TOTM quality 6' SPS tank for under $1k? The 5.56 build thread; AKA a really bad idea

[five.five-six]

I got a older DSLR and am waiting for my also older 105 f/2.8 macro lens to arrive. We'll see what kind of photos I can take.

Took this shot with a crappy kit lens and then played with it in post. I have a calibrated gray card to set WB so once I get that sampled properly I shouldn't be doing anything but scaling and cropping in post.

Lousy photo but I like the clam.

 

[Wiskey]

I got a older DSLR and am waiting for my also older 105 f/2.8 macro lens to arrive. We'll see what kind of photos I can take.

Took this shot with a crappy kit lens and then played with it in post. I have a calibrated gray card to set WB so once I get that sampled properly I shouldn't be doing anything but scaling and cropping in post.

Lousy photo but I like the clam.

That clam is amazing!!

Whiskey

 

[five.five-six]

Got the 105 macro lens. Still learning how to use it but I got this:

https://www.nikonians.org/forums/user_files/379599.jpg

 

[CRookSkee]

Got the 105 macro lens. Still learning how to use it but I got this:

https://www.nikonians.org/forums/user_files/379599.jpg

Very nice, do you use a tripod? If not I would recommend one, would make the pics much sharper. Can't wait to get a macro lense for my camera too. Do you use a orange filter or just mess with the white balance on the camera?

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[Rakie]

Looks good!! With a Tripod, something else that's great to use is the timer before the picture is taken, it allows you to remove your hands from the camera and the 2-3 seconds gives it time to make those minute adjustments to give you a crisp picture.

 

[pandimus]

556 wife has been on me like Donkey Kong. That number is right as rain.


I'd be willing to face a Muller investigation on that number

Anyways, I hooked up the T5 blue plus lamps temp. Just wrapped wires around the pins to save the $21 for endcaps just to try it out and those 10K are bright AF. The ATIs help the color tremendously but still not as blue as the radiums alone. There's no reflectors either except for where the lamps pass under the halide reflectors. I think putting reflectors on the bare sections will help even more.

I believe having no reflectors defeats the purpose of t5, and considering you can rape end caps out of 90% of junk fluorescent fixture's is just silly. i may have some old junky 36x2x2 reflectors you can have. I'm sure you dont want to drive up to palmdale, but if you want to pay for shipping i could probably send them.. Not sure if it worth it.

 

[five.five-six]

Very nice, do you use a tripod? If not I would recommend one, would make the pics much sharper. Can't wait to get a macro lense for my camera too. Do you use a orange filter or just mess with the white balance on the camera?

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Yes, I'm using a tripod. I ordered a yellow/orange 52mm filter. DSLRs are a lot less forgiving than cellphones and P&S cameras sot the good filters aren't cheep. That shot was with WB evaluated with a calibrated gray card and nothing done in post. I'll play with the filter but IMO, it's best to avoid that bandaid

You can get a used MF 105 macro used on ebay for under $300 in good shape. another way to go is to get a set of extension tubes That shot was with the 105 and 68mm of extension tubes. Extension tubes + kit lens = budget macro lens. $100 max

 

[five.five-six]

Looks good!! With a Tripod, something else that's great to use is the timer before the picture is taken, it allows you to remove your hands from the camera and the 2-3 seconds gives it time to make those minute adjustments to give you a crisp picture.

I've been using the timer, also I have found the the mirror raising shakes the camera ever so slightly so I am shooting in LV with mirror up. Problem is that with my camera you can't use the timer with mirror up. I have a remote shutter release on it's way, it will be here next week then I can shoot with mirror up.

 

[five.five-six]

I believe having no reflectors defeats the purpose of t5, and considering you can rape end caps out of 90% of junk fluorescent fixture's is just silly. i may have some old junky 36x2x2 reflectors you can have. I'm sure you dont want to drive up to palmdale, but if you want to pay for shipping i could probably send them.. Not sure if it worth it.

I ended up getting some reflectors. They help a lot!

 

[CRookSkee]

Yes, I'm using a tripod. I ordered a yellow/orange 52mm filter. DSLRs are a lot less forgiving than cellphones and P&S cameras sot the good filters aren't cheep. That shot was with WB evaluated with a calibrated gray card and nothing done in post. I'll play with the filter but IMO, it's best to avoid that bandaid

You can get a used MF 105 macro used on ebay for under $300 in good shape. another way to go is to get a set of extension tubes That shot was with the 105 and 68mm of extension tubes. Extension tubes + kit lens = budget macro lens. $100 max

I see, yea the most cheap macro canon lense I've seen is like 250 but a used one and it's the 100mm one. Yea I really dont want to go with orange filters since they make the colors look a little more unatural, I'm going to have to research abou that WB gray card. I've heard about using them to set white balance but idk how would it work. Ugh i need a tripod too lol

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[pandimus]

Yes, I'm using a tripod. I ordered a yellow/orange 52mm filter. DSLRs are a lot less forgiving than cellphones and P&S cameras sot the good filters aren't cheep. That shot was with WB evaluated with a calibrated gray card and nothing done in post. I'll play with the filter but IMO, it's best to avoid that bandaid

You can get a used MF 105 macro used on ebay for under $300 in good shape. another way to go is to get a set of extension tubes That shot was with the 105 and 68mm of extension tubes. Extension tubes + kit lens = budget macro lens. $100 max

Grey card in the tank?

 

[Rakie]

Grey card in the tank?

Yep, that's what ya do usually.

 

[pandimus]

Yep, that's what ya do usually.

I did white balance with a piece of white pvc. it actually worked well

 

[laverda]

Got the 105 macro lens. Still learning how to use it but I got this:

https://www.nikonians.org/forums/user_files/379599.jpg

Great photo Mark.

 

[Rakie]

I did white balance with a piece of white pvc. it actually worked well

My white balance doesn't work well with white, but my camera is quite old

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

 

[five.five-six]

My white balance doesn't work well with white, but my camera is quite old

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

My camera went out of production in 2009.

The thing about a gray card is you need to make sure the apature and shutter speed are set for enough light. It doesn't matter in the least if the card is in focus.

I'm thinking of getting a larger grey card ($18 on ebay) to make the gathering of light easier but i'm currently happy with my current WB evaluation.

 

[five.five-six]

Great photo Mark.

Thanks Steve!

For referance, that tip is about 5 mm

 

[Rakie]

what coral is that by the way?

 

[five.five-six]

what coral is that by the way?

it's a red planet I got from Lok01.... I think LOL It's really red.

 

[five.five-six]

Very nice, do you use a tripod? If not I would recommend one, would make the pics much sharper. Can't wait to get a macro lense for my camera too. Do you use a orange filter or just mess with the white balance on the camera?

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

I don't know if I can recommend this tripod, all the recommendations for tripods on the photography forums are for tripods in the $400-$1,000 range and this was only $50 on amazon, which I hate, but it does everything I want it to and it's reasonably stable and sturdy even with that big 105 lens + 68mm of extension tubes out front.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006HOKW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1