Fantastic!!

Thanks, I used a small (6"x6"+/-) plastic cone from a cheap table lamp, glued it to a 58mm ring and attached it to the lens. Cut away the lower 2/3 and it does a better job than my 9x12 diffuser.

Spotted early in the morning, by afternoon wished I had taken a series for a stack! More coffee from now on. SONY a6300 + 16mm extension tube + Sigma 60mm f/2.8 + Canon 240 C-8 Close-up attachment, diffused Yongnuo YN600EX. Tight crop. She was hanging in a spider web, don't know if she was caught or just hanging out.

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Well done!!

I have used a variety of macro lenses and cobbled together rigs seeking a reasonable alternative to expensive, new macro lenses. The 1st lens I bought for my a6000 several years ago was the Sigma 60mm f/2.8 for E mount ($239.) I noticed that it was impressively sharp and eventually tried it with extension tube, Canon 500D close-up attachment and was not particularly impressed so moved on to hunt for a better solution.

Now I thought my technique has improved so perhaps a retest would be appropriate. I Tested the 60mm Sigma and the Canon EF-s 60mm f/2.8 macro on the same target. The Sigma appeared to be noticeably sharper as well as brighter (Will post about that later.) So I took the Sigma with a vintage Canon 240 C-8 in place of the 500D. Here’s the result with a very cooperative subject.

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WOW!!

I use a Metabones V on a SONY a6300 and have had a recurring issue. The small amount of play in the mount causes a problem where electrical contact is lost between lens and body. Typically I’m doing macro in manual focus. Contact is occasionally lost and live view functions go funky (+ the f/# at the bottom of the screen goes from F:5.6 to F:---,) the solution has been to depress the mount button and twist the mount slightly at the body interface and contact is regained. Stabilizing the mount contact with a plate that maintains alignment has eliminated this frustration with my heavy Sigma 150/f2.8. I just put up with this on my other lenses. This sometimes occurs with the SONY LA-EA1 & 2 which I use with Minolta/Sony Alpha lenses also. So I have to remember that when focusing &/or exposure issues suddenly pop up to glance down at the f:# and sure enough it has gone to f:---.

I had this problem with my 300mm f:4L and solved it by purchasing a Canon 7Dii body.

Some wiseacre put bleach in the birdbath?!

The sun does shift a tiny bit each day, the moon on the other hand jumps about like a flea. One needs "the Photographer's Ephemeris" to help locate the likely point.

Well, you do have more experience with this than I do! Surrounded by the near constant roar of vehicular traffic as I am I long for the peace and quiet of a snowy forest!

No, I had been photographing the statues when I began searching. My 77mm lens cap goes on when the lens goes in the case.