Macro zoom lens for macro

mariakruse · 01-08-2015, 07:15 AM

Originally posted by old4570

Hmmmm, Interesting ..

Might need a little more DOF .. And more light ..
A flash would obviously reflect of the surface , what about a small flashlight ?
put the subject on top of a small flashlight , some filters ( Paper? ) to ease of the amount of light ..
Then the glass will be sitting on top a light source that hopefully will show off the inner ... And allow for a smaller aperture for more DOF ..
Lens stacking might be ideal ..

Thank you,
I found a small flashlight and braced it upright and it's just the right size to put the glass on. This seems to be working well. The lightbox had, I think, too much light area. The flashlight has a narrow beam that I can control more easily. Thanks again for the tip.
maria

Not a Number · 01-08-2015, 07:45 AM

Make a light table - sheet of glass or plexiglass raised up with lighting underneath. A couple of these gooseneck LED lamps from Ikea are very useful for macro work

JANSJÖ LED clamp spotlight - IKEA

There is a model with a desktop foot too.

Definitely play with focus stacking.

**MSL** · 01-08-2015, 07:59 AM

Originally posted by mariakruse

Thank you, I found a small flashlight and braced it upright and it's just the right size to put the glass on. This seems to be working well. The lightbox had, I think, too much light area. The flashlight has a narrow beam that I can control more easily. Thanks again for the tip. maria

You could use some construction paper with cutouts on the light box. Should be more stable than the flashlight, and also gives you scope to create light sources smaller or larger than the piece of glass.

mariakruse · 01-08-2015, 08:13 AM

Originally posted by Not a Number

Make a light table - sheet of glass or plexiglass raised up with lighting underneath. A couple of these gooseneck LED lamps from Ikea are very useful for macro work

JANSJÖ LED clamp spotlight - IKEA

There is a model with a desktop foot too.

Definitely play with focus stacking.

Thank you for that link to the spotlight. My lightbox is on a table with a lip that would be good for using something like that.
maria

---------- Post added 01-08-15 at 08:14 AM ----------

Originally posted by MSL

You could use some construction paper with cutouts on the light box. Should be more stable than the flashlight, and also gives you scope to create light sources smaller or larger than the piece of glass.

Oh, good idea. I shall try that today. Thank you.
maria

---------- Post added 01-08-15 at 08:18 AM ----------

Originally posted by GUB

Nice work.
persevere.
When you are at that level of magnification you are caught between the tyrants of diffraction and lack of Depth of field.
(if you stop down too much diffraction kicks in.)
This is a rule of physics and all lens would behave similarly.
Bellows would be my call.
And recognize lots must be out of focus and work that into your image.

---------- Post added 01-09-15 at 12:54 AM ----------

Hang on if she is talking about a DA lens then she is not going to have aperture control on bellows is she ?
Maria you may be better off with an old A or M lens if you need that extra magnification -- they are as cheap as.

Thank you, I forgot about the diffraction completely. I've never used bellows before so I shall have to do some research.
maria

**GUB** · 01-08-2015, 01:37 PM

Originally posted by mariakruse

Thank you for that link to the spotlight. My lightbox is on a table with a lip that would be good for using something like that.
maria

---------- Post added 01-08-15 at 08:14 AM ----------

Oh, good idea. I shall try that today. Thank you.
maria

---------- Post added 01-08-15 at 08:18 AM ----------

Thank you, I forgot about the diffraction completely. I've never used bellows before so I shall have to do some research.
maria

Yeah I am pretty sure you will be stuck wide open aperture wise with that lens on a bellows. Hoping someone using shiny new stuff like that will confirm.

**MSL** · 01-08-2015, 01:48 PM

Originally posted by GUB

Nice work. persevere. When you are at that level of magnification you are caught between the tyrants of diffraction and lack of Depth of field. (if you stop down too much diffraction kicks in.) This is a rule of physics and all lens would behave similarly. Bellows would be my call.

Focus stacking might be one way around this.

Originally posted by GUB

Yeah I am pretty sure you will be stuck wide open aperture wise with that lens on a bellows. Hoping someone using shiny new stuff like that will confirm.

I'm hoping I get a chance to try this, as I can finally play with my bellows and maybe my lens reversing rings

Not a Number · 01-08-2015, 01:50 PM

If it's the Pentax Auto Bellows K, M, or A you can stop down the aperture or have it wide open. Without an aperture ring on the lens it will only stop down to the smallest f-stop.

