Po' man's Macro...INSECT content

Po' man's Macro...INSECT content · 10:40 PM

One of these days I will purchase a proper Macro lens for this stuff, but in the meantime, I flipped my SMC Pentax-M 50mm f/1.7 around using my $13 reverse ring, and got some surprising captures. I hope you like these.
I didn't even need Benadryl this time.

#1 Ladybug

This is a well fed Ladybug, note the aphid buffet (lower right).

#2 Ladybug

The silver green foliage here is Artemesia (mugwort).

#3 Bee on Lavender

#4 Fly

#5 Tiny Buds

Some bokeh from the M 50mm

#6 Spider

(Note to self: NEVER EVER walk barefoot through that bush again)

X Man · 04-28-2009, 10:56 PM

Flipping the 50 works great, huh? Nice shots! Stick a 2 or 3x teleconverter between the ring and the 50 and you can get really close!

Regards,
Mike

Damn Brit · 04-28-2009, 11:36 PM

NIce work Mike, reversed lenses aren't the easiest to focus. You even got some aphids in the first shot.

mikeSF · 04-28-2009, 11:49 PM

Originally posted by Damn Brit

NIce work Mike, reversed lenses aren't the easiest to focus. You even got some aphids in the first shot.

thanks Gary, and yeah, focusing is somewhat primitive - i lean forward or backward holding the camera to get an object in focus...not ideal.

as for the aphids, apparently we got plenty o' those everywhere, which is why i won't photograph the rose bushes until i get them under control.

Last edited by Damn Brit; 04-28-2009 at 11:57 PM.

Damn Brit · 04-28-2009, 11:58 PM

Originally posted by mikeSF

thanks Gary, and yeah, focusing is somewhat primitive - i lean forward or backward holding the camera to get an object in focus...not ideal.

as for the aphids, apparently we got plenty o' those everywhere, which is why i won't photograph the rose bushes until i get them under control.

Just hose them off. The ladybugs will eat some of them and the soldier beetles have just turned up, they really munch through them. Soldier beetles are about half an inch long with dark orange bodies and greyish brown wings. Don't use pesticides, that only makes things worse in the long run, you'll kill the good guys as well and there are always less of them than there are pests.

roentarre · 04-29-2009, 12:00 AM

You really did a great job with such beautiful macro using this set up!

Really impressed!

ftpaddict · 04-29-2009, 12:35 AM

Ooh, reverse ring. That turned out to be a good idea. Must try this for myself when I get the chance.

mikeSF · 04-29-2009, 01:10 AM

Originally posted by X Man

Flipping the 50 works great, huh? Nice shots! Stick a 2 or 3x teleconverter between the ring and the 50 and you can get really close!
Regards,
Mike

i had no idea. great tip - i will look for a TC soon and try this. thx.

Originally posted by Damn Brit

Just hose them off. The ladybugs will eat some of them and the soldier beetles have just turned up, they really munch through them. Soldier beetles are about half an inch long with dark orange bodies and greyish brown wings. Don't use pesticides, that only makes things worse in the long run, you'll kill the good guys as well and there are always less of them than there are pests.

hmm, great suggestion. i will commence hosing protocol in the am. thanks. oh, and these soldier beetles, are they photogenic at all?

Originally posted by roentarre

You really did a great job with such beautiful macro using this set up!
Really impressed!

Roentarre, thank you. The M 50mm is definitely one of my favorite lenses and it is a nice treat getting to use it for macro too.

Originally posted by ftpaddict

Ooh, reverse ring. That turned out to be a good idea. Must try this for myself when I get the chance.

technically, you dont need the ring to experiment with this technique; just hold the lens in place and click off a few shots.

the drawback i encountered with the bee and fly is that they were not willing to allow me within 5" of their personal space, which is the approx focusing distance needed. Thus, i extended the camera away from my body and had to eyeball the focusing distance without looking through the viewfinder. This is where a camera with a "live view" would be very handy to check focus. most of the shots i took missed focus or the subject was out of the frame. only 2 or 3 actually worked.

i did end up with a very strange view of the "bum" of a bumblebee...check this one out:

#7 Bum-blebee

ftpaddict · 04-29-2009, 01:56 AM

That's actually a very cute, if slightly amusing, picture.

daacon · 04-29-2009, 05:25 AM

Nice work indeed for a make shift macro indeed. I'll bet that TC suggestion will allow you a little more room so as not to anoy the things that can sting.

