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10-23-2017, 06:41 AM   #8731
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K 3 + HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW

" there is something happening here "


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although this Cheetah will never have to face danger, the pose I captured made me think of this old memory :

something going on over there muppets - Bing video

hand held, natural light


Last edited by aslyfox; 10-23-2017 at 06:47 AM.
10-23-2017, 10:50 AM   #8732
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QuoteOriginally posted by Doundounba Quote
And that's it, in a nutshell!
Forgot to say - I think this looks like a good topic for a PF article or tutorial. I know Nass wrote an article on "Extreme macro" some years ago, but that was quite different from your technique.
10-23-2017, 11:03 AM   #8733
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QuoteOriginally posted by savoche Quote
Forgot to say - I think this looks like a good topic for a PF article or tutorial. I know Nass wrote an article on "Extreme macro" some years ago, but that was quite different from your technique.
I agree.
10-23-2017, 12:01 PM   #8734
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It would be good if Nass's and Doundounba's approaches (as well as other useful resources provided in the past such as camera, lens and lighting setups) could be made available in the macro "technique" thread being set up as part of the proposed reorganization of the "macro photography" forum:

Upcoming changes to the Macro forum - PentaxForums.com

10-23-2017, 02:15 PM   #8735
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QuoteOriginally posted by Doundounba Quote
For a fee, sure!



Thanks! I suspect your question (how I do it) might be rhetorical, but see below...



Well, it's not easy! But here are the basics. Since I (usually) have a diopter on my lens, changing the focus on the lens actually changes the magnification of the shot, so that's not how focus is achieved at all. The lens is pre-focused to pick a magnification based on the critter I am shooting and the type of shot I want. I use magnified liveview with focus peaking and the camera is set to shoot Continuous High (i.e. 8.3 fps on the K-3). It's good (read almost essential) that the critter be low to the ground, which allows me to kneel and put an elbow on my knee or outright lie down and put my elbows on the ground. I then very slowly move in. I usually fire off a single frame with the eyes (hopefully) in focus to (again, hopefully) have something should the critter be skittish and fly away after the first shot, which often happens. If the critter doesn't fly away and my exposure is good (remember, I'm shooting full manual), I then move in a little more so that focus is a little past the eyes. I may or may not rehearse the (very small) movement needed a couple of times, and then I fire a volley moving slightly backwards. Eight frames takes about one second, so I hope the critter doesn't move significantly during that time!

I'm using a li-ion flash, which can keep up with the K-3 for 10-15 frames at low power levels. If the critter doesn't fly away, I will fire 4-5 more volleys with similar framing, if I can. I often find that my first volley has a systematic movement that moves the critter progressively out of the frame as the shots are fired, so if that's the case, I try to correct that in the next volleys. If the critter is cooperative and photogenic, I'll shoot a ton of frames and maybe vary the angle and the magnification. For the bee I last posted, I shot 153 frames in all. Often with bees, even if you're lucky and find them as they're taking a rest/nap, the flash will eventually wake them and they'll fly way, which is what happened here. (I might publish a second shot from that session as I have other angles that might be stackable which I've yet to process, but I'm very happy with that "one" shot.)

BTW, I wish the K-3's liveview didn't automatically turn off magnification on shutter half press. That is endlessly annoying. (Maybe there's a setting for that?) Anyway...

Once back home I will review the shots and make lists of candidate volleys for stacking, based on framing & composition, on relative lack of movement of the critter, and relative lack of movement of the critter within the frame as I was shooting (ie did I back up in a straight line). I will then usually try to stack several of the most promising candidates, and then compare the stacks. I use Zerene, BTW. Flaws mostly become apparent then, such as when I moved too fast and there are zones out-of-focus (or just less in focus) in between the stacked areas of focus. The stacking software also doesn't always get everything right, and sometimes you have to go in after the fact and correct the choices it made. The best stack then goes through my usual post-processing... And that's it, in a nutshell!


Here's a five-frame focus stack:




And a single-frame shot!


Thanks for that impeccable disquisition on your method of shooting for focus stacking. You do an outstanding job of acquiring the shots "out in the field" to do such incredible stacking! I also assume the air has to be essentially dead calm, which is usually the problem I have just for single shots... Even your two-stack shot makes a big difference in sharpness. Keep up the great work, I enjoy viewing the wildlife up close, and I guess I'll have to try to "belly-up" to the garden to try such a method as yours...

