I thought it was the end, but found lots today.

T0p cat

T0p cat

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I was sitting in my summer room today making a new diffuser, and the sun was out so i thought you never know a few hardy insects might be sunbathing. I went outside and it was beautiful the sun was not showing it's usual winter harsh white light it was a warm glow almost a green tint. To my surprise i was finding subjects everywhere i looked, and never had to venture more than 12 feet from my house.

My first ever Ant pics. I have never come across one that has stayed still long enough for me. It would run off after each flash but came straight back.

These wont win any awards but i am happy i have an ant ticked off my list.

—— by T0P cat, on Flickr

——— by T0P cat, on Flickr

My first Ant. by T0P cat, on Flickr

Next up and only two feet away from the ant i found my first Globbies. They were almost glowing in the bright sunshine and like when i found my first jumping spider i got so excited when the first one came into focus. I got so lucky with these, they were right on top of my Son's toy shed about 4-5 foot high. god knows what they were doing up there but it meant i had easy access and could rest my camera down. :banana:

This first shot is not cropped. Obviously all the others are heavily cropped, the quality has dropped a bit but i am not bothered. It is what it is.

This 100mm with all three extension tubes.

My first Globby. by T0P cat, on Flickr

——— by T0P cat, on Flickr

——— by T0P cat, on Flickr

——- by T0P cat, on Flickr

—— by T0P cat, on Flickr
 
This chap was so colourful, he wasn't much bigger than a globby and wouldnt stay still at all. A stack image with higher mag would look great with this chap. The quality is poor with these two shots.

Any ID.

——— by T0P cat, on Flickr

——— by T0P cat, on Flickr

This was the biggest disappointment of the day for me. This fly was about 6 ft up my wisteria and i just couldn't reach. I could see some wonderful reflections in the bubble but just couldn't reach high enough to capture the moment. The breeze was up and i tried maybe 25 shots of this fly with only this as my best effort. :hungover:

——- by T0P cat, on Flickr
 
Great shots and what a variety you got there, well done for not going far (y)
Globbys look good, 4th one being the best imo.
 
Where's the jumping spiders?

Anyway the 2 unknown ID flies are picture wing flies exact species not sure but a quick Google and you'll find it.

Wonderful set and when you get your MP-E or use a reversing ring for kit len's (just as sharp take a look at my collembola threads) then those collembola won't need a crop ;)

I suspect it's either a small hornet/wasp/bee that lived in that hive.

The collembola (globbie) is Dicyrtomina ornata
 
Some great shots here. I particularly like the bubblegum-eating fly and the insect on the clifftop but also the second ant pic and the guy with the big green eye which is in excellent focus where it matters most. The hive shot is great too - A nice simple composition (something you are particularly good at).
 
Graham said:
Great shots and what a variety you got there, well done for not going far (y)
Globbys look good, 4th one being the best imo.
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Thanks Graham, i can't complain about the globbies for my first attempt, though i doubt such an easy opportunity will come my way again. I wouldn't have got any kind of shot at all if i couldn't rest the camera down.

GardenersHelper said:
Nice! You made great use of all those opportunities. An ant - I find them so difficult that I usually don't bother. A globbie, well done with that. A really nice hopper. And to top it all off, a fly blowing a bubble. Great stuff.
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Thank you Nick, ants always get the better of me. With them being dark and fast i tend to give up chasing them or ignore them completely.

Tintin124 said:
Where's the jumping spiders?

Anyway the 2 unknown ID flies are picture wing flies exact species not sure but a quick Google and you'll find it.

Wonderful set and when you get your MP-E or use a reversing ring for kit len's (just as sharp take a look at my collembola threads) then those collembola won't need a crop ;)

I suspect it's either a small hornet/wasp/bee that lived in that hive.

The collembola (globbie) is Dicyrtomina ornata
Click to expand...

The Jumping spider i came across, when i was just starting out with macro in the Summer. Very average shots but wonderful to see one for the first time through the lens.

——— by T0P cat, on Flickr

Thanks for the ID on the picture wing fly and Collembola.

I know it will be a big challenge with the MP-E 65, If i can get anywhere near your quality of shots with high magnification then it will be worth it. I bought a reverse ring and i was going to try that out first but my canon 1.4x extender does not fit with either my kit lens or my 50mm f1.4USM.
 
RedRobin said:
Some great shots here. I particularly like the bubblegum-eating fly and the insect on the clifftop but also the second ant pic and the guy with the big green eye which is in excellent focus where it matters most. The hive shot is great too - A nice simple composition (something you are particularly good at).
Click to expand...

