Canon/Nikon DSLR Users

[fishsticks4sale]

Wondering if we have MACRO canon or nikon users on here, i wanted to share some of my latest snaps. im using a canon 100mm L Series macro lens along with my canon 60D. Please share your MACRO photography with the world

This picture here is of my chalice.

 

[Misled]

Pretty much all of us. Nikon.

 

[fishsticks4sale]

great pic! what is it :hmm3: lol. what's ur cam set up?

 

[mwladdicted]

Just a couple, using a 105mm nikon.

-Tom

 

[plantastic]

Cannon 60D here with 100mm2.8 (non-L)

These were shot with stunner strips only...on tripod and with remote shutter...exposures were in the 10 to 20 second region...PP with PS Elements and Nik Software plug-ins. My next lens is going to be the MPE 65...amazing close-up abilities!

Thanks for looking...

 

[Reef Bass]

I think the above pic demonstrates how easy it is to overexpose blue with led lighting. I see this more and more as people switch to led lights. Not the usual white balance / high color temp source lighting issue (though there is often some of that), but blown out and completely flat.

It makes me wonder if camera sensors are unusually sensitive to led light or simply the photographer is not paying attention to exposure?

 

[BlueCorn]

I think the above pic demonstrates how easy it is to overexpose blue with led lighting. I see this more and more as people switch to led lights. Not the usual white balance / high color temp source lighting issue (though there is often some of that), but blown out and completely flat.

It makes me wonder if camera sensors are unusually sensitive to led light or simply the photographer is not paying attention to exposure?

That's one reason why I recommend using the RGB histogram. When only one channel is clipped it doesn't show up on the normal luminosity histogram. By the time the clipping is visible in the image there's too much data lost to recover.

 

[Reef Bass]

Ah, that's the kind of insight I was looking for, thanks.

 

[BlueCorn]

Salt and pepper.

Taken with the "kit" 18-55* lens that came with my first DSLR.




(*slightly modified)

 

[plantastic]

Blue Corn-

Awesome shot and concept!

It was very difficult to process those photos...for me especially...I am not well versed in the full capabilities of PP...and I have no inspiration to learn...I hate sitting at a computer.

I am much more the filters on camera, full manual, out of the camera kind of guy...for whatever reason, taking time to set up and get the shot seems like less work for me, than clicking a mouse...HAHAHA!

My interpretation of what was going on, was that the only light provided was a narrow wavelength of blue (455nmLED)...as opposed to a more broad spectrum of blue (whatever Kelvin Halide)...so the clear parts of the animal allow the blue to penetrate, and the parts of the animal that excite due to the wavelength, reflect their flourescence. Everything else gets blown out, because the ambient light is so specific. I have no idea if that is correct...just what I reasoning when trying to PP.

When you say you recommend the histogram...are you refering to the line graph representing color, as opposed to the tint bar? I use Photoshop Elements, is what you are talking about on there?

 

[Allmost]

Salt and pepper.

Taken with the "kit" 18-55* lens that came with my first DSLR.




(*slightly modified)

how small is the salt ? a grain ? ! how did u take such a close up with that lens ? lol intersted to know what the modification was about.

some pics to share.
millie

Red bug

 

[Misled]

great pic! what is it :hmm3: lol.

The underside of this.

what's ur cam set up?

Nikon D200, 105mm 2.8. but that really has no bearing on it.

 

[BlueCorn]

Blue Corn-

Awesome shot and concept!

It was very difficult to process those photos...for me especially...I am not well versed in the full capabilities of PP...and I have no inspiration to learn...I hate sitting at a computer.

I am much more the filters on camera, full manual, out of the camera kind of guy...for whatever reason, taking time to set up and get the shot seems like less work for me, than clicking a mouse...HAHAHA!

I am too, but your camera never expected you to be taking pictures under the lighting conditions we use in our tanks. With film we used daylight, tungsten, etc... film to correct our white balance. Using RAW and adjusting later really is the easiest way to solve the problem.

My interpretation of what was going on, was that the only light provided was a narrow wavelength of blue (455nmLED)...as opposed to a more broad spectrum of blue (whatever Kelvin Halide)...so the clear parts of the animal allow the blue to penetrate, and the parts of the animal that excite due to the wavelength, reflect their flourescence. Everything else gets blown out, because the ambient light is so specific. I have no idea if that is correct...just what I reasoning when trying to PP.

It's actually the blue that gets blown. The camera uses an averaging of the light to determine the exposure. Since it's expecting red, green and blue to be at similar levels it blows the blue channel. The fix is to reduce your exposure to protect the blue channel.

When you say you recommend the histogram...are you refering to the line graph representing color, as opposed to the tint bar? I use Photoshop Elements, is what you are talking about on there?

I'm talking about on the camera. With the image on the LCD, cycle through the info button to see the histogram. That's the only real way to tell if you got the exposure or not with any accuracy.

 

[plantastic]

Blue Corn-

Thanks for taking the time...it definitely helps! I have to admit, that I am woefully ignorant to the capabilities of my camera...

When I reduce my exposure, I end up with a really shallow depth of field. Which obviously means I need more light...

This brings me to another question...how much experiementing have you done with flash photography...and maybe even gels?

I find that my limited experience with flashes washes out alot of the "glow" and "richness" that most "bluer" tanks exhibit. I went to Japan a few years ago and visitied Takshi Amano's gallery, got to watch him set up and shoot an aquarium. He uses a large format camera, and an unbelievable amount of flash light. His medium is obviously freshwater, so a much more balanced spectrum. Is there anyway to adapt this to the saltwater side...?

This is what is over the aquarium...

...and this is what is behind the aquarium...

...it gave me a new context for "getting for real"! HAHA

 

[JBen]

When I reduce my exposure, I end up with a really shallow depth of field. Which obviously means I need more light...

There's no reason that reducing exposure, should reduce your DoF unless you choose/allow that.

If in TV, your allowing that.
If in M you can adjust
ISO
SS
f/stop

and get the result you want without stopping down by lowering your ISO and or increasing SS.

Flash.
I've been playing with it. You really want remote flash. Gels Ive played with a little by using them on 2 remotes angled in from each corner but I'm still kind of undecided on their use. And unless you have about 10 grand to spend on remote lights and the room to use back lighting you will have a hard time avoiding light bouncing off the glass

If your shooting Macro type shots, I think you might like result using a remote and a snoot to keep the light localised to your subject.

 

[plantastic]

Jben-

Thanks...it makes sense. I always "forget" about adjusting the ISO, because I always have it in the back of my head that the shots are "going to be grainy"...so, I am left with always adjusting either my SS or my f/stop.

I admit that I have a lot of tinkering to do to learn my camera...and I do shoot in Raw, in manual mode.

 

[fishsticks4sale]

Salt and pepper.

Taken with the "kit" 18-55* lens that came with my first DSLR.




(*slightly modified)

did u reverse the lens??

 

[BlueCorn]

did u reverse the lens??

Yeah. It's reversed on the mount but reconnected electrically so I still have full aperture control. It's a frankenstein lens but it'll do 3:1 magnification and cost me basically nothing but some time.

 

[fishsticks4sale]

Cannon 60D here with 100mm2.8 (non-L)

These were shot with stunner strips only...on tripod and with remote shutter...exposures were in the 10 to 20 second region...PP with PS Elements and Nik Software plug-ins. My next lens is going to be the MPE 65...amazing close-up abilities!

Thanks for looking...

i had to pick between the 100mm L or the mpe 65.. i passed on the 65 for i need a lens that can keep up with anything slightly moving. the 65 is cool but for objects that fear nothing getting close or moving.

 

[fishsticks4sale]