camera and subject mounted on a strip of marble. This keeps the camera and subject vibrating at the same frequency if there is any vibrations. I larger piece of marble or granite would work better, if I had the money I would purchase an aluminum breadboard. The stage is mounted onto the marble using a 1/4" hex bolt and nut underneath. Drilling the marble was easy. The bellows are mounted to the stage with 1/8" hex bolts and it took some time to make sure I could get the size and thread density of the holes in the stage. I am planning to use it more and will post photographs when I do.

Nikon PB-4 bellows set-up


Mitutoyo Digital Micrometer .001mm

Roger Sr. Loc: Central Coast of California

This first one is on my D300, now here is my D7000 with two different set ups

NikonJohn Loc: Indiana U.S.A.

I use my Nikon D300 with the PS-6 Nikon bellows (the bellows date back to my film days). Typically I use an old 50-mm f/2 lens mounted either forward or backward (pictured backward). The cable release is to stop down the lens for shooting. There seems to be plenty of used Nikon bellows on eBay, but the PS-6 is the most expensive.

For lighting I use a dimmable LED light panel that I got from Steve Kaeser Lighting for $43.95, it is listed as a PBL brand but I don't see that on the actual unit anywhere. I just liked the features and price of this one the best. It seems to work well so far, and the price was good. Sometimes I supplement additional lighting with a LED flashlight. :)

P.S. The penny was stuck to the side of a small flashlight with a piece of plasti-tac. :lol:

Outside bellows pic


Inside bellows pic


Back of PBL LED light panel


Front of LED panel with diffuser mounted (LED's on dim)


Un-cropped photo of a penny with this rig

eframgoldberg Loc: South Florida

Here is a photograph of my lighting set up for focus stacking. One photograph with the paper diffuser cone taped to the lens, and one photo without. A strip was cut lengthwise down the paper cone to allow the wasp to be inserted from below.

note the LED light is to help with focusing


Paper diffuser cone removed (laying bottom of photo)

Stevieboy Loc: West Palm Beach, Florida

I use a Canon 7D, a Canon MR-14 EX ring light, and Kenko extension tubes. You can see the flash controls on the back. The light has two flashes: one on each side and the ratios can be changed. The flash can be used in Auto mode ( ETTL) or in manual where you can adjust the power of the flash. This is a very important tool to use because by cutting the power of the flash down you cut the flash duration down to something like 1/30,000th of a second. Ambient light won't be much of a factor. Of course you may have to increase the ISO or open the aperture to compensate for the reduced power. An added bonus is that the recycle time (with reduced flash) is very quick.

Roger Sr. Loc: Central Coast of California

This is the setup I use for ones I bring in the house its a great lighting setup for macro but to much for field use

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

Nikon D300 with Nikkor 105G macro lens, and two Nikon SB-R200 speedlights mounted on a George Lepp macro bracket. The device on the hot shoe fires the two strobes without cables.

Roger Sr. Loc: Central Coast of California

My new Marco lighting setup just arrived today, have to thank my Wife for this one, I now have 4 lighting setup's this one should be fun to play with, I know it cost enuf I wanted one of these but didn't want to layout that much money better her then me at least I will not hear why did you spend all that money

Nikon R1C1 Wireless Macro System with twin SB-R200 Remote Speedlights