New Camera Setup or not???

[Ozelot]

Hello together,

after a long long break.
I want to start new to field macrophotography + field stack.
Freehand or with tripod....
In the moment I am hold an 5 D Mark II
Canon 100/2,8 USM Macro EF
Canon MPE 65 mm
Novoflex Bellows + 2 Novoflex sleds.

I would like to buy me an SIGMA APO MACRO 180mm F2,8 EX DG OS HSM,
and changing my Camera to 6D Mark 2.

It worth this step in your opinion to change from 5D Mark 2 to the 6D Mark2?

or even stepping from a 6 D Mark 2 to a 5 D Mark IV......?

Thank you for your point of view...

Greetings

Michael

[ray_parkhurst]

Michael...what work have you attempted so far, what were the results, and where did you find your equipment lacking? I am always a proponent of using existing equipment where possible, and only upgrading where a real need or shortfall exists.

Your bellows/sleds/MPE65 of course limit you to manual focusing. The Canon 100mm can allow stacking by lens focus changes, as could the 180mm you're proposing, but I'll let others weigh-in on the limitations of the cameras for this activity.

It may be that instead of new camera and lens, you might consider automation of the stacking process with an automated rail. Or perhaps get a camera that does a really good job at lens focus stacking. Lou Jost and others can give some input here if that's a possibility for you.

In any case, the new 180mm lens, like the old 100mm lens, can't go beyond 1:1 natively. If you want to go beyond 1:1, the MPE65 is a great lens for it, but of course is manual focus. This points the way to an automated rail to do the stacks.

So what are your thoughts?

[lonepal]

Hi Michael;

I think you need to upgrade your DSLR but the optics upgrade is related the magnification range that you plan to work.

Also an automated rail will be very big improvement.

[Ozelot]

Hello Ray,

2010 I begun with Makro,
after 2 years later with Mikrfotografie in my homestudio.
I own an Cognisys Makrorail,
without batteries for outside work.
My idea for the new 180 er Objectiv is an better
escape border. Farer from the motif.
In the past I used the Canon 550 D with my 100 er Macro.
The change from the 550 to 5 D Mark 2 was an practical knowledge.
Full format sensor= without Crop factor.
1:1 was sometimes a little bit small.
Than I used Bellow on my 5D MArk 2 with sled.
Than it was better with the illustration of scale.
I hope 6 mio more Pixel can be give a little better illustration after cutting from the pictures.

[Ozelot]

Hi Michael;

I think you need to upgrade your DSLR but the optics upgrade is related the magnification range that you plan to work.

Also an automated rail will be very big improvement.

Hi Omer,

I am own an Makrorail...Cognisys.....
but I feel me not so free with this outside.
I know that many people make stacking free handed.
It will be exist an Camera how can make Focusbracketing inside in RAW Format?
With Magic Lantern can be that possible for the Mark 2.....

[ray_parkhurst]

Hello Ray,

2010 I begun with Makro,
after 2 years later with Mikrfotografie in my homestudio.
I own an Cognisys Makrorail,
without batteries for outside work.
My idea for the new 180 er Objectiv is an better
escape border. Farer from the motif.
In the past I used the Canon 550 D with my 100 er Macro.
The change from the 550 to 5 D Mark 2 was an practical knowledge.
Full format sensor= without Crop factor.
1:1 was sometimes a little bit small.
Than I used Bellow on my 5D MArk 2 with sled.
Than it was better with the illustration of scale.
I hope 6 mio more Pixel can be give a little better illustration after cutting from the pictures.

Michael...the higher MP camera will give you a bit more "magnification" on crops, and the 180mm will give you more working distance, so both take you toward your stated goals. But keep in mind that increase in magnification goes as the square root of the MP ratio...doubling the number of MP only increases magnification by 41%.

[Ozelot]

Hello Ray,

2010 I begun with Makro,
after 2 years later with Mikrfotografie in my homestudio.
I own an Cognisys Makrorail,
without batteries for outside work.
My idea for the new 180 er Objectiv is an better
escape border. Farer from the motif.
In the past I used the Canon 550 D with my 100 er Macro.
The change from the 550 to 5 D Mark 2 was an practical knowledge.
Full format sensor= without Crop factor.
1:1 was sometimes a little bit small.
Than I used Bellow on my 5D MArk 2 with sled.
Than it was better with the illustration of scale.
I hope 6 mio more Pixel can be give a little better illustration after cutting from the pictures.

Michael...the higher MP camera will give you a bit more "magnification" on crops, and the 180mm will give you more working distance, so both take you toward your stated goals. But keep in mind that increase in magnification goes as the square root of the MP ratio...doubling the number of MP only increases magnification by 41%.

I hope that an newer camera will be give me a little more comfort using
at the camera, too.

[boomblurt]

Hi Ozelot,

It seems to me that your gear is more than sufficient for stacking in the field. The extra pixels (30MP vs 21MP) aren't enough to matter imho and your lenses are good too. The 180mm will give you more working distance but 100mm is quite comfortable also.

Have you considered a good quality screw-lead macro rail (or linear rail with micrometer) instead of Stackshot? For magnification up to 2x or even 3x it might be easier to use, and that's as high as I'm prepared to go outdoors. Anything smaller than that is taken indoors.

[JH]

Hi Ozelot

For non moving subjects, I have done focus bracketing with the program DSLR Controller, a tablett, cable, tripod, Canon 5d II and Canon 100mm macro lens. This is not a quick process but the result after stacking is OK:
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... p?p=219062

Best regards
Jörgen Hellberg