Thanks Robin, you posted at the same time and then your avatar popped up and scared me. :wideyed:;)
 
T0p cat said:
I know it will be a big challenge with the MP-E 65, If i can get anywhere near your quality of shots with high magnification then it will be worth it. I bought a reverse ring and i was going to try that out first but my canon 1.4x extender does not fit with either my kit lens or my 50mm f1.4USM.
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....The Kenko 1.4x Pro 300 DGX should fit - It fits my Canon 100mm F/2.8L IS Macro (a lens which I think you also have). It's not weatherproof like the Canon 1.4x Extender III is but that is unlikely to be a problem for close-up/macro work when each raindrop is like a heavy WW2 bomb!

That Jumping Spider shot is a winner.
 
I forgot to add that the Kenko 1.4x Pro 300 DGX occasionally goes for sale in TP Classifieds (where I bought mine) but you may have to wait. You could post in the Wanted section if you decide you want one.
 
T0p cat said:
This chap was so colourful, he wasn't much bigger than a globby and wouldnt stay still at all. A stack image with higher mag would look great with this chap. The quality is poor with these two shots.

Any ID.

——— by T0P cat, on Flickr

——— by T0P cat, on Flickr
Click to expand...


I found one of these a little while back, it's an Encyrtid parasitic wasp. Extremely cute.

Who am I? (answer below!) by markhortonphotography, on Flickr

Can everyone please stop seeing globbies that I haven't seen yet please?

Some cracking shots btw :)
 
RedRobin said:
I forgot to add that the Kenko 1.4x Pro 300 DGX occasionally goes for sale in TP Classifieds (where I bought mine) but you may have to wait. You could post in the Wanted section if you decide you want one.
Click to expand...


Yes , i might well Look into a different extender. I haven't had mine long so it never crossed my mind to buy a different one . I don't mind having paid out for the MP-E-65 though, even if i find it to hard to use i can always sell it on. Quality canon lenses hold up pretty well on the second hand market.
 
Logical Fallacy said:
I found one of these a little while back, it's an Encyrtid parasitic wasp. Extremely cute.

Who am I? (answer below!) by markhortonphotography, on Flickr

Can everyone please stop seeing globbies that I haven't seen yet please?

Some cracking shots btw :)
Click to expand...


Thanks Mark i was struggling to find them on Google until i copied your ID into flickr. your right, very cute reminded me of cartoon character with its massive green eyes.
 
T0p cat said:
..very cute reminded me of cartoon character with its massive green eyes.
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....Surely a very appropriate candidate for your avatar, Tom :D

The MP-E-65 is notoriously tricky to master but is worth perservering with regarding your love of mini-beasts. Your choice of Full-Frame body will also pay dividends methinks. Horses-for-Courses as always.
 
Excellent selection Thomas! That wasp is a beauty, and I'm guessing it was wasps that created those small nests. Perhaps not the same species though...

Just a correction on the globby ID. It's Calvatomina nr superba, the same species @GardenersHelper found a couple of days ago. Maybe they are more common than I thought, but I've still yet to find one!
 
What a great set of images @T0p cat you must be very pleased with your results, and so you should be. For me the Ant shots and the Jumping Spider shot are "Excellent". Looking forward to seeing some more of your work.(y)

George.
 
TimmyG said:
Excellent selection Thomas! That wasp is a beauty, and I'm guessing it was wasps that created those small nests. Perhaps not the same species though...

Just a correction on the globby ID. It's Calvatomina nr superba, the same species @GardenersHelper found a couple of days ago. Maybe they are more common than I thought, but I've still yet to find one!
Click to expand...

Yep, the orange base colour on the eyes is the giveaway. I've never seen one either!!
 
With a reversing ring and kit lens you don't need a 1.4X TC as I got 3x mag with that on my setup but 1.4X TC meant I could go 6x.

I have the kenko 1.4X tc you are definitely worth building your way up the magnifications as everything is 10x or more harder the closer you get.

Sorry bout the bad ID'S
 
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TimmyG said:
Excellent selection Thomas! That wasp is a beauty, and I'm guessing it was wasps that created those small nests. Perhaps not the same species though...

Just a correction on the globby ID. It's Calvatomina nr superba, the same species @GardenersHelper found a couple of days ago. Maybe they are more common than I thought, but I've still yet to find one!
Click to expand...

Thank you kindly Timothy. (y)

G.K.Jnr. said:
What a great set of images @T0p cat you must be very pleased with your results, and so you should be. For me the Ant shots and the Jumping Spider shot are "Excellent". Looking forward to seeing some more of your work.(y)

George.
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Thanks George.

