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The Weekly Close Up 7/11/10

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JiminDenver

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Welcome to the Weekly Close Up, Where bugs are your friends...really :)

This week we had a post saying that the Weeklies were not techy enough and my response was that the WCU is tech in the way that you can always get a good feel for which set up will give you the magnification that you want. Then again, that isn't exactly tech talk is it now.

So if you are up to it, maybe a bit about your set up and what you feel are it's strengths and weaknesses.

As always, please list your gear used to shoot and if you are cropping. )so people can get a feel for what each set up does) Also remember, we accept all gear here.

Please reply to this as I will.
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JimB
Bug Whisperer

Member of the Colorado Olympus Group

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I couldn't get much to stay still this morning except a grasshopper.

E 3, 50mm. EC 20, fr-11



Thanks for looking
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JimB
Bug Whisperer

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If you are up to it, discuss your set ups here
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JimB
Bug Whisperer

Member of the Colorado Olympus Group

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I use 3 set ups regularly.

I usually use a E 3 with either the 35mm/ EC 20 and my foam ring flash or the 50 mm/ EC 20 and rf-11 ring flash.

Often I will us either 330 to carry the 50mm and EC 1.4 and rf-11 while the E 3 has the 2-1 power of the first set up.

There are times I need the space given by the 50-200/ EX 25/ FL 50r and will run it along side of one of the closer set ups. ( I really miss my 300 for this). Occasionally I replace the 50-200 with the 70-300 but I just have a hard time getting use the extended working room.

The good, bad and ugly

The good about the close set ups is that they give great magnification while still giving great IQ and detail. I know the two sigmas are really nice but when I tried one a while back, it just didn't give the same detail as being as close as I have to be to use the 50mm and 35mm. I also wasn't happy with it's performance om the EC 20. (2-1 is addicting)

This of course is the bad also. With the foam ring flash on the 35mm, I have to be within a inch of the insect. The 50mm is a bit better but the rf-11 is a large flash and I have issues getting it in around all of the twigs and leaves.

The two longer set ups as I said take time to get use to the WD but once I have it, they can give wonderful results. Especially the 50-200 on the EX 25. That is one sharp set up.

The bad thing is that I often am shooting bugs in the bushes and those same twigs get in the way. I do find that the bugs are much more tolerant though.

These are my main set ups. I have others but they don't get used much.

What do you use and why?

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JimB
Bug Whisperer

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I got some grasshopper shoots and a green little bug dont know the name. Great shoot jim with big dof! here is mine: gear e-510 plus sigma 105. I tried with the 70-300mm and raynox + fl36 but it was way to shallow dof for it too work with.











 
Honestly, at times a hot light would make focusing so much easier. The 35 mm/ EC 20 focuses at f 7 and in dimmer situations is a pita to use.
I'll be watching to see how it goes if you do get one.
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JimB
Bug Whisperer

Member of the Colorado Olympus Group

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Little doubt about my star of my week. Purple Emperor, I had only ever managed one not very good shot before. These are the crème de la creme for British Butterfly watchers. That iridescent blue only shows up at some angles. Also a DIF, an Emperor.

All E-520 and 70-300











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Oly e-fivetwenty, seventy-threehundred, eFZed50, Oly TeeCON17, RaynoxDCR150 DCR250
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I wish that when I had tried a Sigma 150, that it could have been a sharp copy. Then again it may have been but I am addicted to the 50 and 35mm.

I have seen wonderful results from the 70-300 with a Raynox, someday may even give that a try.

Thanks for posting
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JimB
Bug Whisperer

Member of the Colorado Olympus Group

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Nice shots but please do a tutorial on the in flight stuff. :)

Thanks for sharing
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JimB
Bug Whisperer

Member of the Colorado Olympus Group

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the 50 is just amazing lens but then again to get really macro you need the 25mm extention but its a bit expensiv right now but i will sure get one someday. one quetion thought how would it be if i have the extention tube on the sigma 105what magnification will i get ?
 
Bootstrap said:
I posted this link in another thread and thought it might be useful here.
http://www.backdropoutlet.com/LED-RING-LIGHT/productinfo/SC48/
Click to expand...
"Color Temp: 5500+ - 6500K"

I was going to ask how "full spectrum" or not these LED lights are as that might introduce a color cast, but I guess that answers the question. I would hope though that they mean "between 5500 and 6500" and not "+ -". What does -1000K light look like? :-)

I'm guessing the temp isn't tightly controlled at that price point, and rather than being able to select between 5500-6500, they're just saying the one you get will be somewhere in that range?

Regardless, it's a lot more budget friendly than the twin-flash. :-)

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E-Five-Ten/E-One/E-Three-Hundred/E-Ten/C-Twenty-OneHundred-UZ/E-OneHundred-RS
DZ Eleven-TwentyTwo/DZ Fourteen-FiftyFour/DZ Fifty-TwoHundred
EC-Fourteen/FL-Fifty/FL-Forty
Oldma-cdon-aldh-adaf-arm-EI-EI-O
 
I usually use the EC 20 on the 50mm to get 1-1 macro as it doesn't affect the limited working distance. Trying to use the EX 25 causes the 50mm to have the same working distance as the 35mm at 1-1, so there no big benefit to me.

It's been a while since I tried the Sigma 150 but if I remember right, the EX 25 didn't make a huge difference. I think it is like the 70-300 where at the highest magnification, it is already on a good deal of extension from the sensor.
The 50-200 OTOH does not extend itself so the EX 25 has a bigger effect.

What the exact measurement is, I am not sure but I think the EX 25 takes the 70-300 from .5 to .67,

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JimB
Bug Whisperer

Member of the Colorado Olympus Group

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Hi, this is my first etries to this thread. It has been interesting to look at pictures and read about your macro-setup and gear. I use my E3 and try different lenses, no flash used (dont' have a ring flash) and have no ex. I am quite happy with these

These two are taken with the 12-60, a bit cropped though, but I know I have a lot to learn. Practise, practise, that's it for me. I've tried very hard to get pictures av flying bees, think I got a handful (at most) shots which are quite sharp out of a 1000 (at least!).

1/200s f/6.3 at 60.0mm iso400



 
Has anyone tried the twin flash bracket?

The stores near me have not got one in for me to see but when they released it I thought it would make a quick cheaper twin flash if you had the flashes already to use it.

I htought of again this week when I thought I found cheap FL 20's but then realized I would have to make a flash cord splitter as the bracket is set up for wireless use.

I may have to head down to the work shop and twist up some pieces of metal, maybe I can fashion one on my own.
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JimB
Bug Whisperer

Member of the Colorado Olympus Group

[email protected]
 
Now that we know the addiction has you, we know we will see more of you. :)

Nice first post , you seem to be doing fine. Learning is something we all do forever as there is always another piece of gear or technique to try. In macro it just never ends. :)

Thanks for sharing

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JimB
Bug Whisperer

Member of the Colorado Olympus Group

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A couple from the 620 with 70-300 followed by a few from EPL1 with zd50/2 that I had posted the other day in the m43 forum. All shots are handheld. I hope you don't mind. The 70-300 sure gives a nice working distance.
Dragonfly



Dragonfly (slightly cropped)



The following are from the epl1 with zd50/2 with some cropping. I find that I have to really get up close to get the shots with the 50, compared to the reach of the 70-300. Skittish bugs will usually flee before I can get the shot with the 50, but sometimes you get lucky!



Butterfly feeding



Two Damselflys





Cheers all!
LdH
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