More testing with the new lighting rig (pic heavy...again..)

[crimbfighter]

So, I finally finished the second arm for my macro lighting rig so now I have dual diffused flashes. Here's a crappy cell phone photo of the dual rig. I keep the two flashes on separate groups so I can easily adjust individual output for any desired lighting effect.


I'm still working out my technique with it, but each test run I improve. I've been playing with different combinations of SS, ISO, aperture, and flash output to find the ideal balance to get the sharpest photos possible. I think I'm still a little slow on my SS, so I'll probably bump the flash output for the next go to compensate for increasing the SS. Anyway, here are the ones I liked best from this batch.

Hover Fly



Random spidey


Overturned Pill Bug


Tending to the children


And Beeeeeeees!


Comin' in hot! (not the sharpest)


Just taking off


Preparing for takeoff (not super sharp either, but fun anyway!)

 

[weepete]

Proof of the pudding and all that. Nice shots!

 

[crimbfighter]

Proof of the pudding and all that. Nice shots!

Thanks!

 

[davholla14 1]

Very nice

 

[astroNikon]

nice pics

What lens are you using ?
and how far away are you on avg when you take a shot ?

 

[SquarePeg37 8]

Good stuff and very creative on the homemade (?) lighting rig! The first bee shot is my favorite. Also curious on what lens you used.

 

[smoke665]

Nice! Made even more so by the knowledge that you came up with the lighting rig.

 

[crimbfighter]

nice pics

What lens are you using ?
and how far away are you on avg when you take a shot ?

My Nikon 105mm f/2.8G. The distance to subjects varies depending on what I'm shooting. If the insects are on the move, I tend to set the focus distance a bit farther away so I can get a greater DOF, closers to 18 or 24 inches away, increasing my chances of getting the subject in the area of acceptable focus, then I crop in. Otherwise I leave the lens set at minimum focusing distance, which gives me about 10 inches of working distance from the subject. I almost never use the focus ring to get the subject in focus, but rather move the camera back and forth while watching the focus plane move over the subject. When I use extension tubes, then almost everything is shot with about 8 or 9 inches of working distance. Hope that answers your question.

Good stuff and very creative on the homemade (?) lighting rig! The first bee shot is my favorite. Also curious on what lens you used.

Thanks! It is homemade indeed! Most components I was able to purchase individually (though most of them are actually made for the manufacturing industry). The mounting block is totally custom. I designed it and had a machine shop make it. The diffusers, too, are custom made by me.

Nice! Made even more so by the knowledge that you came up with the lighting rig.

Thank you!

 

[astroNikon]

nice pics

What lens are you using ?
and how far away are you on avg when you take a shot ?

My Nikon 105mm f/2.8G. The distance to subjects varies depending on what I'm shooting. If the insects are on the move, I tend to set the focus distance a bit farther away so I can get a greater DOF, closers to 18 or 24 inches away, increasing my chances of getting the subject in the area of acceptable focus, then I crop in. Otherwise I leave the lens set at minimum focusing distance, which gives me about 10 inches of working distance from the subject. I almost never use the focus ring to get the subject in focus, but rather move the camera back and forth while watching the focus plane move over the subject. When I use extension tubes, then almost everything is shot with about 8 or 9 inches of working distance. Hope that answers your question.

Good stuff and very creative on the homemade (?) lighting rig! The first bee shot is my favorite. Also curious on what lens you used.

Thanks! It is homemade indeed! Most components I was able to purchase individually (though most of them are actually made for the manufacturing industry). The mounting block is totally custom. I designed it and had a machine shop make it. The diffusers, too, are custom made by me.

Nice! Made even more so by the knowledge that you came up with the lighting rig.

Thank you!

Yes it answers my question. Thanks.
I was going to get a 105/28 AF-D (a little cheaper) until my d600 took a tumble and I bought a D750. The 60mm seems just too short and required one to be too close.

I've done the same thing with moving myself/camera instead of the focus ring on my 24-85 in macro mode. It just seems easier to move.

 

[crimbfighter]

nice pics

What lens are you using ?
and how far away are you on avg when you take a shot ?

