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07-13-2011, 05:09 PM   #16
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Does image stacking come into play with enlargers? thinking DOF issues?
Love that 3rd shot

07-13-2011, 05:13 PM   #17
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QuoteOriginally posted by robbiec Quote
Does image stacking come into play with enlargers? thinking DOF issues?
Love that 3rd shot
I haven't tried either image stacking or HDR with watch macro photos but that would be an interesting experiment for me. Mostly I've had to work at very long exposure times, as you can see from the chrono in the last two photos. Thanks, the 3rd one benefitted from what I had learned in the earlier shots. Using a UV flashlight to get the lume really bright was also another technique I learned over time.

Nonreflective glass like most higher end watches have these days picks up fingerprints like crazy. A really good cloth needs to be on hand, and used each time the watch is touched, is another thing these taught me.
07-13-2011, 05:15 PM   #18
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I should have been more specific when I mentioned the off-camera flash: it enables you to use higher f-stops and / or faster shutter speeds, which gives you more depth-of-field / less motion blur.
07-13-2011, 05:18 PM   #19
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QuoteOriginally posted by fuent104 Quote
I should have been more specific when I mentioned the off-camera flash: it enables you to use higher f-stops and / or faster shutter speeds, which gives you more depth-of-field / less motion blur.
Those are true. With shots of movements the flash may be a real benefit. My experience in shooting the faces of watches has been that flashes cause WAY more trouble then they are worth. Diffuse steady light has been much more useful to me but I am open to suggestions that might improve my use of light in these (and all my) shots.

Oh, BTW, Roamers are your favorite eh? The only people I have known who were Roamer collectors were all in the UK. Seems they never really were popular here in the US. I understand that at boot sales they can be found at really reasonable rates even today.

07-13-2011, 05:19 PM   #20
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Think I have a partial kit list to assemble
Light box, LED lighting, extension tubes, a bellows and one of the 50s macros oh and some black velvet!
Why are all my hobbies so crazily expensive
07-13-2011, 05:25 PM   #21
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QuoteOriginally posted by robbiec Quote
Think I have a partial kit list to assemble
Light box, LED lighting, extension tubes, a bellows and one of the 50s macros oh and some black velvet!
Why are all my hobbies so crazily expensive
The light boxes can be made out of common objects for very little, search online for examples and directions. I bought mine as I didn't want to invest the time in making one but it came with two lamps and an assortment of velvet backdrops and folds neatly into a very narrow carrying case. The 50 can be an M50/2 that can be had for very little, the reverse adapter is like $6 on ebay, and the tubes can be had for around $10 on ebay as well. I lucked out on the bellows (I hope) and found one mislabeled on an auction site with an old throw-away P&S film Pentax which resulted in my minimum bid winning. I'd try the reverse 50 and the extension tubes first. Make sure you have a remote - my non-Pentax Chinese generic one works just fine. My UV flashlight cost me a whopping $2 at a hardware store. It does not have to be expensive, at least in the beginning
07-13-2011, 05:32 PM   #22
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Luckily I have the Pentax remote, a reverse adapter and I've found a 50 f/4 for sensible money. This should have a higher resolution than the f/2, its about time I got a macro anyway. I check out the extension tubes and bellows on the bay.

Again, Thanks everyone for your replies and help, its really appreciated.

07-13-2011, 05:39 PM   #23
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QuoteOriginally posted by robbiec Quote
Luckily I have the Pentax remote, a reverse adapter and I've found a 50 f/4 for sensible money. This should have a higher resolution than the f/2, its about time I got a macro anyway. I check out the extension tubes and bellows on the bay.

Again, Thanks everyone for your replies and help, its really appreciated.
Cool. I just got my 50/f4 Macro and its full of dust so its off to Eric for a good cleaning before I really use it. Sounds like you have a good kit already. I'd look into a light box and see what strikes your fancy. Some of the cheaper ones are actually pretty good for really small stuff like watches. I look forward to seeing what you end up getting and some great shots of those High Jewel Roamer movements!

This is one of my latest involving a watch:

Last edited by Docrwm; 07-13-2011 at 05:45 PM.
07-13-2011, 05:44 PM   #24
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I think I have WBA at the moment, in the last month alone I've picked up 4 44J Roamers, 2 standard Rotos(Power and Date), a Stingray and a Mustang
07-13-2011, 06:01 PM   #25
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Robboie, I agree with Docrwm. This kit should actually be very cheap for you. depending on how much convenience you are looking for.

Here is a link to instructions on how to build a really cheap light box. I built my own using these instructions, and there's a shot in which I used it below. The light box cost me $0, because I cut up a white garbage bag for diffusion, and I happened to have some posterboard lying around. My source of light for the shot of the Mamiya is the off-camera flash, shot through the light box. I didn't use this setup for macro this time, but it is also useful for that purpose.
07-13-2011, 06:07 PM   #26
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Here are those shots.
07-13-2011, 06:08 PM   #27
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I'm trying to upload those again.
07-13-2011, 06:13 PM   #28
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07-13-2011, 07:28 PM   #29
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QuoteOriginally posted by robbiec Quote
Think I have a partial kit list to assemble
Light box, LED lighting, extension tubes, a bellows and one of the 50s macros oh and some black velvet!
Why are all my hobbies so crazily expensive
Macro and off camera flash does not need to be complex or expensive. I use bellows, off camera flash and a makeshift light box.

This is an article on bellows and inexpensive enlarging lenses.

https://sites.google.com/site/inexpensivemacrophotography/

This is an article on a diy light box.

Strobist: How To: DIY $10 Macro Photo Studio
07-13-2011, 07:55 PM   #30
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That is the same article I meant to link to. The pictures above were taken using this box.
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