Leaf Rollling Weevil (update: another image added)

Chris S. · Post by **Chris S.** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 3:27 pm

John, I'm intrigued that you stopped down your 40x objective. Would you might telling how you did that? I presume you rigged a Waterhouse stop--did you need to disassemble your lens and place it in the nodal point?

--Chris

Craig Gerard · Post by **Craig Gerard** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 6:07 pm

Chris,

Here is same related reading in regard to your question.

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... php?t=9321

Craig

Chris S. · Post by **Chris S.** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 6:42 pm

Craig, thanks--I'd completely missed much of that important conversation. I well recall John's initial post and a bit of the followup, but somehow missed the rest of the conversation. Makes me wonder how many other good threads I only think I know.

John, no need to repeat things here.

Cheers,

--Chris

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 7:10 pm

Chris S. wrote:Makes me wonder how many other good threads I only think I know.

Well, just as an indicator of the possibilities, we have over 1400 threads in the Technique and Equipment forums alone.

I've read them all in passing, but most of them would not come to mind without prompting.

--Rik

morfa · Post by **morfa** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 4:26 am

I appear to have missed a couple of question marks in this thread – sorry!

How long do you spend post-processing (not the stereograms but only making adjustments etc) an image if I may ask?

This depends a lot and is very difficult to say since I often find myself returning to an image several times (sometimes over the course of weeks or months) before I'm happy with it. I'm very mood-based in my approach – if I feel like shooting, I shoot and leave the rest for some other time. Other times I feel more like stacking or retouching and then it's good to have projects in different states.

If I know that I want to make a stereogram I spend time on trial-stacks etcetera in order to minimize the need for complex post processing that has to be repeated in multiple stacks. I'm well acquainted with PS so if I'm mainly interested in a regular non-stereo image a lot of time and effort can often be saved by settling for decent/mediocre source files and fix the rest in post.

Chris S wrote:John, I'm intrigued that you stopped down your 40x objective.

Yes, the thread Craig linked to shows the variable iris I used for this! I've had variable success using this technique with different objectives. The perspective change can often be problematic (hideous CA and/or distortion are other potential, unwanted side effects). This 40x is certainly one of the better ones I've tried in this regard.

seta666 · Post by **seta666** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 10:40 am

I love this series, I saw it first in your flickr. I was amazed by the quality this SLWD lens delivers. How would you compare it to the 20/0.40 ELWD you also own? Have you tried pushing the 20x to 40x?
Regards
Javier

morfa · Post by **morfa** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 12:49 pm

seta666 wrote:How would you compare it to the 20/0.40 ELWD you also own? Have you tried pushing the 20x to 40x?

I've been stuck in the infinity-swamp in terms of testing for a while now but the BD Plan 20x ELWD vs. M Plan 40x SLWD is definitely on the to do list. My general feeling, having used both on their own but never compared them head to head, is that I like the 40x more. I've never used the 20x at 40x but I was surprised with how good the 40x was at slightly below 30x (on a FF sensor).

MacroLab3D · Post by **MacroLab3D** » Sun Apr 02, 2017 2:17 am

This looks mindblowing in Oculus Rift+Virtual Desktop, Half SBS(F6). Breathtaking.

Troels · Post by **Troels** » Sun Apr 02, 2017 9:43 am

Wonderful and amazing pictures.
John's book "Bugs" ("Kryb" på dansk) was my first introduction to focus stacking and the experience that made me want to learn this technique myself.

Concerning the shape of the mouthparts at the tip of the proboscis it is not obvious to me how the koncave sided movable parts could be used for cutting a leaf. As others have noted they look rather blunt. I think the really cutting parts are hidden and protected while not in use.

But perhaps cutting is the easiest part of the roll building. I have once observed a leaf rolling beetle working on a birch leaf. After having cut the leaf from both sides to the central nerve the sides have to be rolled around each other in a cone shape and fixed in some way to prevent it from springing open again.

Apparently the blunt movable parts are better suited for gripping the edge of a leaf while pulling it tight in the desired shape.

On the 40x ventral view I also noticed two small organs looking very similar to the silk glands or spinnerets on a spider. Since the beetle has to fix the edges after rolling the leaf this might be the source for the glue or sticky silk.

So wee are probably looking at a highly advanced combination tool designed for cutting, gripping, pulling and gluing. Besides eating of course.

It would be nice if anybody could contribute with more exact knowledge.

Troels

[Edit: Just forgot to mention that this tool also have ELWD]

Cactusdave · Post by **Cactusdave** » Mon Apr 03, 2017 9:10 am

I don't want to invade this rather old thread with a completely different topic, but I noticed this from MacroLab3D:

This looks mindblowing in Oculus Rift+Virtual Desktop, Half SBS(F6). Breathtaking.

I've been thinking recently about using VR with stereo images, having seen it demonstrated, but it didn't look like something for the amateur. I'd like to know how you set this up.