Help me With Macro

[petrochemist127 152]

Because you are using a flash you are limited on the R7 to 1/320 shutter speed. Look at my pics, the shutter speed is 1/3200 without flash.

This shutter limit is generally irrelevant as the image recorded is effectively all from the duration of the flash (roughly 1/1000s) faster than most shutters will go to.

 

[smoke665]

Thanks. Can I ask how close your lenses are to the bugs?

Minimum focus will vary depending on lens design, however it should be noted that the "sweet spot" for sharpness (like aperture) is not at the extreme of either end. Most of my glass, the sweet spot is in the range of f/5.6-8, backing off the minimum distance not only increases the DOF, but adds sharpness also.

Because you are using a flash you are limited on the R7 to 1/320 shutter speed

The way around that is to use a compatible flash in HSS, preferably a ring flash. Look at The GODOX MF-R76N, or the Nissan MF18. Switching to HSS gives you faster effective shutter speeds, lower ISO, and better background separation.

 

[407370]

I tried Godox MF-12 macro flash and it just generated horrendous hot spots on anything remotely shiny. Brilliant off camera but useless for bug pics in the wild:

I also tried the Godox V1 (In High Speed Sync) but it was adding too much weight to be handled quickly.

Might give these another try just to see.

CHEERS
JBO

 

[Thiophilos]

Nice scorpionfly!

The flash duration is much shorter than the shutter speed - around 1/1000 at half power, and usually I'm at 1/4 power, which gives even shorter flash durations. If I'm not in the sun, the flash defines the exposure time.

Most of my shots are with the flash (diffused), but not all. The grasshopper was ambient light. I have lots of other macro shots taken in ambient light, and in some cases with both flash and natural. Those are interesting comparisons.

There is more than one way to do macro successfully.

 

[Thiophilos]

I tried Godox MF-12 macro flash and it just generated horrendous hot spots on anything remotely shiny. Brilliant off camera but useless for bug pics in the wild:

View attachment 292331

I also tried the Godox V1 (In High Speed Sync) but it was adding too much weight to be handled quickly.

Might give these another try just to see.

CHEERS
JBO

I have the MF-12 twin flash. I diffuse them for macro work. They work well for some subjects but give double highlights in shiny subjects. That is not ideal. The MF-12s are also a bit wimpy in power - need to use them at full power or close to it. That increases the flash duration, and that increases the chance of motion blur.

Basically, they work, but IMO my regular flash rig works better.

I have put them aside.

 

[smoke665]

tried Godox MF-12 macro flash and it just generated horrendous hot spots on anything remotely shiny. Brilliant off camera but useless for bug pics in the wild

The solution there is cross polarization, you place a polarizing linear film on the flash and a polarizing filter on the camera lens. The light passing through the film is polarized, as it hits the surface of the subject it becomes reflected and most of it turns into diffuse, unpolarized light again. Except, for the specular component of the reflection, which is still polarized and can therefore be cancelled out by employing a secondary polarizer filter in front of our lens, which leaves you without the Hotspot.

also tried the Godox V1 (In High Speed Sync) but it was adding too much weight to be handled quickly.

Ring lights aren't heavy, and a quality diffused model will minimize hotspots https://www.amazon.com/s?k=godox+mf...bcc576&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_1nl9ei6y2j_e

 

[petrochemist127 152]

Ring lights aren't heavy, and a quality diffused model will minimize hotspots

Cheap LED ring lights on the other hand give a host of hotspots.

 

[smoke665]

Cheap LED ring lights on the other hand give a host of hotspots.

That's why I specified "quality"

 

[Thiophilos]

With diffused flash:

Natural light:

Which is better?

 

[Thiophilos]

Natural light works very well with big bugs like butterflies and dragonflies. But it becomes progressively more difficult as you go to smaller subjects. Light diminishes, DOF shrinks, shake intensifies as you move closer. Flash becomes a big benefit.

This clouded plant bug is tiny, and was photographed with flash.

A tiny leafhopper nymph, taken with flash.

Fruit flies look like dark specks to the naked eye, but show interesting detail up close. Shot with flash.

 

[407370]

We all make use of the gear we have and how individually we get the best results from our own systems.

Everyone has their own workflow and we can learn from each other. Nobody knows everything.

Dragonflies nose:

CHEERS
JBO

 

[William Baroo]

For some bizarre reason, Seagate is selling Ironwolf Pro 14TB drives for $230 right now. That is a lot cheaper than good 10TB drives, so I bought two.

 

[William Baroo]

Got the drives installed. Kept my 5TB external in case the house catches fire. Backed up my phone to Google, for what that's worth. Maybe I'll splurge for a real cloud account.