On bellows or extension tubes without the auto aperture lever the lens will be stopped down.

old4570 · 01-08-2015, 07:53 PM

Originally posted by mariakruse

Thank you,
I found a small flashlight and braced it upright and it's just the right size to put the glass on. This seems to be working well. The lightbox had, I think, too much light area. The flashlight has a narrow beam that I can control more easily. Thanks again for the tip.
maria

I'm a bit of a flashaholic so it was the first thing to come to mind .
as for DOF , aperture F-stop ...

Try more light , I know to the naked eye it might look like too much , but once you start to close the aperture you should be able to control the amount of light ( too much light = use smaller aperture )
Im going to try this , looks interesting .. But maybe with a emerald or ruby or something ....

Would love to see more pictures :

slowhands95128 · 01-08-2015, 08:11 PM

What a marvelous idea for a subject: the internal cracks, fissures in colored glass chunks. It's so obvious now that you show it, but it took an artist's eye to see the possibilities.

You have several dimensions of choice. The lens is one, lighting another, background a third.

For background, I'd use black velvet.

LENS: For shooting flowers, bugs and fungi I love my 90mm macro lens by itself. You don't get much depth of field with macro shots, but with a longer lens than 30 you sure get more. You can also put good quality achromatic close-up filters on any good zoom lens to make it focus much closer. I prefer that to using extension because you don't lose light as you would with extensions or bellows. Canon makes the 500D and 250D close up filters of excellent quality. Marumi's DHG Achromatic 330 close up is great too. The Raynox DCR 150 and 250 are good too, but small.

Lighting: I like the idea of some light from below via a flash light. You also might try different colored gel filters on the lighting to see what effects you get. I have a Cokin Creative Lighting System that comes with colored filters for each flash, in all colors ala Cokin. It's good as a macro flash just by itself but the colored filters add variables. Many of the LED ring lights come with colored rings to experiment with.

Another toy... err... tool I have been wondering about is a three-armed LED with color filters. Since your subject does not move, you can use the weak light of a LED in long exposures to good effect. I've been looking at this on ebay and tempted, but I know the light output is weak, not a problem for longer exposures.

mariakruse · 01-09-2015, 08:54 AM

Originally posted by old4570

I'm a bit of a flashaholic so it was the first thing to come to mind .
as for DOF , aperture F-stop ...

Try more light , I know to the naked eye it might look like too much , but once you start to close the aperture you should be able to control the amount of light ( too much light = use smaller aperture )
Im going to try this , looks interesting .. But maybe with a emerald or ruby or something ....

Would love to see more pictures :

Ruby would be fun but I fear I am stuck with beach glass. I did get a couple of large crystal like rocks to play with. Anyway, here are 3 more from my experiments.
The pinkish one is from the crystal rock I was given.
maria

Giklab · 01-09-2015, 09:30 AM

That last one is badly blurred... and the first one just a bit? I may have missed this in the thread, but do you have a remote?

mariakruse · 01-09-2015, 10:04 AM

Originally posted by Giklab

That last one is badly blurred... and the first one just a bit? I may have missed this in the thread, but do you have a remote?

No remote, I am now using 2 sec delay, but sometimes the image is inside the glass a ways and I can't peel away the stuff on top yet.
Thanks for the reminder about a remote. I will get one.
maria

Not a Number · 01-09-2015, 10:13 AM

Originally posted by mariakruse

Thanks for the reminder about a remote. I will get one.

What body are you using? You may be able to use tethering through PK_Tether or PKTriggerCord. I'm able to use PK_Tether and along with remote triggering I can save the files on to my PC and then look at them on my monitor.

mariakruse · 01-09-2015, 10:37 AM

I am using a K3 and experimenting with several lenses and lighting setups. Photo1 was taken on a mirror with light from above. Others lit from below. I have never shot tethered but it sounds like a great idea.
maria

Not a Number · 01-09-2015, 03:12 PM

Originally posted by mariakruse

I am using a K3

Unfortunately the K3 is not supported by either program. I suppose you can use the FluCard if you have it and a suitable WiFi device.

