[rbefly]

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Hello Carlosodze,
I've been using the sync cord both on a bracket and hand-holding off-camera, works fine in all modes. Don't know about the triggers but the cord is sturdy and reliable. It's a Vivitar, # VIV-FC-Pen, I think they're about $25-$30 USD. You can find them on eBay, B + H, Adorama, etc.
My 'magic arm' arrived, put it together last night and it works fine! Took a few minutes to figure out how to lock everything down correctly but once I got it, it seemed easy enough. It does throw the weight balance off to the side but the bracket handle stabilizes everything. I wrapped the excess sync-cord around the magic arm to keep it from hanging loose + flopping around. Ready to rock!
Ron

[ToyTank]

Thanks for making this thread Hangman!

I have read the first page and can't wait to read the other 3.

I ordered a larger softbox and bracket similar to the one you used, based on your answer to me in the insect thread.

I have and like the yongnuo flash, they are very well built for the money.

Your whole rig seems to have been built on a budget with very good results. The light bracket and flash there are much more expensive options that likely would not improve your images. Well Done.

Thanks again.

EDIT: I have been using the "Aputure" Flash cable from amazon for $20. Seems well built and supports P-TTL if it matters to you. I also have the aputure flash triggers, they work fine but i've had to send back for replacement once...

[ToyTank]

I have finished reading this thread. Thanks again hangman43.

I'd love to see your PP work.. You mentioned the similarity to hunting(deer) and I agree! For me the least fun part of hunting is every thing that happens after you pull the trigger(I process my deer, field to table) and the PP work is the same, to me it is not fun but vital to get the end product. I'd love to hear more about your PP and maybe see some before/after samples.

Have you guys ever used a monopod? When I'm shooting macro I have my monopod attached it helps quite a bit, and normally does not get in the way. If it does get in the way it twists off real fast. I find it helps me when moving low n slow.

[hangman43]

EDIT: I have been using the "Aputure" Flash cable from amazon for $20. Seems well built and supports P-TTL if it matters to you. I also have the aputure flash triggers, they work fine but i've had to send back for replacement once...

I never worried about P-TTL because my lens is not an A type lens so manual is all I can use.

[nanhi]

Thank you Hangman Sir, for the wonderful learning experience you gave us. I am not into serious macro photography. I do dabble in it with cheaper gear, a Promaster Spectrum 7 100m f3.5 Macro lens on the K-5 mounted on a tripod + the Pentax wired or IR Remote. I use a hand held LED video light with a home made diffuser on it, as it allows me to change the lighting angle and distance along with the ambient lighting.
A very recent amateurish macro shot is attached.
Regards.

[sormel]

I only have two things to say:
First and foremost: Awesome!
Secondly: I'm not worthy (eating gravel)... :-)

[Arjay Bee]

Inspired by this thread so went and made my own - copying one of your early designs:


Smart phone pic sorry: K20D on manual, Sigma EF 500 on Minimum Light mode, old M42 Hanimex Bellows with extension tube spacer on each end, M42-K adapter (OEM), S-M-C Takumar 100mm Macro focusing at f4 but stopping down about 6-7 clicks to off set the flood of light and increase DOF,

Pringle can snoot with electrical tape cover for weight and grip. Four way adjusting stand between the tripod and the bellows. I have posted examples in the abstract, spiders, and insects threads.

Due to the height there is a bit of vibration but remote trigger and 2 second mirror lock up take care of most of that. For the spider examples I used bellows on a monopod outside and no delay with lock up. Stopping down is a trick when on a monopod as the subject darkens out of view so with the K20D I used live preview mode to frame and focus. Went through a battery charge in about 60 images.

This one uncropped:


The bellows collar and thumb screw allowed the whole camera and flash rig to rotate.

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Last edited by Arjay Bee; 03-23-2014 at 02:17 AM.

[ivanvernon]

I have went through so many different versions of my lighting set up that I can not even keep up with them I shot for about a year with AF200 and a homemade snoot to get the light closer to the subject then I started making soft boxes here are a few of my early set ups

I love the interface between your photography and Priority Mail. I am wondering how UPS would work!

