Join Now
Join ePHOTOzine, the friendliest photography community.
Upload photos, chat with photographers, win prizes and much more for free!
Hi all, I currently use a Nikon Coolpix 4500 for photographing insect stages with the addition of a x2.5 lens or x20 microscope for the .05mm to 10mm egg and young larval stages. However getting the best focal point for these small stages is difficult and depth of focus is just not good enough. I am considering purchasing a digital SLR with a macro lens and either extension tubes or bellows, particularly for the .05mm to 5mm shots. Any suggestions for the best combination would be appreciated.
Hi,
A DSLR and 'macro' lens will give you even less DoF, a solution we use is to combine several different exposures at differing focus points through the specimen....
Specialist software can help here, one example being CombineZ5, which is free (makes a change these days) and works.
HTH
Phil
A Konica Minolta 7D and 1x-3X Macro zoom will give you the best macro quality . . . But DoF is always reduced . . . That and the fact that the dedicated lens isreally expensive, and I've ssen more hen's teath . . . And it only gives you a max of 3 times life size
Regards
Tony
Quote: Canon do an up to 5x one . 720 and its yours.
Problem with these things is the working distance, with the Minolta at 3X you are looking at something like 30mm but that does give you an object at 12mm by 8mm filling the frame of a 35mm neg. Of course at that working distance and IIRC f16 the DoF is miniscule.
Tony
Thanks for the replies so far. However, I was hoping someone reading this would have had experience of using extension tubes and / or bellows and different macro lenses on DSLRs.
In reply to some of the suggestions made so far:- (1) closeness to the object isn't really a problem, with the x2.5 add on lens to the Coolpix 4500 the focal point is around 1cm from the object! (2) It is surely possible to get a significantly better depth of focus with a DSLR using the min aperture of f32 available with many macro lenses, I am also assuming it will also be a lot easier to judge the best focal point which is very difficult with the small LCD on the Coolpix. (3) I have merged parts of two or more photographs using photoshop - but it still leaves the problem of taking them with different parts of the object in focus - and that assumes the object will stay still whilst they are taken, a significant problem in practice!
Quote: It is surely possible to get a significantly better depth of focus with a DSLR using the min aperture of f32 available with many macro lenses
LOL, no.
A smaller aperture than a prosumer can manage, but a much larger sensor (DOF is miniscule).
Nope.... I'd say not to be honest!
At f32 you're still talking about a few millimeters DOF at 1:1 magnification. As for judging point of focus, bear in mind a DSLR plus macro lens is a lot heavier than a prosumer camera. Add to this squinting through a small viewfinder........ Not easy! You'll be working hard to stop shaking enough to see the bug let alone pick the point of focus.
If you need to get closer with one of those swivelly Nikons try holding or taping a 50mm lens back to front in front of the camera lens. This will get you about 1.5-2cm off your subject but at max telephoto rather than 'the macro sweet spot'
You really won't be able to get any more DOF with an slr than you can with one of those nikons, have you tried the nikon macro coolite (coolite SL1)
Might not be completely suitable for what you are looking to do, but it's worth a look anyway as more light means you can stop down more.
Another thing that would be well worth a look is a program called helicon focus If allows you to gain more dof by combining several images with shallow dof.
Hope this helps
You'll definitely get more than a couple of mm of DOF with an SLR and dedicated macro lens @ 1:1, expect to get between 5mm and 10mm. Bear in mind that stopping down to f32 with a macro lens at 1:1 will very likely result in a slow shutter speed so you'll need a flash or lots of light as well.
Not a fabulous photo but an example of DOF at 1:1 here
I use a tripod and sliding plate which are essential for such close up shots. Some larvae are very obliging and will sit still for several seconds whilst taking close-up photographs in poor lighting with only 1cm from the lens! Others are a right pain and need 'cooling' down to try and keep them still. Here is an example of a 3mm caterpillar taken yesterday - not a particularly good example but it does show what I am trying to achieve.
Hi,
To carry on from my earlier reply..... Close up and Macro are my specialist areas as a professional science photographer.
DoF will always be a problem, stopping down to f32 will not solve the problem for you as you will now be fighting with diffraction, the image will be very soft and no amount of USM or any other sharpening will cure that. the most you can realistically stop down on a 6megapixel DSLR is f16 before diffraction starts to affect the image, with an 8megapixel DSLR this figure becomes closer to f11.
So how do you get around this, the first option is to make sure that your subject is as parrallel(sp) to the sensor plane as possible, you are already part way there for correct focus by using a sliding plate.
If we are working at extreme macro ranges (x15 to x25) then we will use specialist(and expensive) lenses from the likes of Leica, these are short in FL and formulated for this purpose. At these magnifications DoF is almost non existant so we have to revert to stacking software, incidently I was a Beta tester for the macro version of Helicon focus and it works very well for this sort of work, but as you say getting your subject to remain stationary is the major problem, with patience it can be done and is the only way to achieve what I think you are trying to do.
You are quite correct in your assumption that a DSLR will allow you to judge the point of focus more accurately.
HTH
Phil
Add a Comment
ePHOTOzine, the web's friendliest photography community.
Upload photos, chat with photographers, win prizes and much more.
Login or Join Now
New to ePHOTOzine? Join ePHOTOzine for free!
Related Content
Join Our Free Newsletter
Awards
Current Competitions
foliopic 'Movement' Competition
1st May 2012 - 31st May 2012
This month's competition theme is 'Movement' which can be interpreted in a number of ways. You could photograph an animal running, a person walking or a car speeding...Featured e2 Photo
Featured Directory Listing
May's Photo Month
Check out ePHOTOzine's inspirational photo month calendar! Each day click on a window to unveil new photography tips, treats and techniques.
Interact
Photography Gallery Photography Forums Recent Forum Activity Members' Meetings Members' BlogsSearch ePHOTOzine
Having trouble or would like to make a suggestion? Create a report
Calibrate your monitor so you can see 16 different shades.
ePHOTOzine © 2001 - 2012 Magezine Publishing | Contact Us | Site Map | Top