Vine Sphinx Moth at 20X

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dmillard
Posts: 636
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2006 7:37 pm
Location: Austin, Texas

Vine Sphinx Moth at 20X

Post by dmillard »

Image

Vine Sphinx Moth (Eumorpha vitis)
Nikon M Plan ELWD 20/0.4

augusthouse
Posts: 1195
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2006 1:39 am
Location: New South Wales Australia

Post by augusthouse »

Hi David,
It appears we have both been shooting with a Nikon M Plan ELWD 20/0.4 today, so I can appreciate the challenges. My attempts have not proven to be as fine as this one though. I have been trialing an objective that arrived a couple of days ago.

You have me intrigued. Would like to see an image of your vertical setup.

Watching your uploads with interest as always.

Craig
Last edited by augusthouse on Fri Aug 15, 2008 4:15 pm, edited 2 times in total.
To use a classic quote from 'Antz' - "I almost know exactly what I'm doing!"

dmillard
Posts: 636
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2006 7:37 pm
Location: Austin, Texas

Post by dmillard »

augusthouse wrote:Hi David,
It appears we have both been shooting with a Nikon M Plan ELWD 20/0.4 today, so I can appreciate the challenges. My attempts have not proven to be as fine as this one though. I have been trialling an objective that arrived a couple of days ago.
You have me intrigued. Would like to see an image of your vertcial setup.
Craig
Thanks Craig -

I'll post an image of my vertical set-up this weekend, and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing your 20X images when you have some that please you.

David

augusthouse
Posts: 1195
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2006 1:39 am
Location: New South Wales Australia

Post by augusthouse »

David,
Apart from any pre-stack PP or post stack PP ( but feel free to mention them :D ), what were the settings used in HF in regard to Smoothing and Radius?

Craig

P.S. I noticed you have 'backed-up' your Nikon M Plan ELWD 20/0.4.
To use a classic quote from 'Antz' - "I almost know exactly what I'm doing!"

dmillard
Posts: 636
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2006 7:37 pm
Location: Austin, Texas

Post by dmillard »

augusthouse wrote:David,
Apart from any pre-stack PP or post stack PP ( but feel free to mention them :D ), what were the settings used in HF in regard to Smoothing and Radius?

Craig

P.S. I noticed you have 'backed-up' your Nikon M Plan ELWD 20/0.4.
Hello Craig -

I just used the HF defaults (off the top of my head 8 and 4, but possibly the reverse). And yes, I did get a back-up 20X :)

David

dmillard
Posts: 636
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2006 7:37 pm
Location: Austin, Texas

Post by dmillard »

augusthouse wrote:Hi David,
It appears we have both been shooting with a Nikon M Plan ELWD 20/0.4 today, so I can appreciate the challenges. My attempts have not proven to be as fine as this one though. I have been trialing an objective that arrived a couple of days ago.

You have me intrigued. Would like to see an image of your vertical setup.
Hello Craig -

I just posted an image of my vertical setup here:

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... php?t=5573

I also have an older black Aristophot stand that I can use with an Ortholux base to get finer resolution between slices, but its slower to work with and considerably more massive (I use our bathroom temporarily for taking vertical images, so ease of setup and breakdown is a consideration).

augusthouse wrote:I'm still working on the stacking software output. Just attempting to become familiar with the various parameters, what the programs like to be fed (my input) and pre-stack PP and post-stack PP.

That's where I'm at with it all at the moment. I expect to be here for some time; but it's a pleasant learning curve.
That's where I'm at the moment also. I took several stacks this weekend, all iridescent subjects like your Papilio peranthus (Papilio paris, Battus philenor, peacock tailfeathers), but although they all looked wonderful in the viewfinder, the stacks were disappointing
:? So, I'm either going to carefully experiment with different settings, or offer some sacrifices to the stacking gods.

David

augusthouse
Posts: 1195
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2006 1:39 am
Location: New South Wales Australia

Post by augusthouse »

Hi David,

Yep, I saw your setup post before receiving the reply to this thread.

First question: Are you happy with the individual 'slices'? Don't discard them. Their day will come.

Do you have the lastest version of HF for the Mac. Does it include Method B? (I'm about to check) Not having access to CZP and Tufuse Pro is limiting; but PhotoAcute does have it's good points.

There are many options in addition to the stacking; especially in pre-stack PP and a number of techniques the other members have been using in post-stack PP. I'm still exploring those aspects also. It is proving to be not only an exercise in problem solving but also one of discovery with regard to possibilities.

Would be good to put up a contact-sheet of a shallow stack and see if the others can kick in with some suggestions.

The iridescence is always going to be challenging. There is an acceptable compromise with the lighting and diffusion in regard to the subject that needs to be discovered - and then pushed to its limit. This can be a very rewarding exercise.

Back to my original question: Are you happy with the individual 'slices'?

Craig
To use a classic quote from 'Antz' - "I almost know exactly what I'm doing!"

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