trd300gt · 04-29-2009, 09:42 AM

Originally posted by mikeSF

the drawback i encountered with the bee and fly is that they were not willing to allow me within 5" of their personal space, which is the approx focusing distance needed. Thus, i extended the camera away from my body and had to eyeball the focusing distance without looking through the viewfinder. This is where a camera with a "live view" would be very handy to check focus. most of the shots i took missed focus or the subject was out of the frame. only 2 or 3 actually worked.
]

Those insect shots are great. I was wondering how you got so close to that bee and fly. I need to try that

mikeSF · 04-29-2009, 11:53 AM

Originally posted by trd300gt

Those insect shots are great. I was wondering how you got so close to that bee and fly. I need to try that

then there was that time i was trying to shoot some bees with my Cosina 55mm and didnt have a proper lens hood and it was flaring like crazy. I phonied up one using some bright yellow cardstock and scotch tape, which was all i had available and i swear the bees were all over my yellow lens hood...hovering around searching for nectar. i got one nice pic of a bee in flight as a result of that...hasnt happened again ever since i got the black "proper" lens hood...

mikeSF · 04-29-2009, 11:57 AM

Originally posted by ftpaddict

That's actually a very cute, if slightly amusing, picture.

thanks, yeah it looks like he's just sittin' on the bench resting for a bit, haha.
The bumblebees are harder to photograph (than the honeybees) because they see me coming and scramble fast. I snuck up behind this guy and as soon as the shutter clicked, he fled QUICK.
unfortunately this shot was underexposed (too much shade) and my ISO800 introduced quite a bit of noise.

**Heinrich Lohmann** · 04-29-2009, 12:13 PM

Some very nice images here Mike, but watch out once the macro bug bites you......

**Heinrich Lohmann** · 04-29-2009, 12:19 PM

Originally posted by mikeSF

thanks, yeah it looks like he's just sittin' on the bench resting for a bit, haha.
The bumblebees are harder to photograph (than the honeybees) because they see me coming and scramble fast. I snuck up behind this guy and as soon as the shutter clicked, he fled QUICK.
unfortunately this shot was underexposed (too much shade) and my ISO800 introduced quite a bit of noise.

It's almost impossible to sneak up on them, you'll have to become part of the scenery and after a while they'll just ignore you but it does take time.

As for underexposure and high iso noise, I use flash on most of my macros.

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04-28-2009, 10:56 PM	#2
X Man Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Maine Photos: Gallery Posts: 478	Flipping the 50 works great, huh? Nice shots! Stick a 2 or 3x teleconverter between the ring and the 50 and you can get really close! Regards, Mike

04-28-2009, 11:36 PM	#3
Damn Brit Guest	NIce work Mike, reversed lenses aren't the easiest to focus. You even got some aphids in the first shot.

04-28-2009, 11:49 PM	#4
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,620 Original Poster	Originally posted by Damn Brit NIce work Mike, reversed lenses aren't the easiest to focus. You even got some aphids in the first shot. thanks Gary, and yeah, focusing is somewhat primitive - i lean forward or backward holding the camera to get an object in focus...not ideal. as for the aphids, apparently we got plenty o' those everywhere, which is why i won't photograph the rose bushes until i get them under control. Last edited by Damn Brit; 04-28-2009 at 11:57 PM.

04-28-2009, 11:58 PM	#5
Damn Brit Guest	Originally posted by mikeSF thanks Gary, and yeah, focusing is somewhat primitive - i lean forward or backward holding the camera to get an object in focus...not ideal. as for the aphids, apparently we got plenty o' those everywhere, which is why i won't photograph the rose bushes until i get them under control. Just hose them off. The ladybugs will eat some of them and the soldier beetles have just turned up, they really munch through them. Soldier beetles are about half an inch long with dark orange bodies and greyish brown wings. Don't use pesticides, that only makes things worse in the long run, you'll kill the good guys as well and there are always less of them than there are pests.

04-29-2009, 12:00 AM	#6
roentarre Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 11,783	You really did a great job with such beautiful macro using this set up! Really impressed!

04-29-2009, 12:35 AM	#7
ftpaddict Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Yurp Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,666	Ooh, reverse ring. That turned out to be a good idea. Must try this for myself when I get the chance.

