Fly - Another Focused Stacked Session
Aug 13, 2019 09:00:24 #
I'm starting to feel like the "Lord of the Flies" (that's a great old movie by the way). I'm getting fairly good at catching them with my empty pill bottle technique. I caught this Flesh Fly yesterday afternoon and staged it for its photoshoot.
I've done several flies before for I find them to be quite fascinating with features like the long spikes on their legs and the pads on their feet.
As always, thanks in advance to all who view and for your comments, suggestions, questions and critique.
I've done several flies before for I find them to be quite fascinating with features like the long spikes on their legs and the pads on their feet.
As always, thanks in advance to all who view and for your comments, suggestions, questions and critique.
Aug 13, 2019 09:17:09 #
Aug 13, 2019 09:38:02 #
Aug 13, 2019 10:18:59 #
Thanks for the compliment and I truly enjoy shooting and sharing them.
This is the setup that I use for these images. I place the subject inside the ping-pong ball which has a piece of black velvet glued in the back that creates the black background.
The ping-pong ball is held in position for the camera by a wooden matchstick that I glued to it to serve as a way of holding it. The subjects are held on a pin that is slid into the ping-pong ball and a dab of modeling clay on the bottom of the ball holds the pin firmly in place. The ping-pong ball is illuminated at multiple angles which causes it to glow evenly from all directions to reduce shadows and to eliminate lighting hot spots.
This is the setup that I use for these images. I place the subject inside the ping-pong ball which has a piece of black velvet glued in the back that creates the black background.
The ping-pong ball is held in position for the camera by a wooden matchstick that I glued to it to serve as a way of holding it. The subjects are held on a pin that is slid into the ping-pong ball and a dab of modeling clay on the bottom of the ball holds the pin firmly in place. The ping-pong ball is illuminated at multiple angles which causes it to glow evenly from all directions to reduce shadows and to eliminate lighting hot spots.
Aug 13, 2019 18:25:53 #
Quite the setup and lot of work but you produced a fabulously detailed macro. Excellent!
Aug 13, 2019 19:10:03 #
Aug 13, 2019 23:23:14 #
Mr. SONY
Loc: LI, NY
Really nice.
What lens and how many extension tubes did you use?
That's some longgggg lens.
What lens and how many extension tubes did you use?
That's some longgggg lens.
Aug 13, 2019 23:41:38 #
The optics setup consists of an old 50mm enlarger lens (readily available for $35). It is coupled backwards onto a Raynox DCR-150 magnifying lens (new for $68). It too is mounted backwards.
These two lenses are mounted on length of 150mm Size M42 threaded plain empty extension tubes ($18). I shoot Nikon so it takes a Nikon F mount x M42 thread adapter ($8).
The camera is mounted on a WeMacro digital motorized macro rail that I connect both it and the camera to a PC so that I can watch what the lens sees and to control the motorized macro rail.
This image was a series of 400+ individual images (the number of images is determined by the level of magnification and the f/stop used) taken as the camera progresses from the closest point of focus on the subject to the farthest point of focus. These images are loaded into Zerene Stacker and processed into a single focus stacked image.
These two lenses are mounted on length of 150mm Size M42 threaded plain empty extension tubes ($18). I shoot Nikon so it takes a Nikon F mount x M42 thread adapter ($8).
The camera is mounted on a WeMacro digital motorized macro rail that I connect both it and the camera to a PC so that I can watch what the lens sees and to control the motorized macro rail.
This image was a series of 400+ individual images (the number of images is determined by the level of magnification and the f/stop used) taken as the camera progresses from the closest point of focus on the subject to the farthest point of focus. These images are loaded into Zerene Stacker and processed into a single focus stacked image.
Aug 13, 2019 23:56:49 #
Mr. SONY
Loc: LI, NY
Really nice.
What lens and how many extension tubes did you use?
That's some longgggg lens.
What lens and how many extension tubes did you use?
That's some longgggg lens.
Aug 14, 2019 07:04:13 #
A really excellent shot. I always have to DDL are move around the shot to see all the amazing detail that you capture so sharply.
-Doc
-Doc
Aug 14, 2019 08:29:40 #
sippyjug104 wrote:
I'm starting to feel like the "Lord of the Fl... (show quote)
Terrific focus achieved here--a rather frightening close up in download!
Aug 14, 2019 09:21:42 #
distill
Loc: Huthwaite, Nottinghamshire UK
The fly's eyes had a bit of a dead look,. Oh it was a dead fly LOL, great image and what a great setup you have
Aug 14, 2019 10:10:20 #
saxman71 wrote:
Quite the setup and lot of work but you produced a fabulously detailed macro. Excellent!
Ditto
Aug 14, 2019 10:37:40 #
Thanks, I catch and dispatch them right away by putting them in a jar with Ethyl Acetate which kills them quickly. I like to stage them while they are still "fresh" before they get stiff. Once staged in the position I want the camera starts the process of shooting. The camera took over 400 shots to produce this image which were loaded into Zerene Stacker and processed for this result.
Aug 14, 2019 13:44:01 #
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