[pyrs n finns]

Thank you for sharing your technique with us. Folks like you sre what makes this forum so enjoyable.

Deb

I have been asked by a few on here to share my technique for getting my macro photos so here it is.
This is probably going to end up being a multi-part post because really hate typing.

I will start by sharing my equipment set up.

Latest set-up: Pentax K-5 camera with Lester Dine 105-mm macro lens, Yongnuo YN-560 speedlight, Cowboy Studios 6x7 Softbox diffuser.

7-inch Magic Friction Arm: Amazon.com: BestDealUSA 7" Inch Adjustable Friction Power Articulating Magic Arm for LCD Monitor LED: Electronics
L-grip bracket: Amazon.com: Heavy Duty Photography L Bracket with 2 Standard Flash Hot Shoe Mounts: Camera & Photo
Cowboy Studios 6x7 Softbox: 6" x 7" Softbox for Nikon Flash Canon Speedlight for Nikon SB 600 SB 800 | eBay
Wireless flash triggers: PT04




All my shots are hand held I use a milk crate to sit on and always try to keep my flash at no more than 1/4 power for the shortest duration of flash that helps freeze any movement.
I do the move camera back and forth to focus with the lens always at max magnification and always try to get the insect in the focal plane so I can get as much of the subject in focus as I can.
Here is an example of the insect being in the focal plane.



Here is one where I could not get it in the focal plane.



I have figured out that F/16 gives me the best results with my lens and that is where it stays 80% of the time I have shot some at F/18 and F/22 with acceptable results but not as consistent plus I have to use a higher ISO or up the flash power I try not to go over ISO 400 and most are shot at 1/180th sec unless I am trying to let more ambient light in.

Here is an example of a shot where I wanted more ambient light. Shot at F/16 at 1/100 sec




This shot was in the same location but at F/16 at 1/180 notice how the background is almost black.



That is all for today will continue tomorrow.

[sinjin]

7-inch Magic Friction Arm: Amazon.com: BestDealUSA 7" Inch Adjustable Friction Power Articulating Magic Arm for LCD Monitor LED: Electronics

Thanks for this post, it is very helpful.

Does the 7" arm hold the flash with confidence? I mistakenly ordered the 11" and it's not going to work as all that extra length and weight is too much for the joints to hold my 540 FGZ with diffuser (without testing just how much I can crank that plastic knob before it breaks).

Cheers,
Mark

[Paul-K5]

Hello all. Very happy to share in this thread my macro set up and a couple of test shots.

Cheers all







High resolution shots here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/xz1pics/14234173292/in/photostream/lightbox/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/xz1pics/14049793728/in/photostream/lightbox/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/xz1pics/14236434835/in/photostream/lightbox/

[rbefly]

Does the 7" arm hold the flash with confidence?

Hi Mark, I'll take a try at this. I also ordered the 11" arm version, but own an AF 360, which is lighter than the 540. But, the longer arm holds the AF360w/diffuser or an equally heavy AF280T, without problem. By that I mean it locks down tight and stays in position on a tripod.
When I move the entire rig (tripod, camera, arm, etc) the arm 'wobbles', it's a fair amount of unsupported weight. But no harm, once the tripod is in place, no movement.
This is the main reason I like the flash bracket; All that off-balanced weight (and possible wobble) are attached to the metal hot-shoe atop the bracket, not the pentaprism of my camera!
Again, no problem with the 11" arm, but with a lighter flash. So I'm guessing a shorter arm would be OK with the AF540.
JMO,
Ron

[sinjin]

This is the main reason I like the flash bracket; All that off-balanced weight (and possible wobble) are attached to the metal hot-shoe atop the bracket, not the pentaprism of my camera!
Ron

Thanks for the reply Ron. Good to hear it works even with the 11inch. I'll give it another try before buying the 7 inch.

I also wouldn't run it off the pentaprism hot shoe; a bracket is the way to go. Need one of those, too.

Mark

[starjedi]

I have been asked by a few on here to share my technique for getting my macro photos so here it is.
This is probably going to end up being a multi-part post because really hate typing.

I will start by sharing my equipment set up.