My Nikon 105mm f/2.8G. The distance to subjects varies depending on what I'm shooting. If the insects are on the move, I tend to set the focus distance a bit farther away so I can get a greater DOF, closers to 18 or 24 inches away, increasing my chances of getting the subject in the area of acceptable focus, then I crop in. Otherwise I leave the lens set at minimum focusing distance, which gives me about 10 inches of working distance from the subject. I almost never use the focus ring to get the subject in focus, but rather move the camera back and forth while watching the focus plane move over the subject. When I use extension tubes, then almost everything is shot with about 8 or 9 inches of working distance. Hope that answers your question.

Good stuff and very creative on the homemade (?) lighting rig! The first bee shot is my favorite. Also curious on what lens you used.

Thanks! It is homemade indeed! Most components I was able to purchase individually (though most of them are actually made for the manufacturing industry). The mounting block is totally custom. I designed it and had a machine shop make it. The diffusers, too, are custom made by me.

Nice! Made even more so by the knowledge that you came up with the lighting rig.

Thank you!

Yes it answers my question. Thanks.
I was going to get a 105/28 AF-D (a little cheaper) until my d600 took a tumble and I bought a D750. The 60mm seems just too short and required one to be too close.

I've done the same thing with moving myself/camera instead of the focus ring on my 24-85 in macro mode. It just seems easier to move.

Yeah, I've played with the 60mm. Depending on the subjects you're shooting, I did like the wider FOV, but I agree, the working distance is a problem for me..

 

[davholla14 1]

The woodlouse is my favourite but all are good. What are the flash arms that you are using?

 

[Overread17 5]

Great looking setup. Ive tried the flexi arms before but the ones I used were probably half as thick andvwere no use for a steady speedlite flash.

One thought is you might consider a diffuser that is the opposite way around to the ones you have there . The idea being that most bugs are a 3d shape, but light falls off inverly over distance, thus a flat or convex light source will have more light hitting the middle of the bug and less at the edges. Whilst is you mack a concave light source you are changing the distances to be a little more even. Ive also seen this done with a second diffuser over tge lens hood and curved with the lend body profie, though tht tends to be on the mpe65mm, which has very small working distances

 

[crimbfighter]

The woodlouse is my favourite but all are good. What are the flash arms that you are using?

They are a commercially available product used in the manufacturing industry. It's not something that, often crosses into the photography world.

Great looking setup. Ive tried the flexi arms before but the ones I used were probably half as thick andvwere no use for a steady speedlite flash.

One thought is you might consider a diffuser that is the opposite way around to the ones you have there . The idea being that most bugs are a 3d shape, but light falls off inverly over distance, thus a flat or convex light source will have more light hitting the middle of the bug and less at the edges. Whilst is you mack a concave light source you are changing the distances to be a little more even. Ive also seen this done with a second diffuser over tge lens hood and curved with the lend body profie, though tht tends to be on the mpe65mm, which has very small working distances

That's a good point about the diffusers. I've looked at the diffusers that I've seen others using and had noted how they were often flat or concave, as viewed from the subject, but hadn't really thought too much about why. But, you make a good point. I had previously thought about how I could make a flat ended diffuser, but the challenge comes in when trying to make them one piece, and lay flat for storage. Compound angles or sharp creases are challenging to get to lay flat or be made from one piece. Your suggestion did spark a new idea, though. I think I'll try a modification to the diffusers which should give them a concave front but still be simple in design. Thanks for the feedback!

 

[tirediron]

The woodlouse is my favourite but all are good. What are the flash arms that you are using?

They are a commercially available product used in the manufacturing industry. It's not something that, often crosses into the photography world.

They look like the same arms I use with my dial indicator on the lathe.

 

[crimbfighter]

The woodlouse is my favourite but all are good. What are the flash arms that you are using?

They are a commercially available product used in the manufacturing industry. It's not something that, often crosses into the photography world.

They look like the same arms I use with my dial indicator on the lathe.

They're actually used to deliver liquid coolant to the cutting tools in mills, lathes, etc. I used them for years as a tool & die maker, which is why I knew they were exactly what I was looking for They are used for other applications, periodically, but coolant delivery is their primary function.