Macro Rig

Canon Bob

Canon Bob

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Bob
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A few folk have asked about a macro rig that I'm putting together so here it is.
From right to left;
30D....EOS-FD adapter plate.....15mm FD tube.....FD Auto Bellows....25mm FD tube.....lens adapter plate.....20mm f/3.5 Canon macrophoto lens.
Tubes can be added at either end to increase magnification but in the configuration shown then it should get close to 20x. The LED ring light assembly is a 48 by 5500k variable intensity set up although the minimum light distance is just a little too far out at the moment and a better one is under construction.
The front element is mounted in a chamferred extension to allow the light source to come from behind the lens and this is essential with a working distance <10mm.
Initial shots showed the lighting limitation but I got as far as 2mm fitting across the sensor width. DOF is "quite thin" :(.
Bob
Macro_rig.jpg
 
:eek: that is one hell of a set up, not the sort of thing I would ever try to replicate!!
 
Hi Bob, I have the same setup and have been able to photograph grains of pollen, although not very well. It's very difficult to see anything when the lens is stopped down, so I opened the lens for focussing, by the time I stopped down again the focus point was different. It was a lot of fun and incredibly frustrating at the same time. I keep meaning to have another play.
 
Hey Bob but can you play Hullabaloo Belay on that accordion? ;) Can wait to see some of the results mate.
 
This is my only attempt so far, pollen in a Herb Robert flower:

herbrobertpollen1.jpg
 
OneTen said:
This is my only attempt so far, pollen in a Herb Robert flower:
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That's damn good Richard. My early attempts (lighting restricted) were showing the leg joints of a dead fly. Hopefully, I'll find something with more general appeal :shake:

Bob
 
You've got me eager to set it all up again, but I'm away working for the next two weeks.
 
Canon Bob said:
How else am I going to photographic proof that ants have 3 testicles :shrug:
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My advice to you Bob would be to bin it now
( I can of course take it away for free as a personal favour to you (y))
as you will need a steady hand and a sharp scalpel to get images of an ant's testis :D
 
Cobra said:

as you will need a steady hand and a sharp scalpel to get images of an ant's testis :D
Click to expand...
More like a magnifying glass and micro knife to

Canon Bob said:
I'll let you know....same time, same lay-by (y)

Bob
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Be careful, we all know about Cobra and how he got the title ;)

Be sure to post the pics when you a) find a male ant, b) convince him to pose for you in a suitable position and c) keep still long enough for you to set up and take the shot so that he is in focus!!!
 
Reckon you should go for Dec's privates instead Bob, I'm sure I read somewhere Dec has the biggest genitalia of the two :LOL:
 
I'm currently up to a measly 5:1 with this setup - a nifty fifty reverse mounted. i'm currently looking for a 20mm Nikon which when reverse mounted will get me 11x with a working distance of approx 35mm:D , as you say the main problem is light or the lack of it :shake: and DOF


macro.jpg
 
Ajophotog said:
Reckon you should go for Dec's privates instead Bob, I'm sure I read somewhere Dec has the biggest genitalia of the two :LOL:
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I've come back to this several times Alby and I have to confess that you've got me stumped with this one :thinking:

Bob

PS...I'm goin' to feel such a prat when you explain it

Edit....it's been explained by PM. I shudder to think what you were reading Alby :puke:
 
This is a fantastic set-up, and thank you for showing it.
 
Have you looked into getting a copy stand? I am not too sure if it solved the problem for lack of light!?
 
Or a microscope?

Seriously, you can get camera mounts for microscopes that give you this kind of ratio.
 
Wail said:
Have you looked into getting a copy stand? I am not too sure if it solved the problem for lack of light!?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure that it would be beneficial. The lens to subject distance is less than 10mm at higher magnifications and so the light needs to get in there. Too much light coming from the sides is going to degrade IQ by flaring.
Thanks for the ideas though.(y)

Bob
 
AliB said:
Or a microscope?

Seriously, you can get camera mounts for microscopes that give you this kind of ratio.
Click to expand...

You certainly can.....

The concept here though is that this is cobbled together using 1970's and 1980's left over kit...apart from the lighting in which white LED's have a big advantage over bulbs (no heat).

Bob
 
Canon Bob said:
How else am I going to photographic proof that ants have 3 testicles :shrug:
Click to expand...

Congratulations;

You must have counted the testicles on 30 ants and divided by 30 to get an average of 3 testicles per ant. You have a great rig for doing so.

Seriously, congratulations;

I love to see it when a photographer can fabricate some sort of rig that isn't readily available, yet provides good service.

What are your average exposures for this big rig.
 
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