Beetle and Lighting Fine Tuning

mjkzz · Post by **mjkzz** » Thu Aug 30, 2018 8:34 am

fine tuning lighting setup, still not very happy as there are too many "make shift" stuff. It took three tries to get this far, need a bit more to the left and top sides.

Lens used, ProOptics 12K line scan lens, but with 100mm extension tube so that magnification is about 1.25x

Sony A7III in electronic shutter and full frame mode
MJKZZ Ultra Rail
3 LEDs continuous lights
ProOptics with 100mm extension
Magnification is about 1.25x
Step size 0.1mm (100um)
ISO 100, Shutter Speed = 1/15s
91 JPEG images
Zerene Stacking Software

Larger image is much better.

grgh · Post by **grgh** » Thu Aug 30, 2018 9:45 am

Try this one with your mystery lens? same lighting, just for a comparison.

would like to see the difference.

nice shot though and yes perhaps lighting could be more on the left.

JH · Post by JH » Thu Aug 30, 2018 10:06 am

Nice, I like the light.
Best regards
Jörgen Hellberg

mjkzz · Post by **mjkzz** » Thu Aug 30, 2018 5:45 pm

Thanks grgh and JH.

Here is one done using that smaller lens. I have to move it closer to camera as the smaller lens has shorter working distance. Will do some over haul on the lighting setup.

Lens

Beatsy · Post by **Beatsy** » Fri Aug 31, 2018 4:49 am

Both look perfectly acceptable to me. Nice specimen too. Perhaps a teeny bit more diffusion, but not so much so as to lose the metallic sheen. That "mystery lens" is a great little performer - sorry if I missed it elsewhere, but have you figured out its focal length and aperture?

grgh · Post by **grgh** » Fri Aug 31, 2018 7:21 am

Beatsy wrote:Both look perfectly acceptable to me. Nice specimen too. Perhaps a teeny bit more diffusion, but not so much so as to lose the metallic sheen. That "mystery lens" is a great little performer - sorry if I missed it elsewhere, but have you figured out its focal length and aperture?

really hard to fault the mystery lens when this was a freebie?
and that for me, makes this little lens such a great keeper.
Its smaller, presumably much lighter to carry out in the field, and to use on a stacking rail system.

im with 'Beatsy' any idea on focal length and aperture.

mjkzz · Post by **mjkzz** » Sat Sep 01, 2018 4:01 am

thanks Beaty & grgh, yes, the small lens is very, very light, probably a less than 10 grams. I have to guess its focal length to be about 50mm, aperture is f/5.6 judging from its exposure compared to that ProOptics (f/5.3).

Lou Jost · Post by **Lou Jost** » Sat Sep 01, 2018 6:05 am

I think this would benefit from more diffuse light in the dark areas. You might like to try partial cross-polarization to control the ratio of highlight to diffuse light.

mjkzz · Post by **mjkzz** » Sun Sep 02, 2018 7:09 pm

thanks Lou, good idea

Lou Jost · Post by **Lou Jost** » Sun Sep 02, 2018 7:14 pm

I just posted an example here, using a plant as subject:
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... highlight=
Plants are different from beetles though, and you might get a mostly black image.

mjkzz · Post by **mjkzz** » Mon Sep 03, 2018 9:16 pm

thanks Lou, very nice comparison.

I was trying to mimic my friend's setup, though he showed me he complete setup, I still want to make it simpler

https://www.flickr.com/photos/161147146 ... ateposted/

Lou Jost · Post by **Lou Jost** » Mon Sep 03, 2018 9:20 pm

That example is very nicely done. Edited to add: The rest of his flickr stacked photos are also stunning!