[Doundounba]

Been using an M 28-50mm F/3.5-4.5 zoom reversed on extension tubes to shoot snowflake macros this week. On Sunday, the snow was melting, so the results weren't that great, but this morning it was nice and cold (-7C) without much wind, so things were much better!

All shots previously posted to the K-3 sample shots thread. Apologies if you've already seen them.

[Jorgario]

Apologies if you've already seen them.

Those are incredible nice pictures to see, even if seen before at the K-3 thread !! Congratulations !

[paulh]

Taken last November with the M75-150/4

[niceshot]

Sweet , nice shot

[Jorgario]

Taken last November with the M75-150/4

Very nice picture and your girls are posing sweetly for you !! Congratulations !!

[Piotrek K]

[niceshot]

nice pic but the white balance is blue

[Piotrek K]

nice pic but the white balance is blue

Thank you. This was made before sunrise and matches more or less the reality.

[Doundounba]

Those are incredible nice pictures to see, even if seen before at the K-3 thread !! Congratulations !

Thank you! I've got two more coming in the pipeline soon...

[Jorgario]

K-3 with M 35 / 2:

[rjm007]

I've had situations where colour contrast is amazing, then I get shots where the colours just look a bit flat. In this case the snowflakes popped a bit more against the red paint, but I'm wondering if I should look into a polarizer and see if it'll help some situations (I do have a bit of haze on one of the elements).

Of course it could also just be the older M coatings, I know my M50 has slightly lower contrast in some situations vs. my newer DA lenses but they're definitely fun in their own ways!

I spent the late 70's and early 80's with nothing but M series lenses and a polariser. Recently re-bought one as I'm not convinced I can always "do it in PP". Certainly can't filter out reflections the same way a polariser and it's not just windows that reflect light...

---------- Post added 02-12-16 at 10:23 AM ----------

Been using an M 28-50mm F/3.5-4.5 zoom reversed on extension tubes to shoot snowflake macros this week. On Sunday, the snow was melting, so the results weren't that great, but this morning it was nice and cold (-7C) without much wind, so things were much better!

All shots previously posted to the K-3 sample shots thread. Apologies if you've already seen them.
r

Lovely shots - can't help thinking they'd be a great project for focus stacking too

[niceshot]

looks good any how

Thank you. This was made before sunrise and matches more or less the reality.

[Doundounba]

Lovely shots - can't help thinking they'd be a great project for focus stacking too

Thanks! Yes, I stack when possible. Of the shots above, the third is a two-shot stack, and the fourth is a three-shot stack. Flakes evolve reasonably quickly - even when it's cold and they're not melting they tend to sublimate and degrade fairly quickly. Partially for that reason, but also for other reasons, I've so far abstained from setting up a rig and have been shooting strictly handheld. Even finding a flake, then focusing handheld north of 3:1 with a pre-closed aperture on a reversed lens is a very significant challenge. Getting decent framing is also very difficult. A hard surface to lean on near the flake is a must, IMHO. Then there's the issue that even a very slight change in the angle of the light can cause huge differences in how the flakes react to the light from the flash...

Anyhow, here's another one. Still, reversed Pentax-M 28-50mm F/3.5-4.5 on 42mm of extension. This one's a two-shot stack.

[r0ckstarr]

Thanks! Yes,

Your shots are awesome, and the reversed lens technique, as well as focus stacking is something I have never tried, but I am curious. Were these shot in Digitalis's beard?

[pepperberry farm]