Macro Cactii for C&C

[bgaideski]

I posted these images on my blog a while back but never got any C&C on them. Please let me know what you think. This is one of my better macro shoots, even though it is slightly dark.

The whole set is located at the link below:
Photos by Brian Gaideski: Macro Cactii

Any ideas of improvements I can make? These were taken on a D60 using a 50mm 1.8 attached with a reversal ring.

 

[wgp1987]

Photos seem underexposed and color is lacking. The composition isnt very apealing either.

 

[bazooka]

I like #3... you can almost feel the surface tension of the water. But I agree that it is underexposed and the colors are muted.

 

[bgaideski]

As far as these shots go, there wasn't much I could do with the color. Well, unless i picked something else to take pictures of. These cacti are actually very close in color to what the pictures turned out as. These particular shots have very little PP, so I could try to edit them and make some more of the colors pop out.

Has anyone here had much experience with using a 50mm and a reversal ring? I'm looking for hints to help improve my macros. I'm looking at a real macro lens right now its a little out of my budget.

thanks for the comments.

bazooka, are you a coin collector or metal detector? Thats a nice Barber you have in your avatar.

 

[Ron Evers]

I'm looking at a real macro lens right now its a little out of my budget.

You might consider a set of extension tubes as a set of three provides many levels of magnification.

Here is a Pecan nut shot with a Minolta 55mm f1.7 + extension tubes on a Panasonic G1.

 

[Casshew]

I am now completely terrified of pecans

 

[Ron Evers]

I am now completely terrified of pecans

Laf, macro sure give one a different perspective of common things we really do not see.

 

[bgaideski]

ron, those are great pictures.

so im clear; an extension tube is like a reversal ring (lens screws on backwards), but you can change the size so that it magnifies to different levels?

how much does a set of three cost? would it be more effective to get a macro lens? those are quite pricey.

 

[Ron Evers]

ron, those are great pictures.

so im clear; an extension tube is like a reversal ring (lens screws on backwards), but you can change the size so that it magnifies to different levels?

how much does a set of three cost? would it be more effective to get a macro lens? those are quite pricey.

The simplest set of extension tubes with no auto features cost about $10 on ebay & that is what I used for the pecan pics I posted. At greater cost, you can get tubes that couple your auto features with the lens.

Extension tubes occupy space between the camera body & your lens mounted naturally i.e. not reversed. I have counted 7 combination of the three tubes to provide different levels of magnification. One set of Minolta mount tubes that I have consists of:
12mm
20mm &
36mm
which yield lengths of 12, 20, 32, 36, 48, 56, 68mm.

Here is a pic to demonstrate:

 

[bgaideski]

Don,

Thanks for clearing that up, the pictures and your description was exactly the sort of explanation I was looking for. I will now be looking at extension tubs as an option instead of a macro lens. All depends on my budget i suppose.

 

[tdiprincess]

Another thread that has proved extremely helpful! Thanks, and great pics of the cacti. I really liked the last 2. I think I will be investing in some extension tubes myself, since I too love macro shots!

Question: Can you run multiple auto extension tubes together? I can't find any 3-ring auto ones.. This may be a silly noob question? Or after one extension do you need to be in manual?

 

[Ron Evers]

Another thread that has proved extremely helpful! Thanks, and great pics of the cacti. I really liked the last 2. I think I will be investing in some extension tubes myself, since I too love macro shots!

Question: Can you run multiple auto extension tubes together? I can't find any 3-ring auto ones.. This may be a silly noob question? Or after one extension do you need to be in manual?

In the pic below you will see two sets of extension tubes with Minolta mount. The set on the left couple the auto aperture from the camera to the lens in any combination of tubes; each tube has a bayonet male/female end. The set on the right, $10 from ebay, screw together with one each screw on male and female end.

As long as your lens has an aperture ring one does not need the auto coupling as you can manually set the aperture on the lens & with the camera set in aperture priority the camera will meter the exposure.

Since I am using Minolta lenses on a Panasonic G1, with an adapter, the auto stuff is of no use at all. I also have cheap ebay tubes to use Pentax lenses on the G1.

 

[tdiprincess]

Thank you very much!