This thread is to demonstrate different macro set-ups,
especially illumination sources. You will notice that several macro-photographers (like me) have evolved from our initial illumination set-ups, and our most recent configurations are on the latter pages of this thread.
CURRENT SET-UPS ARE FOUND ON PAGE 4 TO LAST PAGE:
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-32754-4.htmlIf you want to share your macro set-up, please add a photo or two, and a little text about individual components.
Please DO NOT post "example" photos taken with camera set-ups. Start a separate thread.If you
have questions about any set-up here, please start an
ENTIRELY NEW THREAD. To preserve simplicity of this visual
REFERENCE thread, please
do not post questions, comments, or discussions in this thread.
$25 Kalt L Grip Flash Bracket
Black elastic bands keep O-Flash snug to speedlight
Black elastic bands keep O-Flash perpendicular to lens
Silvered mylar added to inside of cardboard seperator adds full stop light output
ngc1514
Loc: Atlanta, Ga., Lancaster, Oh. and Stuart, Fl.
ngc1514
Loc: Atlanta, Ga., Lancaster, Oh. and Stuart, Fl.
Posted this in another thread, but thought I'd add it here. My rig for photo-microscopy. It's a tethered
Nikon D300 mounted on an Amscope compound trinocular microscope with magnifications (visual) from 400-1600x. Once of these days I want to try focus stacking with this rig!
http://ericpix.net/Online/Hog/microscope.jpg
I use a Nikon D700 Camera with a Nikkor 105D lens, sometimes a Nikon SB-900 flash or the pop-up flash with the Nikon SB-R200 close-up flashes, ProMaster auto extension tube set. I mostly shoot handheld in the field. I like my flash system because it is flexible, has target illumination lights for night shooting, colored filters, and varios diffusers. Recently purchased the auto extension tube set because I need all the light I can get to focus manually. Bill
basic setup
popup flash with ir panel
flash with extreme closeup adapter
I use a Canon 7D w/ Canon Macro E F 100-mm f/2.8 USM. I hand-hold part of time, but also use tripod with the focus rail. The rail really works good as you can really focus in close. Sure better than moving tripod which is very hard. The rail was about $ 35. It is well made and very steady.
Canon 7D w/ Canon Macro E F 100-mm f/2.8 USM on focusing rail, with O-Flash attached to Canon 580 speedlight
Focus rail top view
Rail side view
The tripod adapter on right is attached to bottom of the rail, shown here with bottom side up. Note two large adjustment knobs, the larger of which moves the rail. The smaller knob locks the rail in place, once you choose position where you want rail to be held tight.
When attached to tripod, the rail can move about 6-inches closer or away from subject, so you are focusing with the rail without having to touch the lens, or you can just move the camera closer and then focus as usual. The camera is attached to the rail by one of the two screws you see. The front screw is also in a slot, and second screw is in a fixed position. Just two alternative ways to attach your camera.
As less expensive option:
http://www.dinodirect.com/Aluminium-Alloy-Macro-Focus-Rail-Plate-LP-01.html
Bottom-side of rail
rail attached to tripod and in forward most position
I bought two and put them together, no tools needed. Look Ma, 2 axes!
The rail also works well in putting your pivot point on the focal plane for panos too.
Dual Fotomate Rails Mated
Here is the rail set-up I used to shoot my focus-stacked images of the wild cucumber skeleton. I used natural light for that series. The last photo is the same set-up, had I used flash. I did find that Helicon likes consistent lighting, and with the "diffuser", I got just enough variation that the stacking did not turn out well.
Got one of the Kalt L bracket Now I need another one for the other camera. Don't know how I got by without it as makes holding camera so much easier. Odd thing I saw a review that said it was a flimsy piece of junk. don't know why anyone would say that as is a nice piece of equipment for our boy toys. :thumbup: :lol:
jdeanb wrote:
Got one of the Kalt L bracket Now I need another one for the other camera. Don't know how I got by without it as makes holding camera so much easier. Odd thing I saw a review that said it was a flimsy piece of junk. :
i saw that too,that is why i didnt buy it.tom
I made a homemade diffuser out of recyclable ordinary stuff, a 32 oz. coffee creamer and a large Omega-3 pill containers. Marking on strings to get the different circumferences ( flash & creamer bottle), I transferred each measurement onto each container. It fits snugly onto my Minolta 5600HS flash without straps or adhesive tape. This diffuser operates on about a half of the flash's power using a 50 mm macro lens at F32.
gym
Loc: Athens, Georgia
Nikonian72 has asked me to post some photos of my macro setup. It is very simple and very inexpensive (Think pennies!). Sometime ago, I purchased a ring light for this purpose, but the results were mixed. So I followed the lead of others on this forum and chose to explore the use of the internal flash with a milk jug diffuser. I modified mine a bit, but the principle is the same.
Step one: Cut out a strip from a regular plastic milk jug, about 7 inches long and 4 inches high and another strip about 5 inches long and 2 inches high (Photo 1).
Step two: Notch both sides of the larger strip (photo 2) so that the center portion of one side is about a half inch longer. Fold it inward and crease it until it remains bent.
Step three: tape the two pieces together as shown in photo 3.
The reason for the notch is so that the diffuser will stay on the camera when its tilted downward. Both Nikon and Canon cameras have a small ledge in front of the flash shoe onto which their logos are printed. The notch of the diffuser fits beneath this ledge.
Step 4: Open the internal flash and slip the diffuser over it - notch side down on the front side of the camera. Hook the creased edge beneath the ledge and secure the back of the diffuser behind the flash shoe.
I use a Canon 100mm macro lens, often with a monopod, but many feel that the monopod gets in the way.
Now youre ready to go.
Step 1: Cut two plastic strips as shown
Step 2: Cut notch in larger strip
Step 3; Tape pieces together
place diffuser over flash and hook the creased edge beneath the shelf.
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