Centipede (Sharper pics added)

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lauriek
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Centipede (Sharper pics added)

Post by lauriek »

My latest stack is of a centipede. I've no idea what sort or even how many species there are here.

I've been meaning to catch one for a while but they've proved tricky to get into the collecting pots! This one invaded my kitchen and it was easyish to get it in the pot from the wall!

Image

Stack of 50 images shot with reversed OM50/1.8 at f5.6. Aligned and stacked in CZP.
Last edited by lauriek on Thu Sep 25, 2008 1:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

Interesting critter, but this image strikes me as quite soft compared with your usual tack-sharp stuff. What's the story?

--Rik

lauriek
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Post by lauriek »

That's a good question. I thought it looked a bit soft as well but wasn't sure if it was my eyes, so I posted it!

I've been mostly shooting with the Nikon 10x lately, and this was with the old OM50, perhaps it needs a clean? I was shooting with flash at 1/160th second, and ISO100, 3 second mirror lock up - so I don't think any important in camera settings were wrong. I'll double check the camera setup when I get home and maybe run another stack on this critter!

I was using quite a bit of diffusion as it's a shiny beast, I don't suppose too much diffusion caused the flash time output to be long enough for vibration issues to come up?!

lauriek
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Post by lauriek »

Another possibility just occured to me, I could have shot this at f1.8 if I forgot to flip the little switch which stops the lens down on the front of the bellows. I've got out of the habit of checking that when using the Nikon objectives as the switch doesn't do anything with those. I know this lens is very soft when shot wide open...

Harold Gough
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Post by Harold Gough »

A very dreamy portrait! :)

Harold
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rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

I like the f/1.8 theory. Forgetting to reverse the OM would be bad too.

Dirty lens will cut contrast, but normally doesn't affect resolution enough to matter.

Vibration is possible, but even if your flash is being forced to full output it's probably no more than a couple of milliseconds. At that speed I would not expect circular vibration, only linear sweeping, and I'm not seeing that in your image. Check the shape of point highlights at actual pixels to be sure. Oh, and be sure your flash didn't get put into FP mode, if it has that.

On an unrelated subject, this background doesn't work for me. Being so close in color to the subject, and both of them being brown, gives me the perception that the color balance is way off. For me it would work better with a more neutral or contrasting color for the background.

--Rik

Harold Gough
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Re: Centipede

Post by Harold Gough »

lauriek wrote:My latest stack is of a centipede. I've no idea what sort or even how many species there are here.
I think, although not my area of expertise, I can confirm that there is only one species. Or were you referring to your locality? :D

Harold
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lauriek
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Post by lauriek »

Harold, I meant in the UK, not my kitchen! :D

So far I've no books on the non insect arthropods at all..

Rik, the flash doesn't have an FP mode, and I only ever mount that lens reversed. I'm tending towards the f1.8 theory, I'll be able to check in an hour or so! The WB is definitely correct but I do see what you mean about the background, I'll be running another test on this bug tonight so I'll try a different bg colour!

Harold Gough
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Post by Harold Gough »

Laurie,

I couldn't resist. I needed to cheer myself up, having an absolute stinker of a cold.

Some species are covered in the Collins Complete British Wildlife Photoguide ISBN 0-00-220071-6, the first book I pick up to identify a species. There is a better treatment in the Reader's Digest "What is That? The complete guide to Britain's wildlife, plants and flowers" ISBN 978-0-276-44342-8. That is expensive but there is similar coverage in the Reader's Digest Nature Lover's Library Field Guide to the Butterflies and other insects of Britain ISBN 0-276-36007-9. I bought his last one for pennies, secondhand, from Amazon.com a few weeks ago.

Harold
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lauriek
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Post by lauriek »

Harold, get well soon! I might actually have that Collins wildlife book you mention, I'll have a look..

Yep that was the problem! If you shoot at f1.8 with an OM50/1.8, it's too soft. I've just run another couple of stacks at f5.6 with the lens actually stopped down. Will post back here in a bit when I've processed the images...

I should just admit at this point, when I first got the OM bellows I didn't have any instructions and I didn't notice that knob. It took me a couple of weeks of frustration before I worked out what the heck was going on! ;)

lauriek
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Post by lauriek »

Yes the OM 50/1.8 is definitely a lot sharper at f5.6 than f1.8!

Image

Image

Both shot with reversed OM 50/1.8 definitely at f5.6 this time! OM bellows at full extension for (2), about 1/2 extension for (1). Stacks of 38 and 33 images. Aligned and stacked in CZP.

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Post by rjlittlefield »

These are up to your usual standards. Nicely done!

--Rik

Harold Gough
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Post by Harold Gough »

A transformation!

Thanks for your good wishes.

Harold
My images are a medium for sharing some of my experiences: they are not me.

acerola
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Post by acerola »

Nice contrasting colors. The second one is much better. It is very good in fact.
Péter

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Post by beetleman »

Excellent details right down to the hairs and the background works much better IMO.
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