Please help with choosing a macro setup

Just bought that first macro lens? Post here to get helpful feedback and answers to any questions you might have.

Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau

AIMP
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun May 29, 2016 5:33 am

Please help with choosing a macro setup

Post by AIMP »

Hello, everyone. First of, let me say how much i appreciate the work you put in in providing excellent information for everyone in this forum. I've just recently discovered it and spent at least 50 hours reading everything throughout last week.

I would like to ask for some help choosing the right pieces for my macro photographing setup. I am starting from zero. The setup will be used exclusively for photographing amber inclusions in a studio. Amber inclusions are mostly the size of 2-7 mm inside thin pieces of amber, 0.5-1.5 mm underneath the layer of amber. As i learned in this forum, amber has the refractive index of around 1.54, therefore i would like to be using Glycerin (RI 1.47) to take me deeper into the amber for better quality photos.

The setup will be stationary, indoors, connected to computer software at all times. The setup needs to be merchantable (available to buy and sell as used fairly fast, without loosing too much money), provide 8-9/10 quality pictures (for web quality photos) and most importantly very fast and easy to use, preferably one lens (some cropping is fine for smaller inclusions, as web images don't require highest quality standards).

The setup i'm thinking of going with:
1. Canon EOS 750D (is this good enough choice for ASP-C camera for it's quality/price or should i go after a better one?)
2. Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x (how will it work with glycerin coated amber?).
3. Canon Macro Twin Lite MT-24EX (very merchantable, but is it optimal for using in studio?)
4. Wemacro rail (cheap new focus stacking automatics, that seems ok, but i can't find any reviews)
5. Specimen holder if using the setup horizontally. I'm not sure about this one, as amber pieces can differ from around 1 to at least 10cm in length. I'm thinking of sticking the pieces into plasticine, that is sticked on 4 way rail. Vertical choice might be better but it seems so difficult.

So this is what i'm considering at the moment. Please, give all critique and suggestions regarding anything about this subject and setup.

Thanks!

Pau
Site Admin
Posts: 6053
Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2010 8:57 am
Location: Valencia, Spain

Post by Pau »

Hi AIMP, welcome aboard!

I can comment some points, not to give a definitive answer
- If you plan to immerse the amber piece in glycerine or oil to have a flat surface and put a cover glass over it a vertical setup would be much more workable.
- A Canon 600D has a more adequate sensor for a lower price
- For studio work you don't need macro flashes. Is much easier to shot with continuous light. Cheap Ikea LED lamps are very popular here for this kind of work.
- There are less expensive alternatives to the MP-E: low power microscope objectives and old bellows dedicated macro lenses will do
Pau

AIMP
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun May 29, 2016 5:33 am

Post by AIMP »

Pau, thanks for your reply!

1. I have thought about it and i completely agree. Horizontal setup just isn't worth the hassle, even as cheap as it is. There's a vertical setup made that i really like - it's called Vertical MacroRail Pro. I've been told by the staff that it's made of best quality materials and should serve for a lifetime. Both the rail and the software to control it look really really well made. However, it costs more than 5 times what the chinese Macrorail does. I can't find any reviews of Vertical MacroRail Pro as well. Pau, maybe you're familiar with it, as it's being made in Spain. Maybe any suggestions for cheaper vertical automatic alternatives that are comfortable to use?

2. Would you agree that either of: EOS 700D, EOS 650D and EOS 600D are pretty much the same and should all serve well in my case? And should i avoid the new EOS 750D because of seemingly faulty sensor?

3. I won't buy a flash. I'll use LED lights from above as you suggested. I also think i might need illumination lighting from down under, something similar like this. Could you suggest something for nice price/quality?

4. Using glycerin. I don't have much knowledge about this, just a little bit of theory that i've read online. But what i'm thinking of doing is buying some petri dishes, putting the amber piece in the middle of it, then putting a round cover glass on it, and filling the dish with glycerin. Would these pieces work? What should i use to fill the dish with to avoid any bubbles?

Thanks!

JH
Posts: 1307
Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2013 9:46 am
Location: Vallentuna, Stockholm, Sweden
Contact:

Post by JH »

Hi AIMP

PAU’s advice above is very good.

Some comments from my little experience:

Glycerol
For my amber in glycerol pictures I use a water dipping microscope objective Nikon 160/- 4X NA 0.13 W
If you use a relatively low NA lens and have well-polished amber it will probably work without any glycerol. Even better if the insect is very close to the surface and the amber surface is almost flat.

Stacking rig
If you buy a stacking rig, be sure that it can be controlled from a stacking program. I only have experience with Zerene Stacker and Cognisys stackshot, I use their rail for my copy stand and their stepper motor for my microscope.

White Balance
I only have experience with Canon 6D and 5D II cameras. Use RAW, the WB possibilities are much better in RAW than in JPEG. The 5D II have the possibility to WB a test shot in live view – useful if you want to make “neutral” flash amber pictures in the camera.

Batteries
Using live view, experimenting with light and diffusers to get the best picture tend to deplete the camera battery. Replace the camera battery with an AC adapter.

Continuous light or Flash
It is easier to confirm that you have the right light with continuous light. With continuous light there will not be any variations in the light from picture to picture. If you have vibrations it is more or less necessary to use flash.

Regards Jörgen

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