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05-07-2013, 08:44 PM - 1 Like   #16
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QuoteOriginally posted by minahasa Quote
I understand that tripod is essensial for macros, but from experience with insecs, I have only 2-3 seconds to shot before it's gone, then I have to chase around, again and again on rugged terrain, so I think tripods will slow me, or even endanger me. I rarely shoot under 1/100, mostly at 1/160 -thanks to our Pentax' slow flash sync ..if I could do more than 1/160 I'll be more than happy, but that would mean getting a HSS flash?



I have interest in your setups, I must say, since I almost have all of it. The reason I'm into ring flash is that I imagine that the light will be more even, less shadow. With your 'one directional' setup, how do you manage to get rid of the shadow? I have tried pringles can as a diffuser, it helped, but I still get shadow under.


Added for reference:
These are the kinds of macros I'm doing. I'm into <1:1 macros and yearning to get closer and closer.

Raynox 250 with Sigma 18-200


Raynox 250 + SMC M 100mm f/2.8 + ExTubes


All images uncropped.

This is a few shots with the flash on the hot shoe with a large soft box









05-07-2013, 09:01 PM   #17
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QuoteOriginally posted by hangman43 Quote
This is a few shots with the flash on the hot shoe with a large soft box







Hard to argue with those results.
05-07-2013, 09:24 PM   #18
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QuoteOriginally posted by hangman43 Quote
Actually you want some shadow or the subject looks flat here are a few examples taken with my set up all my macro is handheld never used a tripod for my macro takes to long to set up and bugs usually are not that patient

105mm 1:1 with 65mm tubes approximately 2.5:1 subject 3mm long















If you look way back at some of my Flickr stuff you can see how my set up has progressed over the years a lot of my stuff has been homemade and cheap because I do not have the money to buy the fancy gear. Tomorrow if the weather is nice will break out the ring flash and post some comparisons shot for you.
Amazing images! Yes, I would like to have some shadow under the bugs, as it is indeed dramatic, but I thought I need to have more light on the chest/belly part of the bugs though, because I feel I'm loosing sharpness there without enough light especially when shooting at the same level a bit under the bugs.

QuoteOriginally posted by hangman43 Quote
This is a few shots with the flash on the hot shoe with a large soft box







Awesome! Thanks for sharing.
05-07-2013, 09:46 PM   #19
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QuoteOriginally posted by minahasa Quote
Amazing images! Yes, I would like to have some shadow under the bugs, as it is indeed dramatic, but I thought I need to have more light on the chest/belly part of the bugs though, because I feel I'm loosing sharpness there without enough light especially when shooting at the same level a bit under the bugs.

I have figured out through much trial and error that the quality of the light is one of the most important aspects in getting detail in macro photography it is all in the direction the light is coming from and the softness of the light here is the setup I used for the shots with the flash on the hotshoe if the flash is angled right you will get plenty of light under the bug also.


Here is one of my favorite with this set up.


The set up with the flash off to the side is giving me light from the side and under as in the last shot of the first set of pictures the belly is lit with good detail

05-07-2013, 09:50 PM   #20
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One other thing about getting the flash of the camera and closer to the end of the lens is the fact I can turn the power down on my flash and still use 1/180 second at up to F/22 I shoot most at F/18 at 1/180th and the YN560 at 1/2 power and sometimes 1/4 power with my ISO at 200
05-07-2013, 09:53 PM   #21
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Ringflash can cause some interesting Highlights in the eyes of insects. Some people like it others hate it.

05-08-2013, 04:41 AM   #22
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QuoteOriginally posted by minahasa Quote
I rarely shoot under 1/100, mostly at 1/160 -thanks to our Pentax' slow flash sync ..if I could do more than 1/160 I'll be more than happy, but that would mean getting a HSS flash?
You can sync without HSS at up to 1/180 .... Your camera is set to 1/3 stops. If you go into your menu and switch to 1/2 stops, you will get 1/180.

FYI- High Shutter Speed (HSS) flash is sort of misleading. It is actually the flash strobed rapidly as the shutter slit passes over the sensor, so the flash only puts out a fraction of its power with each strobe. It still takes 1/180 for the moving slit to cross over the entire sensor. It however might be a difference that makes no difference when doing bug macros. The subject isn't moving during the 1/180, and at macro range, you usually have to reduce the power of the flash anyhow.

05-14-2013, 03:42 AM   #23
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QuoteOriginally posted by Digitalis Quote
Ringflash can cause some interesting Highlights in the eyes of insects. Some people like it others hate it.
What's the other light above the ring to the right?

Do you use any sort of diffuser on the AF160FC flash at all?
05-14-2013, 06:23 AM   #24
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QuoteOriginally posted by Mike L Quote
What's the other light above the ring to the right?
That was a 40 inch softbox placed a foot away from the subject, there also was a AF360FGZ with a 1/8 grid attached and placed behind the subject for a rimlight.

QuoteOriginally posted by Mike L Quote
Do you use any sort of diffuser on the AF160FC flash at all?
The Pentax AF160FC already has a built in diffuser over the flash tubes - and the light from the ringflash it is very soft, so there is little point in adding one.
05-14-2013, 07:06 AM   #25
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Best bet ... brackets and external flashes with diffusers - as posted on previous page.

I tried a couple of macro ring flashes and was never happy with the results.
The light is just not strong enough especially if you are trying to work at smaller apertures.
05-14-2013, 07:06 AM   #26
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QuoteOriginally posted by JimJohnson Quote
You can sync without HSS at up to 1/180 .... Your camera is set to 1/3 stops. If you go into your menu and switch to 1/2 stops, you will get 1/180.
You can also use the X sync mode, the camera is set at 1/180 by default, you set aperture and ISO.
05-14-2013, 07:26 AM   #27
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QuoteOriginally posted by bdery Quote
You can also use the X sync mode, the camera is set at 1/180 by default, you set aperture and ISO.
That is what I use mainly to keep me from accidentally hitting the control wheel and bumping the shutter speed above sync
05-14-2013, 06:14 PM   #28
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QuoteOriginally posted by hangman43 Quote
That is what I use mainly to keep me from accidentally hitting the control wheel and bumping the shutter speed above sync
I do that as well.
05-14-2013, 07:14 PM   #29
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K-30 doesn't have a X-sync mode setting on the big dial.... wonder if I can create one from one of the two user options? I guess it is again time to RTFM and find out.
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