04-29-2009, 01:10 AM	#8
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,620 Original Poster	Originally posted by X Man Flipping the 50 works great, huh? Nice shots! Stick a 2 or 3x teleconverter between the ring and the 50 and you can get really close! Regards, Mike i had no idea. great tip - i will look for a TC soon and try this. thx. Originally posted by Damn Brit Just hose them off. The ladybugs will eat some of them and the soldier beetles have just turned up, they really munch through them. Soldier beetles are about half an inch long with dark orange bodies and greyish brown wings. Don't use pesticides, that only makes things worse in the long run, you'll kill the good guys as well and there are always less of them than there are pests. hmm, great suggestion. i will commence hosing protocol in the am. thanks. oh, and these soldier beetles, are they photogenic at all? Originally posted by roentarre You really did a great job with such beautiful macro using this set up! Really impressed! Roentarre, thank you. The M 50mm is definitely one of my favorite lenses and it is a nice treat getting to use it for macro too. Originally posted by ftpaddict Ooh, reverse ring. That turned out to be a good idea. Must try this for myself when I get the chance. technically, you dont need the ring to experiment with this technique; just hold the lens in place and click off a few shots. the drawback i encountered with the bee and fly is that they were not willing to allow me within 5" of their personal space, which is the approx focusing distance needed. Thus, i extended the camera away from my body and had to eyeball the focusing distance without looking through the viewfinder. This is where a camera with a "live view" would be very handy to check focus. most of the shots i took missed focus or the subject was out of the frame. only 2 or 3 actually worked. i did end up with a very strange view of the "bum" of a bumblebee...check this one out: #7 Bum-blebee

04-29-2009, 01:56 AM	#9
ftpaddict Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Yurp Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,666	That's actually a very cute, if slightly amusing, picture.

04-29-2009, 05:25 AM	#10
daacon Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Alberta,Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 20,914	Nice work indeed for a make shift macro indeed. I'll bet that TC suggestion will allow you a little more room so as not to anoy the things that can sting.

04-29-2009, 09:42 AM	#11
trd300gt Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Tustin, CA Posts: 206	Originally posted by mikeSF the drawback i encountered with the bee and fly is that they were not willing to allow me within 5" of their personal space, which is the approx focusing distance needed. Thus, i extended the camera away from my body and had to eyeball the focusing distance without looking through the viewfinder. This is where a camera with a "live view" would be very handy to check focus. most of the shots i took missed focus or the subject was out of the frame. only 2 or 3 actually worked. ] Those insect shots are great. I was wondering how you got so close to that bee and fly. I need to try that

04-29-2009, 11:53 AM	#12
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,620 Original Poster	Originally posted by trd300gt Those insect shots are great. I was wondering how you got so close to that bee and fly. I need to try that then there was that time i was trying to shoot some bees with my Cosina 55mm and didnt have a proper lens hood and it was flaring like crazy. I phonied up one using some bright yellow cardstock and scotch tape, which was all i had available and i swear the bees were all over my yellow lens hood...hovering around searching for nectar. i got one nice pic of a bee in flight as a result of that...hasnt happened again ever since i got the black "proper" lens hood...

04-29-2009, 11:57 AM	#13
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,620 Original Poster	Originally posted by ftpaddict That's actually a very cute, if slightly amusing, picture. thanks, yeah it looks like he's just sittin' on the bench resting for a bit, haha. The bumblebees are harder to photograph (than the honeybees) because they see me coming and scramble fast. I snuck up behind this guy and as soon as the shutter clicked, he fled QUICK. unfortunately this shot was underexposed (too much shade) and my ISO800 introduced quite a bit of noise.

04-29-2009, 12:13 PM	#14
Heinrich Lohmann Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Airdrie, Alberta Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,097	Some very nice images here Mike, but watch out once the macro bug bites you......

04-29-2009, 12:19 PM	#15
Heinrich Lohmann Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Airdrie, Alberta Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,097	Originally posted by mikeSF thanks, yeah it looks like he's just sittin' on the bench resting for a bit, haha. The bumblebees are harder to photograph (than the honeybees) because they see me coming and scramble fast. I snuck up behind this guy and as soon as the shutter clicked, he fled QUICK. unfortunately this shot was underexposed (too much shade) and my ISO800 introduced quite a bit of noise. It's almost impossible to sneak up on them, you'll have to become part of the scenery and after a while they'll just ignore you but it does take time. As for underexposure and high iso noise, I use flash on most of my macros.