Question about MACRO photography!!

[Stormchase]

I love nature and bug shots with my 90mm macro. Im very happy with the lens... but I long for more and I have been thinking about ideas for future purchases. I have been looking to get shots like #1 and #2 on this link here:
80 Stunning Examples Of Macro Photography | Inspiration | instantShift

Now I have heard of microscope photography, would this be it on a minor level? doubt it but i have hear of shooting insects this way. how would I go about getting a shot like this? (equipment wise)What would you think was used to get this close? I have been looking at a +2.0 tele before i saw this www.

 

[Stormchase]

Any thoughts?

 

[DaevidClarke]

i think its literally a stereoscope attachment. ive seen pics of a camera and its lens sitting on top of a microscope, but ive only ever seen this with older 35s; havent seen new ones. could be wrong tho.

 

[Dao]

I think with the MPE-65mm, you got 5X the life size. I guess I will wait for Overread to chime in.

In the meantime, search "MPE-65mm" in flickr will yield some result. Of course, lighting is important. And focus stacking maybe helpful as well.

 

[Aayria]

GAH! Somebody needs to post a warning on that link NOT to view it right after breakfast.....

 

[benlonghair]

Heh, i was gonna recommend you check out Paul Licht (stuntbear) on flickr, but I see some of his work is included.

I know for a fact that he crops the shiat out of his images. Still amazing as hell.

 

[Stormchase]

Thanks Dao!
yes yes yes yes ! It looks like the MPE-65mm. Wow spectacular is all i have to say!!
Im in love lol. I never hear about this lens untill now. Close to 1k for the lens but OMG the image quality and what the images look like! It will sit on a wish list for now.
With that said , and i really doubt this, but it there a cheaper way lol?? I was even thinking of a magnifying glass but i just need to get closer!

 

[Stormchase]

GAH! Somebody needs to post a warning on that link NOT to view it right after breakfast.....

lol sorry

 

[Overread]

I'm almost willing to bet that that first shot is one of Dalentechs- certainly looks similar to his work
No Cropping Zone

No cropping (or focus stacking) in his set - those are single exposures from the camera!

Suffice to say the standard lens for this work is the Canon MPE 65mm macro lens - however it is one of the hardest lenses to learn to use and to use well takes a lot of practise (I am by no means even close to this).
I would however say before you get the MPE do try out some methods for getting greater than 1:1 magnification from your 90mm lens first. I say this because it really is a lot harder and for some it just proves to be too hard. A set of Kenko AF extension tubes, a 1.4 teleconverter and a raynox diopter (I used a DCR 250) are all things you can use to give yourself more magnifiaction from your current macro lens without breaking the bank on the MPE.

Also for any interested the MPE is certainly not the only (nor infact the best - in terms of sharpness and resolution) method you can use.

Flickr: johnhallmen's Photostream

This guy does a lot of highmagnification work and details many of his setups in his flickr and its well worth a read for any interested in this area.

 

[Dao]

What took you so long, Overread? LOL (j/k)

More about the MPE-65mm lens

Juza Nature Photography

 

[Overread]

hey I was... on my lunch break!

And Juza misses out one important "limitation" of the MPE - and that is that it starts at 1:1 macro. This might sound good, but it can be quite limiting at time with larger insects and flowers in the field. So even if you do get the MPE a regular macro lens still very much has a place in your working setup.

 

[Dao]

Man ... Flickr: johnhallmen's Photostream <--- his works are ...wow!

 

[Overread]

If you need more:

Flickr: Makrofetischist's Photostream
Flickr: Gustavo Mazzarollo's Photostream
Flickr: Lacewing!'s Photostream
Flickr: henk.wallays' Photostream
Flickr: Robert Seber's Photostream
Collection: Nature and Event Photography
Flickr: liewwk - www.liewwkphoto.com's Photostream
Flickr: Andrew Robertson's Photostream
Flickr: Dalantech's Photostream
Flickr: Lord V's Photostream

And finally SteB who has some new flash diffusions designs that are worth reading about
Flickr: steb1's Photostream

 

[Derrel]

You could use some pretty simple gear and electronic flash. Something like a 200mm lens with a 20mm lens reverse-mounted on the front of it.

 

[Stormchase]

Overread thank you for the info!
Is it safe to say that this type of work is in studio?

Tubes just get you closer right? As it is im pretty close for any living creature. I was thinking about that route but I wasnt sure if closer is what I was looking for, more bigger. I notice with my hood on I will bump the leaf the bug is on when trying to max out. So diopter 1.4 or 2.0. I noticed they have 4.0 and 5.0 but again, i do not here much about that size so i dont know how legit it is for quality. I guess you loose light when using them?

Also I would like to work into it before dropping the big bill on a lens like that. So you have some good ideas. I would like to learn more on stacking and I might be working on it soon and hope to have a shot to post up here. I believe that is a big part of the WOW effect on the photos.

I do have lots of patients for doing this sort of thing. I just need practice, equipment, and knowledge. Those setups these people have for shooting this extream macro looks extravagent and im sure there is a good price tag to the set up. Step one of 25 ... studio stacking lol.
I do think that it would be worth it tho!