01-08-2015, 07:53 PM	#23
old4570 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 2,551	No worries Originally posted by mariakruse Thank you, I found a small flashlight and braced it upright and it's just the right size to put the glass on. This seems to be working well. The lightbox had, I think, too much light area. The flashlight has a narrow beam that I can control more easily. Thanks again for the tip. maria I'm a bit of a flashaholic so it was the first thing to come to mind . as for DOF , aperture F-stop ... Try more light , I know to the naked eye it might look like too much , but once you start to close the aperture you should be able to control the amount of light ( too much light = use smaller aperture ) Im going to try this , looks interesting .. But maybe with a emerald or ruby or something .... Would love to see more pictures :

01-08-2015, 08:11 PM	#24
slowhands95128 Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 56	What a marvelous idea for a subject: the internal cracks, fissures in colored glass chunks. It's so obvious now that you show it, but it took an artist's eye to see the possibilities. You have several dimensions of choice. The lens is one, lighting another, background a third. For background, I'd use black velvet. LENS: For shooting flowers, bugs and fungi I love my 90mm macro lens by itself. You don't get much depth of field with macro shots, but with a longer lens than 30 you sure get more. You can also put good quality achromatic close-up filters on any good zoom lens to make it focus much closer. I prefer that to using extension because you don't lose light as you would with extensions or bellows. Canon makes the 500D and 250D close up filters of excellent quality. Marumi's DHG Achromatic 330 close up is great too. The Raynox DCR 150 and 250 are good too, but small. Lighting: I like the idea of some light from below via a flash light. You also might try different colored gel filters on the lighting to see what effects you get. I have a Cokin Creative Lighting System that comes with colored filters for each flash, in all colors ala Cokin. It's good as a macro flash just by itself but the colored filters add variables. Many of the LED ring lights come with colored rings to experiment with. Another toy... err... tool I have been wondering about is a three-armed LED with color filters. Since your subject does not move, you can use the weak light of a LED in long exposures to good effect. I've been looking at this on ebay and tempted, but I know the light output is weak, not a problem for longer exposures. Attached Images Last edited by slowhands95128; 01-08-2015 at 08:43 PM. Reason: make Cokin pic larger

01-09-2015, 08:54 AM	#25
mariakruse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 199 Original Poster	Originally posted by old4570 I'm a bit of a flashaholic so it was the first thing to come to mind . as for DOF , aperture F-stop ... Try more light , I know to the naked eye it might look like too much , but once you start to close the aperture you should be able to control the amount of light ( too much light = use smaller aperture ) Im going to try this , looks interesting .. But maybe with a emerald or ruby or something .... Would love to see more pictures : Ruby would be fun but I fear I am stuck with beach glass. I did get a couple of large crystal like rocks to play with. Anyway, here are 3 more from my experiments. The pinkish one is from the crystal rock I was given. maria Attached Images

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01-08-2015, 07:15 AM	#16
mariakruse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 199 Original Poster	Originally posted by old4570 Hmmmm, Interesting .. Might need a little more DOF .. And more light .. A flash would obviously reflect of the surface , what about a small flashlight ? put the subject on top of a small flashlight , some filters ( Paper? ) to ease of the amount of light .. Then the glass will be sitting on top a light source that hopefully will show off the inner ... And allow for a smaller aperture for more DOF .. Lens stacking might be ideal .. Thank you, I found a small flashlight and braced it upright and it's just the right size to put the glass on. This seems to be working well. The lightbox had, I think, too much light area. The flashlight has a narrow beam that I can control more easily. Thanks again for the tip. maria

01-08-2015, 07:45 AM	#17
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 10,526	Make a light table - sheet of glass or plexiglass raised up with lighting underneath. A couple of these gooseneck LED lamps from Ikea are very useful for macro work JANSJÖ LED clamp spotlight - IKEA There is a model with a desktop foot too. Definitely play with focus stacking.

01-08-2015, 07:59 AM	#18
MSL Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Greater Toronto Area Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,749	Originally posted by mariakruse Thank you, I found a small flashlight and braced it upright and it's just the right size to put the glass on. This seems to be working well. The lightbox had, I think, too much light area. The flashlight has a narrow beam that I can control more easily. Thanks again for the tip. maria You could use some construction paper with cutouts on the light box. Should be more stable than the flashlight, and also gives you scope to create light sources smaller or larger than the piece of glass.