---------- Post added 10-23-17 at 04:16 PM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by savoche Quote
The cathedral in Rouen, France

And even though I'm close to the ground, there's no focus stacking involved


DA15 Ltd
Perhaps if the woman were facing you, you'd have reason to try focus stacking...
10-23-2017, 02:33 PM - 1 Like   #8736
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QuoteOriginally posted by Doundounba Quote
Thanks! The guys from Project Maratus - some of the best high magnification macro shooters out there, IMHO - use pretty much the same shooting technique, but moving both forward and backward. (And using the viewfinder.) Here's a demo, for a studio shot of a live spider. (I do wish they would tell us when they post their shots if we're seeing a field macro or a studio shot of a live (ie captured) spider though. Just for disclosure's sake.)

Hand held focus stacking tutorial using the Canon 1dx mk2 and mpe65 - YouTube

They're using an external power pack, and I sometimes do that too, but that battery pack is heavy and cumbersome, so lately I've reverted to the li-ion flash - I use a Godox V850ii - instead. It means shorter bursts and slightly higher ISO, but such is life... (With the external battery pack, I think I might sometimes use the viewfinder, because it's less critical to know exactly where eye-focus is, since you can just shoot a super-long volley of shots. I would then get the benefit of the stability that using the viewfinder brings, and it would be much easier to keep good framing as you're firing.)

p.s.: Here's a shot by Jurgen Otto of a Maratus spider on his thumb, just to give a sense of scale for the creatures that Project Maratus is pursuing...
Thank you so much for all that information. You have opened my eyes and my mind. I had no idea that it could be done like that and I applaud your (and the other guys too) dedication. I don't have the equipment to do that and I doubt that I would bother getting it but I could try something similar with what I have and see what I can come up with. It might be fun. Thank you one again.
The macro shots of those Maratus spiders look quite scary when there is nothing to indicate their size but they don't look so bad when seen on a finger nail. They are very colourful.
10-23-2017, 06:00 PM - 4 Likes   #8737
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A few from today.


















Last edited by normhead; 10-23-2017 at 06:12 PM.
10-23-2017, 11:21 PM - 4 Likes   #8738
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Windward Oahu

I live in Honolulu, on the leeward side of the island, which in many places has expanses several miles wide between the ocean and the mountains, and expansive plains (for a relatively small island) between the two mountain ranges. On the windward side, there's like a foot. That's where some of Jurassic Park and other films with subtropical settings are shot. The shot of the mountains is from Ho'omaluhia botannical gardens, which is actually a few acres of tended gardens inside about 400 acres of nature preserve. The Buddhist temple is Byodo-in, a replica of a larger temple in Uji, Kyoto, Japan. The cat hangs out at the temple. I shot the mountains and the temple with the Sigma 10-20 f/4 - f/5.6 at 14mm. The cat was with the Pentax 18-135mm WR.


Ko'olau mountains



Byodo-in Temple



Byodo-in Temple cat
10-24-2017, 08:20 AM   #8739
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The cat looks as if he/she owns the temple. Great attitude, nice series.
10-25-2017, 12:58 AM - 2 Likes   #8740
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Pick one







10-25-2017, 05:25 AM   #8741
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QuoteOriginally posted by Nitrogliserin Quote
Pick one
Number 2
10-25-2017, 09:11 AM   #8742
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I like the third one with just a bit more detail in the foreground.
10-25-2017, 09:56 AM   #8743
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QuoteOriginally posted by savoche Quote
Forgot to say - I think this looks like a good topic for a PF article or tutorial.
QuoteOriginally posted by Canada_Rockies Quote
I agree.
Thanks for the suggestion. I'll fire Adam a PM. You never know...

QuoteOriginally posted by Geodude Quote
I also assume the air has to be essentially dead calm, which is usually the problem I have just for single shots...
Yeah, wind is not a friend, that's for sure. Sometimes it can be moderately windy with moments of calm though...

QuoteQuote:
Even your two-stack shot makes a big difference in sharpness.
Thanks for mentioning it! You're right, often above 1:1, getting even a two-shot stack means being able to get both the nose and the (front of the) eyes of a dragonfly in focus, for example. It makes a big difference, and is much more easily achieved than getting a deeper stack. (Some examples of two-shot stacks I'm still super happy with: one, two, three.)

QuoteOriginally posted by rayallen Quote
The macro shots of those Maratus spiders look quite scary when there is nothing to indicate their size but they don't look so bad when seen on a finger nail. They are very colourful.
Most if not all jumping spider's fangs are not strong enough to pierce human skin (AFAIK). They are tiny, inquisitive, non-aggressive, beautiful and useful creatures! Very often, jumping spiders will jump on my flash when I attempt to photograph them because they are obviously curious about that thing emitting bursts of light at them. It can even be frustrating!

Last edited by Doundounba; 10-25-2017 at 10:04 AM.
10-25-2017, 10:32 PM - 1 Like   #8744
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A big cat
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10-25-2017, 10:39 PM - 2 Likes   #8745
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