Getting our hives ready yesterday for the fruit tree bloom and had been waiting for the opportunity to use the K20 to get a picture of an egg. Had a shot of one I had taken with the Program Plus last year, but just couldn't scan it and get the quality I wanted to post it here. For that particular shot I used bellows and the Super Takumar and got a blue ribbon for our bee assoc. at the state fair. Just used the Super Takumar and an extension for this one, then cropped it a couple of times so you could see the difference.
Found the egg in some burr comb between the frames. It's approx. 1.5-2.0mm in size. They're only in egg form for three days then hatch into tiny larvae. After I'd pulled the excess comb out and saw the egg, I sat it on an old block of wood and set up the tripod.
A 90mm or a 105mm macro is definitely on the wish list.

Arvin

K20D and Super Macro Takumar 50mm f4 w/ext., ISO 400, 1/60, f/16 in full sun, w/some Auto PP In Elements 6

[xs400]

Excellent series. Very sharp. Nice work.

[gawan]

Great shots, I like the contrast between the egg and its surroundings.

Wow, those 50mm F4 macros are really sharp.. Nice shots and crops... I have a SMC M50 F4 macro, that I am gonna pull out of the closet to play with. I have not used it much since I got my vivitar 105....

I had never seen a bee egg so I appreciate your post... I was gonna post some Lady bug egg pics later if I can get a good one. But, the bee egg is very cool.

The 100-105's will get you some extra focusing distance, I dont know if they will bee any sharper! pun intended... I shot this fly yesterday and the 105 gets you about 5 inches at its closest focus distance. That is right on the edge for a lot of bugs, meaning some scadadle when that big black thing gets too close...

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/post-your-photos/25419-look-colors-guy-bug-alert.html

Thanks again

[daacon]

Sweet bugger boo so now I assume the K30D will allow celluar captures That is is one crisp , sharp looking bee egg!

[k100d]

interesting photo!
good to see a fellow 50mm F4 macro users, what a sharp lens, it's one of the better kept Pentax secrets

[acbees]

Thanks all.

Gus, checked out your fly shot, fantastic! Looking forward to seeing those shots of ladybug eggs! Maybe it's "in the eye of the beholder"or "grass is always greener through someone else's lens", but the shots I've seen through your's and other's 105s seem much crisper and brighter. Could also have something to do with the photographer. Don't really need it for the bees, but I could see where a little increase in distance from some subjects would be an advantage as long as I wouldn't lose much in DOF.

Anyway, thanks much again to everybody for the favorable replies.

Arvin

[weatherwise2]

Very nice and rare picture. It almost looks like it glows in this setting. I hope the hive is healthy this year after all the problems with the "mystery bee disease" in the last few we have heard about on the news. We need those little buggers!

[mwcfire]

Stunning!!!!

Thank you for putting the specs above the image. That is a big help for someone like me learning.

[maxwell1295]

Wow! Those are some fantastic shots! I know of a shop that has had a 50mm Super Macro Tak sitting there for months, but I never felt the need to grab it. After seeing these pics, I feel the need! The M42 adapter fits my PKA extention tubes perfectly.

[KrisK10D]

WOW! That's a cool shot. Never seen a bee egg before. Thanks for the lesson

[SCGushue]

Arvin,

This is a really wonderful series of images and quite nicely executed if you don't mind my saying. I just love scientific application of macro lenses in photography.

Now burr comb is okay, but I would have been even more impressed if you told me that was bacon and egg(s). As you know... everything is better with bacon.

Impressive series.

Stephen

[acbees]

Sure appreciate all the compliments on this lens! You've all given me a little more confidence in it's ability.
I realized this morning that in the film shot with the bellows and the second shot with the K20 (the first crop) the egg came out nearly identical in size. My first thought was how great it is to be able to get that kind of shot without going to the trouble of setting up the bellows. But, then that made me wonder just what the first and second crop would look like if I'd used the bellows with the K20 to start with!? Guess I know what I'll be doing next chance I get!
Arvin

[Techiechick]

WOW great captures...that camera is on the top of my wish list, as soon as the body price comes down a little.

[TourDeForce]

Bees?? I'd have taken that picture with my Tamron 70=300 at full length on a tripod with a remote shutter release.