[Nass]

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Thought some of you might be interested in this ultra macro setup post by John Halmen, who is ridiculously good at this sort of thing. It's a small studio setup for doing ultramacro, using bits and pieces that are both cheap and easily found.

If you end up going for this and want to buy more than one Jansjo light, I'd suggest you buy them at the same time so they come out the same batch (Ikea sources from different suppliers so colour temperature can vary if you buy them at different times). Note the use of flocking material to cut out haze - it is a very effective way to improve contrast on crappy old lenses. I use a card cut out with a circle that fits inside my bellows as a sort of baffle thing for the same reason.

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Last edited by Nass; 01-14-2012 at 02:35 AM.

[Philoslothical]

Nice find! Using a lens as a vertical positioner is really clever.

[JohnBecker]

Thanks for posting that, Nass. One of the best photography tutorials I've ever read/watched.

[RioRico]

Nifty setup, imaginative use of cheap stuff -- except the horizontal positioner. The real Cheap Bastard version of this would include some bargain hardware-store implement, I'm not sure what, but there must be something.

[Nass]

Well a cheap chinese x axis stage is probably the cheapest option - ie this sort of thing: New Macro Focusing Rail Slider For Camera SLR Tripod For Canon Nikon Pentax Sony | eBay

[newarts]

Nifty setup, imaginative use of cheap stuff -- except the horizontal positioner. The real Cheap Bastard version of this would include some bargain hardware-store implement, I'm not sure what, but there must be something.

I've seen nothing that competes with that micro positioner; 2 axes, 0.050mm increments for $100! Wow! PROXXON - KT 70

It'd be nice if it were motor driven and programmable too like this! Cognisys - Products

It seems that PK-tether along with the cognisys stage could be the basis for an automated stacking macrophoto system.

[Philoslothical]

I think if I were building something like this, I'd set up the camera on rails rather than the stage. For fragile insects and such, I'd be a bit worried that moving the stage would result in the subject changing position as well. Other than that, it looks great though.

What would be the easiest way to vertically position the camera in a calibrated way, as in either something geared or threaded so you know that X rotation of the controlling knob (or whatever) results in raising/lowering the camera by Y millimeters?

[demp10]

What would be the easiest way to vertically position the camera in a calibrated way, as in either something geared or threaded so you know that X rotation of the controlling knob (or whatever) results in raising/lowering the camera by Y millimeters?

Can you use the sensor shift feature to make small adjustments to the camera indirectly?

[Nass]

Fwiw, I have a stackshot halfway between the US and the UK as we speak. In terms of vertically positioning, you might be able to bastardize/adapt a microscope mechanism, although these are more usually adapted for use as a stage. I have a £1 bid for a crappy old microscope on eBay for exactly this reason.

[Philoslothical]

In terms of vertically positioning, you might be able to bastardize/adapt a microscope mechanism

A microscope stage... brilliant. That would do nicely. A lot of them have a hole intended for a light source below, I'm sure that could easily be modified to hold a tripod mount, then just attach the rails to that.

Can you use the sensor shift feature to make small adjustments to the camera indirectly?

Yeah, not with the K-r, it doesn't have this feature. With the K-5 it might be possible, I know you can make horizontal adjustments that way.

[Nass]

Actually, you know what, I wonder if an old enlarger or copy stand might also not work?