@ Bryn, When i tried just my 50mm lens reversed the magnification was very low less than 1x?
 
Don't worry i answer to all. The missus has a few other names for me that begin with T as well. :p

I have been known as TC most of my life because of my initials. Top cat was the most popular cartoon when i was much younger! many moons ago.
 
T0p cat said:
Thank you kindly Timothy. (y)



Thanks George.

@ Bryn, When i tried just my 50mm lens reversed the magnification was very low less than 1x?
Click to expand...

Yeah that's right... at the 18mm and closest focus will get you higher than 1x magnification.

55mm (infinity focus) with the 1.4x TC gives me 1x or 1:1 and 18 mm (closest focus) gives 6x. Hope that helps.
 
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Tintin124 said:
Yeah that's right... at the 18mm and closest focus will get you higher than 1x magnification.

55mm (infinity focus) with the 1.4x TC gives me 1x or 1:1 and 18 mm (closest focus) gives 6x. Hope that helps.
Click to expand...

Ah ok i will dig my kit lens out, i stupidly just tried the 50mm.
 
T0p cat said:
Ah ok i will dig my kit lens out, i stupidly just tried the 50mm.
Click to expand...

Just so you know my setup is slightly different as I have a mini tube on it too as I bought reverse ring for 50mm 1.8 so thread was 52mm so to convert it to 58mm I used a step up ring.

So basically setup. Camera > TC > 52mm reverse ring > step up to 58mm ring > kit lens.

Did you think I owned an MP-E out of interest?
 
Thanks for the info, i knew you had the reverse lens set-up after you posted those amazing close ups of the spider last month. I know you have been saying to try this but i have been assuming rightly or wrongly that, the difficult part of using the MP-E-65 is nailing the focus because of the high magnification. I assumed that this was still the case on your set up as 5 or even 6 mag is difficult to nail focus whether its on a MP-E- 65 or anything that can achieve it.
Currently i use the 100mm + extension tubes and if i am standing up even with my arms tucked into my chest i cannot hold steady for the focus i would maybe get one in ten like this just basically trying to guess the timing. So i know what i am in for with more than 2x magnification ( lots of disappointment. ) :arghh:
 
T0p cat said:
Thanks for the info, i knew you had the reverse lens set-up after you posted those amazing close ups of the spider last month. I know you have been saying to try this but i have been assuming rightly or wrongly that, the difficult part of using the MP-E-65 is nailing the focus because of the high magnification. I assumed that this was still the case on your set up as 5 or even 6 mag is difficult to nail focus whether its on a MP-E- 65 or anything that can achieve it.
Currently i use the 100mm + extension tubes and if i am standing up even with my arms tucked into my chest i cannot hold steady for the focus i would maybe get one in ten like this just basically trying to guess the timing. So i know what i am in for with more than 2x magnification ( lots of disappointment. ) :arghh:
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Cool, I think the MP-E will be heavier than the reversed lens setup and longer. So will cause more issues with stability than I get.

Maybe @TimmyG can clarify on weight side of things.

If you see my setup on Flickr under the macro testing album. You will see I use a torch for a focus light as you will soon find out seeing anything is near impossible in anything less than bright sunlight. Yes you can shoot using outlines of subject but this is more luck than judgement and hit ratio will drop like a brick. If you have any questions feel free to ask as I'm more than willing to help and if you live local we could meet up (dunstable/luton) and you could test out my setup.

Here it is...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/115362543@N04/14668384028/in/set-72157644036934524
 
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Yeh! i have been worried about light getting in to focus as well. I have been working getting my light source closer to the subject so i can use a quicker flash upping my recycle time as i have read that a lot of people get the composition then just keep firing moving in and out and hopefully catching one or two that way. Time will tell.
I live in the Northwest so cant take up your kind offer though i would like to.
 
T0p cat said:
Yeh! i have been worried about light getting in to focus as well. I have been working getting my light source closer to the subject so i can use a quicker flash upping my recycle time as i have read that a lot of people get the composition then just keep firing moving in and out and hopefully catching one or two that way. Time will tell.
I live in the Northwest so cant take up your kind offer though i would like to.
Click to expand...

For me a focus continuous light is required if only to see the subject correctly. Though others use a video light not attached to the camera. Not sure how @Logical Fallacy does it when it's dark outside.
 
Great set of shots.
 
Thanks Alf.

I took the opportunity whilst the Collembola appeared to be motionless to take some shots to attempt a stack. I knew that heavy cropping would be needed and stacked images allow this without losing as much detail.
Here is a 7 shot stacked image edited in Zerene.

Calvatomina nr superba by T0P cat, on Flickr
 
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