These guys should know better than to hang around my house when I'm looking for something to photograph.
Nikon D200, reversed 50/2.8 EL Nikkor on bellows, 32 image stack.
One more fly
Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau
- Charles Krebs
- Posts: 5865
- Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:02 pm
- Location: Issaquah, WA USA
- Contact:
- rjlittlefield
- Site Admin
- Posts: 24011
- Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:34 am
- Location: Richland, Washington State, USA
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Ah, what a treat!
I've been so busy lately with teaching that I haven't had time to do any photography. It's reassuring to be reminded that subjects like this are still lurking just around the nearest windowsill. (Come to think of it, I think there are a few still lurking in my refrigerator, in those little plastic boxes just behind the mummified meatloaf! )
This is superb as usual, Charlie. I don't see a single artifact -- not even any bogus hair crossings. Did you have to do any manual touchup on it?
--Rik
I've been so busy lately with teaching that I haven't had time to do any photography. It's reassuring to be reminded that subjects like this are still lurking just around the nearest windowsill. (Come to think of it, I think there are a few still lurking in my refrigerator, in those little plastic boxes just behind the mummified meatloaf! )
This is superb as usual, Charlie. I don't see a single artifact -- not even any bogus hair crossings. Did you have to do any manual touchup on it?
--Rik
- Planapo
- Posts: 1585
- Joined: Tue Nov 07, 2006 2:33 am
- Location: Germany, in the United States of Europe
Oh yeah, eye candy as good as it gets and on a weekend´s morning; I love that!
Looking at this picture I can´t wait to finally use the enlarging lenses for the first time.
Not that I would expect that I could achieve such a result even with the identical equipment! But as Master Charles´ and Master Rik´s humble apprentice I will decapitate some ping-pong balls and try to do my very best, I promise.
--Betty
Looking at this picture I can´t wait to finally use the enlarging lenses for the first time.
Not that I would expect that I could achieve such a result even with the identical equipment! But as Master Charles´ and Master Rik´s humble apprentice I will decapitate some ping-pong balls and try to do my very best, I promise.
--Betty
- Charles Krebs
- Posts: 5865
- Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:02 pm
- Location: Issaquah, WA USA
- Contact:
Thanks all for the nice remarks!
Nikola...
I am very partial to the focus rail discussed (and pictured) in this post. Novoflex also made a smaller one that I used for many years that was nice as well. You can see its current incarnation as eBay item 320169417695. These tend to show up "used" more often (the older ones had metal knobs instead of those spiffy new blue ones). While focus rails are great with macro lenses on a tripod, most are barely adequate for this type of shot. While this is not an "extreme" magnification, it did require 32 images in the stack. The problem is trying to move the rail in small enough increments. Most are not geared to conveniently "step" in such fine intervals. (An exception might be the "lead screw" rail offered by Really Right Stuff. But is is very expensive, and the movement may be too fine for more general, modest magnification work. I have no experience with it, but use other RRS products and they are of very high quality). Rik has pioneered the use of machine milling tables to move things in fine increments. My set-up relies on a scavenged microscope focus block.
Betty...
Since I frequently recommend these enlarging lenses as excellent and relatively inexpensive optics for this type of thing, I figure I should actually use one at times and post a result!
Rik...
Surprisingly little "clean-up" was needed. I shot it at a marked f5.6, a little more stopped down than usual. It seems to me that I get better stacking results (with hair crossings) when I am stopped down as much as possible without hurting resolution too much. But this is just a "sense", I really should do some testing to see if it is true.
I know all too well about the jars behind the meatloaf! It's not uncommon for my wife to be getting something out of the refrigerator and ask :
"DO YOU STILL WANT THIS... (insert name of various creatures, depending on season)......."
Nikola...
I am very partial to the focus rail discussed (and pictured) in this post. Novoflex also made a smaller one that I used for many years that was nice as well. You can see its current incarnation as eBay item 320169417695. These tend to show up "used" more often (the older ones had metal knobs instead of those spiffy new blue ones). While focus rails are great with macro lenses on a tripod, most are barely adequate for this type of shot. While this is not an "extreme" magnification, it did require 32 images in the stack. The problem is trying to move the rail in small enough increments. Most are not geared to conveniently "step" in such fine intervals. (An exception might be the "lead screw" rail offered by Really Right Stuff. But is is very expensive, and the movement may be too fine for more general, modest magnification work. I have no experience with it, but use other RRS products and they are of very high quality). Rik has pioneered the use of machine milling tables to move things in fine increments. My set-up relies on a scavenged microscope focus block.
Betty...
Since I frequently recommend these enlarging lenses as excellent and relatively inexpensive optics for this type of thing, I figure I should actually use one at times and post a result!
Rik...
Surprisingly little "clean-up" was needed. I shot it at a marked f5.6, a little more stopped down than usual. It seems to me that I get better stacking results (with hair crossings) when I am stopped down as much as possible without hurting resolution too much. But this is just a "sense", I really should do some testing to see if it is true.
I know all too well about the jars behind the meatloaf! It's not uncommon for my wife to be getting something out of the refrigerator and ask :
"DO YOU STILL WANT THIS... (insert name of various creatures, depending on season)......."