I just started shooting with my new DIY speedlight bracket. I looked for a bracket that would hold both of my speedlights, but price and quality were issues. I found aluminum stock in my shed, and I thought "why not"?
I started with two 11x1.5x1/8-inch stock, with a hole drilled and tapped to 1/4x20. The bend allows me to get out over my subject, and with the ball head, allows for a fair amount of adjustment. A bend and ball head for the other side might be in it's future. The thumb wheels are 1/2" X 1/4x20 with the threads removed at it's base, so it turns freely once threaded onto the bar. I use a longer one when I double up the bars. My 'handle' is a 3.5-in long 1/4x20 run thru a 3-in piece of 1/2" PVC pipe to a flashpoint ball head. A flat rubber washer between the bracket and camera keeps things tight. When I add the second flash with triggers, it gets fairly heavy (10 more AA batteries) and the speedlight isn't pointing where I want yet. A work in progress, but I'm having fun.
Canon 6D, Sigma 105mm macro, canon430exII, 4x6 micro Apollo soft box. The cord and radio triggers are flashpoint.
My current macro set-ups:
1.) Nikon D7100, Sigma 150mm macro lens with 68-mm extension tubes, Yongnuo 560-II speedlight with 8x12-inch softbox diffuser. Slik SBH-100 Compact Ballhead bolt-mounted to Kalt L-grip (drilled a hole through shoe). ETTL cord base threads to ballhead bolt.
2.) Canon T6i, MPE 65 macro lens, KX-800 speed light system, with home made diffuser.
3.) Nikon D610, Tamron 180mm macro lens with 36mm of tubes, Yongnuo 560-II speedlight with 6x8-inch softbox diffuser.
The latest incarnation of my macro rig:
Sony A77ii camera with Sigma 180mm macro lens & Sigma 1.4x TC, on DIY bracket mounted to the vertical dove-tail of Nest gimbal head, mounted on Oben MFR4-5 focusing rail. Small ball head with Neewer NW880S speedlight & 6x8-inch defuser, controlled by Neewer N1T-S transmitter. Horizontal arm of bracket can rotate 180 degrees from above camera to left of camera.
I still have a bellows from my film days. So that's mounted on a tripod. On the back I will add an extension tube to give my magnification a bit of a boost. On the front I usually mount my 105 mm macro lens though depending on the size of the subject I will sometimes use my 50 mm lens or a 150 mm macro lens. On each side of the lens I have mounted a flash that is part of the Nikon Close Up system. I have four flash heads for this so a third one is usually behind my subject and occasionally a fourth is off to the side. I use a cable release to trigger the camera. The subject of the day usually sits in an alligator clam on a bucket. I will sometimes also use a mirror to illuminate the subject so that I can see it in the viewfinder and so that I am able to focus.
I found this photo of my macro kit- well the most used -
Harvey
Nikonian72, those Kalts don't have the ball joint like your rig, shown a while back. I found a "Goldcrest" that does have the ball joint, quite an old one apparently -- the clamp on the ball isn't holding well, so I may need to set the rig up and make it permanent with epoxy. … I'd rather not. The ball now holds a Lumapro LP-180, which is quite heavy, slaved to a ring flash on the camera, a D7100. If held steady and juggled a bit, the rig supported some nice captures with our Nikkor 105 mm macro lens. A setup that big casts a fearsome shadow, and some insects run from it. Still, we've caught a few good ones.
Thanks much for the inspiration! …. 73... ~jessM
canon t6i-mpe65 cheap bought diffuser with a piece of vellum paper added to front
canon 7D mk2-tokina 100mm macro cheap bought diffuser with a piece of vellum paper added to front
simple,simple, simple
Douglass Moody we had chat years back.While I was in Dubai .Hi!Wish you the best. I,m more confined to macro micro with my 125mm Voightlander Apolanthar and many microscopic lenses mostly Zeiss as I found they are chromatic abberation free.At least in my eyes. G ood to hear fromyou. Dr.Farzin Jaz now in Ahwaz,Iran .Currently 122 Degrees.
Sony A6500 with extensions tubes, Sony 18-105 lens, Godox flash. The defuser I bought off EBay for $4.99 and works incredible.
Here is mine I am new here used mainly for pictures of coins for now. It’s a Cannon 6ti on a bellows with a enlarging lens, tethered to my laptop. Added a Stackshot3X w extended rail connected camera with helicon remote with the usb cable. Tried stacking and used Helicon focus to bring it all together. Seemed to work with no problems. Very pleased for a beginner.
Fuji X system with either the 55-200 (80-300mm) or M-42 Fujinon 200mm (300mm) with helecoid extension tube and helecoid lens mount adapter.
I don't use flash because it's too obvious. For specimen images I would, but I avoid that kind of work. I own ring lights, speedlights and studio strobe gear, but use it only for portrait work (if I'm forced to photograph people).
Robertl594
Loc: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and Nantucket
Glad to find this section of UHH. Also glad to find another Cognisys user. Love mine.
Here is my home made set up. Consists of a custom 12”x24”x3/8” aluminum plate with tapped 1/4-20 holes to mount various items. Rubber feet to eliminate vibration. Cognisys Stack Shot and rotary table. 2 vertical lifts to align camera and subject tables. Various Stella and LED lights, and arca swiss quick release plates and ball heads. Currently shooting with Nikon Z9 and D850.
If anyone is interested in building one of these, I would be happy to assist.
Whole rig
1/4-20 threaded nylon rod to mount subject on center of rotary table
Diffusers removed to show subject mounting
With diffusers
Bumble bee face
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