Latest set-up: Pentax K-5 camera with Lester Dine 105-mm macro lens, Yongnuo YN-560 speedlight, Cowboy Studios 6x7 Softbox diffuser.

7-inch Magic Friction Arm: Amazon.com: BestDealUSA 7" Inch Adjustable Friction Power Articulating Magic Arm for LCD Monitor LED: Electronics
L-grip bracket: Amazon.com: Heavy Duty Photography L Bracket with 2 Standard Flash Hot Shoe Mounts: Camera & Photo
Cowboy Studios 6x7 Softbox: 6" x 7" Softbox for Nikon Flash Canon Speedlight for Nikon SB 600 SB 800 | eBay
Wireless flash triggers: PT04




All my shots are hand held I use a milk crate to sit on and always try to keep my flash at no more than 1/4 power for the shortest duration of flash that helps freeze any movement.
I do the move camera back and forth to focus with the lens always at max magnification and always try to get the insect in the focal plane so I can get as much of the subject in focus as I can.
Here is an example of the insect being in the focal plane.



Here is one where I could not get it in the focal plane.



I have figured out that F/16 gives me the best results with my lens and that is where it stays 80% of the time I have shot some at F/18 and F/22 with acceptable results but not as consistent plus I have to use a higher ISO or up the flash power I try not to go over ISO 400 and most are shot at 1/180th sec unless I am trying to let more ambient light in.

Here is an example of a shot where I wanted more ambient light. Shot at F/16 at 1/100 sec




This shot was in the same location but at F/16 at 1/180 notice how the background is almost black.



That is all for today will continue tomorrow.

Thanks very much for sharing your setup. It seems that I have to build from scratches. I will wait to give myself a X'mas gift!

Update: My wife bought the whole set for me as birthday gift. So I do not need to wait X'mas. :-)

[Not a Number]

I finally picked up the arm, bracket and a Fotodiox 8 inch octagonal softbox. I'm using an old 3rd party TTL cable for my Minolta for the sync. I also picked up hot shoe to light stand adapter as the 1/4 inch socket on the cable head is plastic and I didn't want it ripping out. I chose the Fotodiox as it didn't seem to sag at all unlike many of the budget rectangular boxes.

The arm I bought needed a lot of persuasion to loosen up the ball sockets - after a bit gold/brass colored flakes of metal started coming out from the main elbow joint. The C-rings in the ball joints also would rotate out of their grooves and I had to slide them back in with a screwdriver. I returned it as defective and bought another one from a different vendor. The second arm works a lot better and I also sprayed some Tri-Flow (teflon) lubricant down the shafts through the ball joints - this makes the ball joints loosen up with very little persuasion. The unit locks down solidly.

A flaw with the flash shoe foot - it is a touch too small and will rotate or twist ever so slightly in the flash shoe - both on the bracket and any of the cameras I tried it on. This can lead it to loosen the foot lock. I solved this by inserting a common straight pin between one side of the foot and the shoe. You also need to make sure the parts of the shoe adapter are securely tightened as they could start to unscrew when you shift the position of the camera from the weight of the flash unit.

The shoes on the bracket I bought (all black) are crudely made. The tops of the shoe are uneven so the lock on the shoe adapter may not give the best purchase. Some gentle tapping with a hammer evened things out slightly better. The shoes are also only held in with three alloy pins. I actually tore the side shoe off. I epoxied it back on with JB Weld epoxy. On the top shoe a couple of the pins had bits sticking out enough that they blocked sliding a foot into the shoe. I filed them extra metal down but as it turns out the material was soft enough I probably could have flattened it down with a punch. I thought the shoes were spot welded to the bracket until I tore off the side one. There is a similar bracket I've seen under the Bower brand name that has better looking made cold shoes - for a few dollars more.

I thought the angled grip might be more comfortable than a straight up and down grip but I find when I am just carrying the camera that I position the grip straight up. That might just be be though.

Regardless, this is a flexible and useful rig that is light on the pocketbook. The arm is quite solid as long as you make allowances for the flaws in the shoe adapter.

Now to find a decent P-TTL cable and pickup up the new Pentax flash when the price drops some.