Tarcan's picture thread!

[moloch]

Martin,

Your photos are beautiful. What size macro are you using? Also, what is your lighting? Multi flashes? They all are terrific shots.

I agree with Pato. You need to head south where the diversity of inverts is staggering.

Regards,
David

 

[tarcan]

Hello David,

Thank you for the nice comments. I had the chance to go to Soutrh American a few times, would love to go back!

These pictures are not all taken with the same lenses. But my current set up, I mostly use the Canon 100 mm L and the Canon MPE 65mm for the extreme closeups. Last year, I was using the EFs 60 mm macro with extension tubes for higher than 1:1 magnification. I still have that lens that I use mainly for my pictures indoor.

Picture of my gear to show the flash and diffuser.

Martin

 

[Ninth]

so nice pictures:clap:

 

[moloch]

hmmm .... looks like I have lots to learn. I also use a Canon 100mm macro and a 430EX flash but I don't get the same results!

Regards,
David

 

[tarcan]

David,

Do you diffuse your flash? That makes the biggest difference. You do not need a "fancy" one like mine, some do it on their own with some Cola cans and paper towels.

The bracket would not be mandatory with the 100 mm as your working distance works just fine with the flash mounted in the hotshoe.

Pictures 2, 3 and 4 of the last series are focus stacked. At this magnification, you would not get that much DOF (just in case you may wonder about any post processing).

I hope this may help

Martin

PS: Although it makes very difference in the pictures, may I ask what body you are using?

 

[moloch]

Thanks for the info, Martin. I use a 40D body.

When you say focus stacked, I assume that you are overlaying multiple photos each of which was focused differently? Is this done with photoshop? I wondered how you obtained such an amazing DOF.

Also, I do have a diffuser but tend not to use it much. I find that I have to drop back to f-stop to the mid-teens and I end up with a very shallow DOF. You don't have this trouble with your diffuser? Mine also tends to make the colours too saturated.

Regards,
David

 

[Anansis]

Martin, what program are you using for ther focus stacking. I'm trying Helicon since I'm using a Mac.

Ollie

 

[tarcan]

David,

Do you use the liveview on your 40D (I thinkit has it right?) At first, I snobbed this feature, but soon realized that it drmatically enhanced my results in macro. The ability to zoom in live view, compose the frame more easily and get the focus exactly where you want it really changed everything for me.

Yes, you are correct about the focus stacking. You take 2 or more pictures where the focus is done at a different layer and combine them. A bit of work doing it handheld as I never use tripods, but it is worth trying it out. I am still only at my early stages with this.

I do not use photoshop for this, but a dedicated focus staking software. As well to answer Ollie's question, I tried a few and Zerene Stacker is the one I like the most by far. I was not happy with my results in Helicon and also tried CombineZ.

Most of my shots at f11, although, with the MPE, the higher the magnification the wider the lens needs to be to obtain the optimal sharpness. Apparently, at 5:1 you need to be at f5.6, at this mag. that wide, the focus plane is paper thin! I tend to go between f8 and f11 with it and sacrifice a bit of sharpness. I am not good enough to take 5 or 6 shots and stack them. I usually only end up with 2 or 3 that are usable for it.

Do you shoot in raw? Should be easy enough to desaturate your pictures in post processing if you use raw. Also nice since you can change the white balance at will after the picture is taken.

I would start back experimenting with the diffuser. But some indeed give bad results. I had another one before and I was also getting that very saturated look, was not so nice.

I hope this helps

Martin

 

[moloch]

Thanks for the great info, Martin. I only shoot RAW so usually do play around with saturation and white balance.

I also do not use liveview since I considered it a gimmick. From what you say, it looks like I was wrong and that it would be useful.

I don't use a tripod since I am usually take the shots in the field and tripods are often pretty awkward when shooting in-situ pics.

Thanks for the info on Zerene Stacker. I will download it and give it a try.

Regards,
David

 

[zonbonzovi]

Great pix Martin & thanks for your setup explanation! I wish we had a dedicated photo technique thread here on AB.

 

[tarcan]

Thanks all for the nice comments.

Here are a few more shots from the week end

assassin bug eating a mite

a velvet mite, these guys never stop moving, it is a little frustrating

this little fellow

last but not least, a gorgeous tiger beetle, for anyone who ever tried to take pictures of these, I think you will appreciate that I managed to get these!

and a crop of the two above shots for a close up of the head

take care

Martin

 

[Anansis]

Nice pictures Martin. That tiger is ready for POTN. Wish I could get out but it's snowing again here today.

Ollie

 

[tarcan]

Ollie, having some warm weather yet?

Some more from last week

take care

Martin

 

[Anansis]

It's slowly starting to warm up now.

That crane fly is an ugly sucker.

Ollie

 

[Crysta]

How much did your macro lense cost you tarcan? I really want one!

The results are wonderful! Love the little jumping spider, she reminds me of a little girl in a frilly white dress!

 

[tarcan]

How much did your macro lense cost you tarcan? I really want one!

Hello!

Well, I have probably two of the most expenses macro lenses out there so not a very good idea of the general price, but you do not need to pay that much for a good macro. In fact, apparently, you cannot really go wrong with pretty much any dedicated macro lens out there.

You could go for a Tamron 90 mm that goes for about 520$ or so in Canada and you can get the same quality image as with my Canon 100 L that sells for around 1100$ - 1200$

The Canon MPE is a specialized lens that can be hard to use when you have no experience with macro, so I would not recommend starting with that.

Good luck

Martin

 

[Crysta]

thank you for the reply! I will surely look into this!
I also have one of those flash fillers I got for my birthday, but mine is a little different. It fits around the lense and you can adjust the diffuse type on the remote that is attached on the top, much like yours.

 

[tarcan]

thank you for the reply! I will surely look into this!
I also have one of those flash fillers I got for my birthday, but mine is a little different. It fits around the lense and you can adjust the diffuse type on the remote that is attached on the top, much like yours.

if you can and if you have two cameras, post a picture of that diffuser set up as I have a hard time visualizing it.

Martin

 

[Crysta]

if you can and if you have two cameras, post a picture of that diffuser set up as I have a hard time visualizing it.

Martin

Np!
Its called Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX, used in macro shots apparently.
I am very bad at using it though haha.... probably because it feels so clunky to me, and I usually only work with available light, hates flash!! I am sure I will learn to use it properly in the future.
Hm maybe I meant...adjust the brightness/harshness instead of diffuse?....
Anyways you can adjust each side a different level if you want, or adjust the the same level.... theres this thick lil handbook that goes with it that I am too lazy to read... lol

Ah...I feel like I am hijacking your thread...so I will post links.
Apart
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f310/CrystaPerak/IMG_3721.jpg
Together
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f310/CrystaPerak/IMG_3726.jpg
Little menu thing
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f310/CrystaPerak/IMG_3723.jpg
Close up
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f310/CrystaPerak/IMG_3725.jpg
Also here is a link for an on-line review if you are interested. http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=122

 

[tarcan]

ah ok, yes the ring flash, I am very familiar with it, I used to own one, I was confused as you talked about a diffuser.

Thanks for clarifying

Martin