They Check-In But They Don't Check-Out
Jul 30, 2021 16:25:04 #
I staged one of my preserved roaches to share a bit more information about my approach to the macro/micro sessions and the simple things that I use.
The first image is the finished image of the roach taken with the setup shown.
The camera is mounted on a bellows with the total length, including adapters, of 160mm as measured from the sensor plain of the camera to the mounting attachment of the microscope objective. The length of the objective is not included in the measurement. This distance is important to achieve proper focus.
The next image shows how the diffusion of the two LED desk lamps is achieved. I'm using a little translucent plastic "Dixie Cup" that you would get at a restaurant for the condiments with the little lid. I cut the bottom out for I just want the small ring shape. I place two little strips of tracing paper inside the "ring". I learned not to put them on the outside for it results in a glare on the subject. You can also see from this picture how close the working distance is between the end of the lens and the staged subject. The "white thing" on the end of the lens is a piece of black felt with white backing rolled around the end of the lens to serve as a lens hood to block any light other than that straight off the subject of coming into the camera. Any stray light will result in haze in the image.
I hot-glued a matchstick to make a handle to hold the diffused ring over the subject with the use of a "third hand tool" or what is commonly known as a soldering clamp tool.
The reason that I use the tiny two ounce Dixie Cup as a diffuser is that I learned though an untold number of experiments and sessions that the further the diffuser goes past the subject the reflected light comes back to the camera which results is a bit of haze, blown out highlights and contrast issues. If we think about shooting in the field our diffusion is off-camera and in front and/or over the subject. We typically do not illuminate past the subject except for special effects or unless we want to show more detail in the background.
The next image shows that the lamps are placed quite close to the diffusion which has the subject mounted inside of it.
The last image shows the specimen positioner that I made from a $3.00 roller-caster from the local hardware store. I took the steel ball bearing out of it and set it on top. A dab of plasticine modeling clay provides a means to put a pin mounted subject on it and mush it around where I need it and then be able to fully rotate the subject including pitch and yaw as required where I want it for the camera.
The first image is the finished image of the roach taken with the setup shown.
The camera is mounted on a bellows with the total length, including adapters, of 160mm as measured from the sensor plain of the camera to the mounting attachment of the microscope objective. The length of the objective is not included in the measurement. This distance is important to achieve proper focus.
The next image shows how the diffusion of the two LED desk lamps is achieved. I'm using a little translucent plastic "Dixie Cup" that you would get at a restaurant for the condiments with the little lid. I cut the bottom out for I just want the small ring shape. I place two little strips of tracing paper inside the "ring". I learned not to put them on the outside for it results in a glare on the subject. You can also see from this picture how close the working distance is between the end of the lens and the staged subject. The "white thing" on the end of the lens is a piece of black felt with white backing rolled around the end of the lens to serve as a lens hood to block any light other than that straight off the subject of coming into the camera. Any stray light will result in haze in the image.
I hot-glued a matchstick to make a handle to hold the diffused ring over the subject with the use of a "third hand tool" or what is commonly known as a soldering clamp tool.
The reason that I use the tiny two ounce Dixie Cup as a diffuser is that I learned though an untold number of experiments and sessions that the further the diffuser goes past the subject the reflected light comes back to the camera which results is a bit of haze, blown out highlights and contrast issues. If we think about shooting in the field our diffusion is off-camera and in front and/or over the subject. We typically do not illuminate past the subject except for special effects or unless we want to show more detail in the background.
The next image shows that the lamps are placed quite close to the diffusion which has the subject mounted inside of it.
The last image shows the specimen positioner that I made from a $3.00 roller-caster from the local hardware store. I took the steel ball bearing out of it and set it on top. A dab of plasticine modeling clay provides a means to put a pin mounted subject on it and mush it around where I need it and then be able to fully rotate the subject including pitch and yaw as required where I want it for the camera.
Jul 30, 2021 16:37:32 #
I do not have the patience or the know-how to that type of a macro shot but I am glad you do and post them on the forum. You do excellent work and I look for it 
Jul 30, 2021 18:12:58 #
tramsey wrote:
img src="https://static.uglyhedgehog.com/images/s... (show quote)
Thanks, Tramsey. My hopes are to share what I do and how I do it with others. I enjoy a bit of the "back story" of things at times and I suspect that there are others out there like me so I've shared a bit of what goes on behind the scenes that produces the results that I post.
Jul 30, 2021 20:42:22 #
Jul 30, 2021 21:19:06 #
Jul 30, 2021 21:57:58 #
Jul 30, 2021 22:20:53 #
Mark Sturtevant wrote:
Very good!
Thanks, Mark. I'm finding that the process itself is repeatable however the results will vary. The most likely reason they vary is due to the way that the illumination and the specimen interact. I'm finding that the type of specimens tend to fall into groups and each group needs a bit of different attention as to how the diffused light is best applied (although 'best' is quite subjective as well as elusive).
Jul 30, 2021 22:21:51 #
Jul 30, 2021 22:23:31 #
kpmac wrote:
The results speak to your grand efforts, my friend.
Thanks, Kpmac. One of the joys of being here is sharing what we can.
Jul 30, 2021 23:52:17 #
Good shot as usual. I have tried to duplicate some of your setups only to discover that steady hands are one of the requisites of working at your level of magnification.
Jul 31, 2021 10:17:13 #
Jul 31, 2021 10:43:32 #
Curmudgeon wrote:
Good shot as usual. I have tried to duplicate some of your setups only to discover that steady hands are one of the requisites of working at your level of magnification.
Curmudgeon, That is a challenge for me as well and when I stage very small specimens it becomes even more amplified. At times I wear a magnifying visor and it's quite humbling to see how difficult it is to hold still while trying to guide a mounting pin in a subject.
Jul 31, 2021 10:44:29 #
tinusbum wrote:
yuk! nice!
Thanks, Tinusbum. Thankfully I catch them outdoors at night.
Jul 31, 2021 10:54:11 #
sippyjug104 wrote:
Thanks, Tinusbum. Thankfully I catch them outdoors at night.
when i go out at night with a light i see bazillions of them,yuk!
Jul 31, 2021 11:41:38 #
tinusbum wrote:
when i go out at night with a light i see bazillions of them,yuk!
Tinusbum, I'm finding that insects are like factory workers that come and go in shifts. There's the day crew, afternoon crew and the night crew.
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