Other Macro Show us your macro rig

@Cloggie fancy making me a bracket or providing a list of items used, I have a rubbish straight bracket and C bracket but the thing gets loose quickly and flash wobbles about loads. You have same softbox as me BTW.

I don't mind paying for the privilege.
 
Tintin124 said:
@Cloggie fancy making me a bracket or providing a list of items used, I have a rubbish straight bracket and C bracket but the thing gets loose quickly and flash wobbles about loads. You have same softbox as me BTW.

I don't mind paying for the privilege.
Click to expand...

Have you thought of getting a ball head for your flash? Still waiting for my softbox to arrive but you get the idea...This is a full set of tubes on a Tamron 90mm (non vr)

 
milster said:
Have you thought of getting a ball head for your flash? Still waiting for my softbox to arrive but you get the idea...This is a full set of tubes on a Tamron 90mm (non vr)
Click to expand...

I have a ball head but it as nice looking one as you got, again along with brackets a cheapy chinese ebay special for £4... can you send me a link with your bracket setup as that looks exactly what I'm after.

Does it tighten up properly as can see it is plastic screw head mounted onto metal I assume.
 
Tintin124 said:
@Cloggie fancy making me a bracket or providing a list of items used, I have a rubbish straight bracket and C bracket but the thing gets loose quickly and flash wobbles about loads. You have same softbox as me BTW.

I don't mind paying for the privilege.
Click to expand...

Hi Bryn, I used a length of aluminium rail I found in a skip. I cut the rail in half to give me two pieces about 8 ins and 6 ins. I drilled lots of 1/4" holes in both pieces to make it very adjustable and bolted it up with a few bolts I had lying around. It's held onto the bottom of the camera by the screw that I robbed of my old straight flash bracket.

I plan to get a ball head like the one Gary has in his shot but haven't seen one like that on ebay yet.
 
Well here is mine in all it's glory I guess.

Camera: Canon T3i
Lens: Canon 28-90mm macro with Fotodiox Macro Extensions
Flash: Yongnuo YN-Ex14 Macro Ring Flash
Tripod: Sunpak 5200D

Sorry about the phone photo only other camera I have.
 
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My simple setup.

Canon 500d
Tamron 90mm VC
Yongnuo ring flash (love it btw)
Extension tubes AF
Straight and C bracket
Nissin 866 mkii + pixo softbox
Velbon mag slider - yet to take out of box.
Alta 264at tripod with sbh-100 and a simple velbon tripod (cheapy)

Not used tripod or slider as of yet though still looking forward to it.

View attachment 9165

:D
 
It is quite a tricky call trying to use the 202 with the ringflash due to the 202 not having a filter thread, I see you've jammed it on with foam, I am still thinking this one through but thanks for the idea Bryn ;)
 
Ajophotog said:
It is quite a tricky call trying to use the 202 with the ringflash due to the 202 not having a filter thread, I see you've jammed it on with foam, I am still thinking this one through but thanks for the idea Bryn ;)
Click to expand...

It works great Alby.... its pipe insulation I have used if your interested.
 
Bryn @Tintin124 for me to lift that lot would need me to go on weight training for a bloody long time - I knew you needed a deep pocket but not 'Popeye's' muscles as well :eek:
 
My Concave Diffuser for the MPE65 and MT-24EX. Simplest one i've ever DIYed but gives the best light ever.

new diffuser cropped by Kurt (Hock Ping GUEK) orionmystery.blogspot.com, on Flickr

More info here: http://orionmystery.blogspot.com/2010/10/mt24ex-concave-diffuser-quick-update.html

Sample images:
Mossy Tree Frog (Philautus macroscelis) IMG_1345 copy by Kurt (Hock Ping GUEK) orionmystery.blogspot.com, on Flickr

Giant robber fly with blue wings IMG_2748 copy by Kurt (Hock Ping GUEK) orionmystery.blogspot.com, on Flickr

I have adapted this for my 60mm too. Same concept, just bigger - longer, wider! Tends to get in the way, I know, but I am willing to put up with that to get the light I want.

DSC_2547 by Kurt (Hock Ping GUEK) orionmystery.blogspot.com, on Flickr

Sample shots:
Malayan Flying Frog (Rhacophorus prominanus) IMG_0003 copy by Kurt (Hock Ping GUEK) orionmystery.blogspot.com, on Flickr

Aeluroscalabotes felinus IMG_0286 copy by Kurt (Hock Ping GUEK) orionmystery.blogspot.com, on Flickr
 
Krt some really good shots here from you (y)
 
Vesalius said:
What do macro photographers think of reflections of the camera in the photo, like the one in that frog's eye? Just an inevitable outcome?
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For me it's pretty similar to standard portrait photography. I obviously want to avoid any harsh highlights, and usually will look for a catchlight in the eye to prevent it looking lifeless. The nature of lighting for macro means you often have to diffuse the light and getting the diffuser/camera reflected just comes with the territory, so it doesn't detract for me (in fact I'm always interested in seeing how a shot was diffused, along with number of flashes etc). The same is not true for a compound eye for example, where I tend to want to avoid highlights completely in order to show all the facets and their colours, but will still try and represent the overall shape of the eye.
 
