Search found 91 matches

by billjanes1
Sat Jul 22, 2017 2:00 pm
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: Strange Artifact with DMAP
Replies: 7
Views: 2885

I cannot remember a problem like this ever being reported before. The EXIF data shows that this was shot with a Nikon D3 using 105 mm f/2.8 lens at f/5.6, with an exposure time of 1/125 second. Is that correct? If so, then I cannot think of any reason why there would be periodic defocusing of the i...
by billjanes1
Tue Jul 18, 2017 4:38 pm
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: Strange Artifact with DMAP
Replies: 7
Views: 2885

Strange Artifact with DMAP

Today I was doing depth of field focus step to check for focus banding and noted a strange banding artifact with DMAP and also with Helicon using metohod 2 (depth map). After some experimenting I think I found the cause. The stack was takin under florescent illumination using magnetic ballast and li...
by billjanes1
Tue Jul 18, 2017 8:14 am
Forum: Technical and Studio Photography -- Macro and Close-up
Topic: Ant Face
Replies: 8
Views: 1419

Sharks, Your photos are wonderful and your setup is ingenious. Is the base of the system a metal breadboard or merely some type of plywood covered with a dark fabric. Thanks, Bill I use a carbon fiber covered wood cutting board. :) Thanks Much cheaper than a metal optical breadboard. The do it your...
by billjanes1
Tue Jul 18, 2017 5:14 am
Forum: Technical and Studio Photography -- Macro and Close-up
Topic: Ant Face
Replies: 8
Views: 1419

Sharks,

Your photos are wonderful and your setup is ingenious. Is the base of the system a metal breadboard or merely some type of plywood covered with a dark fabric.

Thanks,

Bill
by billjanes1
Mon Jul 10, 2017 2:25 pm
Forum: Equipment Discussions
Topic: Old Nikkor 105/2.5 vs. 200/4 as tube lens?
Replies: 17
Views: 4705

I've had good luck with both the 200QC and 200AI/AIS versions as tube lenses. If you go for a 200Q, I recommend getting the 200QC version with coated optics. Many of these later versions (including mine) were AI converted with factory aperture rings, so look for one of those if you're going to moun...
by billjanes1
Mon Jul 10, 2017 6:56 am
Forum: Equipment Discussions
Topic: Old Nikkor 105/2.5 vs. 200/4 as tube lens?
Replies: 17
Views: 4705

Re: Old Nikkor 105/2.5 vs. 200/4 as tube lens?

My mother-in-law just gifted me some of her old 70s/80s Nikon equipment for the express purpose to sell most of it. But there's a lens or two that I might want to keep. Among those are a Nikkor 105/2.5 and a Nikkor 200/4. The latter has been used to good effect as a tube lens, according to a forum ...
by billjanes1
Thu Jun 22, 2017 5:17 am
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: Advice on Creating a Lighting System
Replies: 3
Views: 1236

Hi Charles! Thanks for the comment. Yes I realized that the output values are very low like 30 lumens. Do you think it is not enough for illuminating very small objects? I use Ikea Jansjö lamps and their output is like 75lm according to their web-site. Lumens are not a good measure of the luminous ...
by billjanes1
Thu May 18, 2017 3:10 pm
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: Amazing sharp flower stack at 12 ft working distance
Replies: 7
Views: 2294

Re: Billjanes and JohnyM

Billjanes, I did not realize that this forum prefers only Zerene Stacker photos and not photos stacked by other programs. Therefore, I will not post anymore stacks until I learn Zerene Stacker. I am off to learn Zerene Stacker. Leon Leon, I am sorry that I gave you the wrong impression and am glad ...
by billjanes1
Wed May 17, 2017 6:26 pm
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: Amazing sharp flower stack at 12 ft working distance
Replies: 7
Views: 2294

Re: Amazing sharp flower stack at 12 ft working distance

To continue my learning how to perform photo stacking using Photoshop CS6, I decided to try and stack photos of my wife's Memorial Day bouquet of flowers. I photographed the flowers with the Nikkor 300mm f/4E PF lens mounted on a Nikon D500 camera. The bouquet of flowers was 12 inches wide, so I ha...
by billjanes1
Thu May 11, 2017 6:14 am
Forum: Equipment Discussions
Topic: Astrophotographer contemplates extreme macro
Replies: 31
Views: 9380

Y A general question though, is there are reason I should bother buying something like a Nikon AI-S 200mm F/4 or a Nikon 105mm F/2.8 Micro when I can just go to ThorLabs and get an Infinity Corrected 200mm or 100mm Tube lens? I've been scouring the forums but haven't really been able to find much o...
by billjanes1
Wed May 10, 2017 9:27 am
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: Correcting for vignetting
Replies: 4
Views: 1117

Re: Correcting for vignetting

I notice that there is a lot of discussion about vignetting from some tube lens', some being better than others in that regard. So I thought I would go and lay out some of my astrophotography techniques that may be of interest to others. What this image shows is the process. The image on the right ...
by billjanes1
Tue May 09, 2017 8:20 am
Forum: Equipment Discussions
Topic: Astrophotographer contemplates extreme macro
Replies: 31
Views: 9380

Advice on Tube Lens

AtmosFearIC, welcome aboard! The obvious place to start is with the Mitutoyo M Plan Apo 5X NA 0.14, which delivers that magnification in combination with a 200 mm tube lens. However, on APS-C sensor, everything in this series can be either used at rated magnification on a 200 mm tube lens, or pushe...
by billjanes1
Sun Apr 23, 2017 11:58 am
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: Help with transparency artifact
Replies: 6
Views: 1617

In your second picture, there is a lot of DMap artefacts The second picture was a 1:1 view of the first, which was stacked with PMax, so I don't understand why it shows DMap artifacts. I agree with Jörgen's analysis. There's no way the posted 1:1 view was constructed by PMax. PMax does not give lig...
by billjanes1
Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:12 am
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: Help with transparency artifact
Replies: 6
Views: 1617

Flies are sometimes annoyingly difficult to stack. There could be hours of retouching. I usually end up with one or two sub-stacks for every large bristle. In your second picture, there is a lot of DMap artefacts - a frequent problem with bristles - but also some areas that looks like they are out ...
by billjanes1
Sat Apr 22, 2017 7:32 am
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: Help with transparency artifact
Replies: 6
Views: 1617

Help with transparency artifact

I am just getting into extreme macro and am not sure if I should post this here or in the beginner's forum, but will try to post here. This is my first try. I captured a house fly and took 96 shots with the Mitutoyo 5x NA 0.14 using the Nikon d800e with a 200 mm f/4 AI Nikkor as a tube lens. Focus s...