01-08-2015, 08:13 AM	#19
mariakruse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 199 Original Poster	Originally posted by Not a Number Make a light table - sheet of glass or plexiglass raised up with lighting underneath. A couple of these gooseneck LED lamps from Ikea are very useful for macro work JANSJÖ LED clamp spotlight - IKEA There is a model with a desktop foot too. Definitely play with focus stacking. Thank you for that link to the spotlight. My lightbox is on a table with a lip that would be good for using something like that. maria ---------- Post added 01-08-15 at 08:14 AM ---------- Originally posted by MSL You could use some construction paper with cutouts on the light box. Should be more stable than the flashlight, and also gives you scope to create light sources smaller or larger than the piece of glass. Oh, good idea. I shall try that today. Thank you. maria ---------- Post added 01-08-15 at 08:18 AM ---------- Originally posted by GUB Nice work. persevere. When you are at that level of magnification you are caught between the tyrants of diffraction and lack of Depth of field. (if you stop down too much diffraction kicks in.) This is a rule of physics and all lens would behave similarly. Bellows would be my call. And recognize lots must be out of focus and work that into your image. ---------- Post added 01-09-15 at 12:54 AM ---------- Hang on if she is talking about a DA lens then she is not going to have aperture control on bellows is she ? Maria you may be better off with an old A or M lens if you need that extra magnification -- they are as cheap as. Thank you, I forgot about the diffraction completely. I've never used bellows before so I shall have to do some research. maria

01-08-2015, 01:37 PM	#20
GUB Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Wanganui Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,760	Originally posted by mariakruse Thank you for that link to the spotlight. My lightbox is on a table with a lip that would be good for using something like that. maria ---------- Post added 01-08-15 at 08:14 AM ---------- Oh, good idea. I shall try that today. Thank you. maria ---------- Post added 01-08-15 at 08:18 AM ---------- Thank you, I forgot about the diffraction completely. I've never used bellows before so I shall have to do some research. maria Yeah I am pretty sure you will be stuck wide open aperture wise with that lens on a bellows. Hoping someone using shiny new stuff like that will confirm.

01-08-2015, 01:48 PM	#21
MSL Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Greater Toronto Area Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,749	Originally posted by GUB Nice work. persevere. When you are at that level of magnification you are caught between the tyrants of diffraction and lack of Depth of field. (if you stop down too much diffraction kicks in.) This is a rule of physics and all lens would behave similarly. Bellows would be my call. Focus stacking might be one way around this. Originally posted by GUB Yeah I am pretty sure you will be stuck wide open aperture wise with that lens on a bellows. Hoping someone using shiny new stuff like that will confirm. I'm hoping I get a chance to try this, as I can finally play with my bellows and maybe my lens reversing rings

01-08-2015, 01:50 PM	#22
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 10,526	If it's the Pentax Auto Bellows K, M, or A you can stop down the aperture or have it wide open. Without an aperture ring on the lens it will only stop down to the smallest f-stop. On bellows or extension tubes without the auto aperture lever the lens will be stopped down.

01-09-2015, 09:30 AM	#26
Giklab Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Slovenia Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,182	That last one is badly blurred... and the first one just a bit? I may have missed this in the thread, but do you have a remote?

01-09-2015, 10:04 AM	#27
mariakruse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 199 Original Poster	Originally posted by Giklab That last one is badly blurred... and the first one just a bit? I may have missed this in the thread, but do you have a remote? No remote, I am now using 2 sec delay, but sometimes the image is inside the glass a ways and I can't peel away the stuff on top yet. Thanks for the reminder about a remote. I will get one. maria

01-09-2015, 10:13 AM	#28
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 10,526	Originally posted by mariakruse Thanks for the reminder about a remote. I will get one. What body are you using? You may be able to use tethering through PK_Tether or PKTriggerCord. I'm able to use PK_Tether and along with remote triggering I can save the files on to my PC and then look at them on my monitor.

01-09-2015, 10:37 AM	#29
mariakruse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 199 Original Poster	I am using a K3 and experimenting with several lenses and lighting setups. Photo1 was taken on a mirror with light from above. Others lit from below. I have never shot tethered but it sounds like a great idea. maria

01-09-2015, 03:12 PM	#30
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 10,526	Originally posted by mariakruse I am using a K3 Unfortunately the K3 is not supported by either program. I suppose you can use the FluCard if you have it and a suitable WiFi device.