I meant the actual lens itself being visible in the frogs eye, not about flash etc (which is certainly a far more pressing issue by the sounds of things haha)

When you're like this!

1336501664_35-640x437.jpg
 
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Ah I see. Well given the working distances (and the detail obtained by the macro lenses) I don't think there's much you can do about it. Sometimes it's fun to see yourself refeected in something so small ;)
 
Cool :) this is an area of photography I really haven't tried, all my lenses have your bog standard MFD so are definitely not up the job (without some sort of adapter thingies)
Would like to try it in the future, seems like there is so much to be found in the back garden for a start!
 
I know it's been said before, you can have all the kit and your (mine) pics will look dull and boring, build it yourself hash it together and your pics like the ones here will look killer! kudos.
 
I think my kit may have settled down for a while, so here is the latest version.

Here is the kit I take when visiting local nature reserves.


0583 01 2014_06_09 P1840503 1000h by gardenersassistant, on Flickr

Pansonic FZ200, Canon 70D, and a flash unit and remote release for each of them. A DIY LCD hood that fits on both of the cameras' articulated LCDs.
Five achromats (left to right in the photo): Canon 500D, Raynox 150, Raynox 250, Raynox 150+250 stacked, Raynox MSN-202.
Tripod with adjustable arm, pistol grip ball head and two-way focus rail. Gorillapod with ballhead and one-way focus rail.
Spare batteries and memory card.
Flash diffuser that fits on to the flash units, flash diffuser than fits over the lens barrel, fold-out circular reflector/diffuser.
Two plamps (can be used to attach the fold-out reflector/diffuser to the tripod).
Grey card and colour reference chart.
Torch and spare batteries, scissors and tweezers, notepad and pen
Wellies, knee pads, hat, gloves and glasses.
Cleaning equipment, diffuser repair kit, tripod adjustment kit, 50p pieces (for wide slot screw fittings), food.
Plastic carrier bags. Useful for putting over camera in the rain and putting kit out on wet ground/grass etc.
Two bags to hold all the photo kit apart from the tripod.

As well as the kit shown here in plastic bags, more of the kit is also in plastic bags to protect from rain, dew etc soaking into the bags.

There are some more pictures of the tripod setups here, here and here.

The flash units are used on the cameras' hot shoes (although I've had so little success with flash with the 70D that I may stop taking the 70D flash with me).

Here it all is packed up and ready to go. It is packed so that I can get at any of the items quickly.


0583 07 2014_06_09 P1840512 1000h by gardenersassistant, on Flickr
 
GardenersHelper said:
I think my kit may have settled down for a while ...
Click to expand...

Ha ha! Less than two weeks, and since then ...

I've tried a tripod based on a Manfrotto Magic Arm and Manfrotto Super Clamps. It had some advantages in flexibility and reach, but it broke after a few days, and when i got a replacement for the broken part another part broke, and also disabled the pistol grip, which by then I was getting less keen on anyway. (The sad story is documented in this post and later posts in that thread.) So I'm now using my old ball head in place of the pistol grip, and the Magic Arm and Super Clamps have gone back, along with the pistol grip, for a refund.

I've tried a 9" Softbox in place of my home made diffuser. It produced nice light but was too big, so I've made a new home made diffuser re-using the two diffusion layers from the Softbox.


0590 1 2014_06_17 P1840544 Edit Export standard by gardenersassistant, on Flickr


0590 4 2014_06_17 P1840547 Edit Export standard by gardenersassistant, on Flickr

And I now have a wireless remote shutter release that works with my Panasonic and Canon cameras (radio rather than infrared).
 
Vesalius said:
Phwoar, my fave of a lovely bunch.

What do macro photographers think of reflections of the camera in the photo, like the one in that frog's eye? Just an inevitable outcome?
Click to expand...

Catchlight will always be there, regardless if you use flash or not (natural light):

You should see some of my older shots with poorly diffused MT24EX, i.e pre-concave diffuser days:

Look at the harsh light and ugly, distinct catch light (obviously from a twin light :D )
IMG_7647890stk copy by Kurt (orionmystery.blogspot.com), on Flickr

With Concave diffuser, twin flash
IMG_6284 copy Bronchocela cristatella by Kurt (orionmystery.blogspot.com), on Flickr

With concave diffuser, single 270EX on hotshoe
Cyrtodactylus elok IMG_9628 copy by Kurt (orionmystery.blogspot.com), on Flickr

Natural light (no flash)
IMG_6362 stk copy Male Gonocephalus grandis by Kurt (orionmystery.blogspot.com), on Flickr
 
Hi.
A few months ago I showed you my complex diffuser. Things have changed since then.


06_fa.jpg

07_fa.jpg


If you interested, feel free to visit http://flash-adapter.com. I'm curious what do you think about it, I would be grateful for every comment.

Cheers
 
Not only does it look awesome, but I love the ability to direct the light through different channels for various effects/situations. Really great work, I'd love to give this a try sometime.
 
Some great set ups and brilliant pics. Would like to try some macro in the future.
Just 1 possibly dumb question though.....are the flies and spiders alive?
Just curious as to how you get them to remain still long enough to photograph.
 
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