Macro Photography and Bellows

[olrac]

I am considering getting a set of bellows (PB4) for taking those really close up macro shots.

What else am I going to need to connect it to my D70 i heare that there is an adapter ring I need to get to protect the af/electronics of the camera.

What would be a good lens to use?

Dose anyone else have this setup going?

[huynhie]

olrac,

Here is a very good article for you.

There is a bellows section further down.

[SteveGriffin]

Excellent article! Thanks for posting the link

[redline]

i was luckly enough to pickup a pb5+slide copier for 50$ from the another fourm.
don't foget that you have to calulate an addition exposure factor if you use a bellows

[olrac]

huynhie I read this article and told me all the other bits and peices that i needed to get to connect my camera and reverse the lens ect

[ElRonno]

I try macro photography the cheap way, without bellows, reversal rings and so. Just a magnifying glass! The only difference between a magnifying glass and a close-up filter is the attachment to the lens. If you manually hold a magnifying glass before the lens, keep it still, close to the lens and exactly centered. Or find a hood that matches the diameter of the glass. I managed to fit one in a Cokin hood:



Ok, that's my N70/F70 and not a D70 but you get the idea. Now, before you direct my to the humor section, have a look at the results:







Cost: nothing. I already owned the Cokin stuff and I found the magifying glass at the bottom of a box with toys from when I was a little kid.

[leek]

Wow... those are awesome shots ElRonno... Good improvisation and great results... I love all 3, but the butterfly is great...

[huynhie]

Yeh,


I was going to laugh at you until I saw the photo's

[Oneputt]

I like the thinking, and that last pic...great

[birddog114]

I love the concept and finally the butterfly! Awesome!

[hangdog]

ElRonno, that's an ingenious set-up and the results are stunning.

--Chuan [note to self: start looking around for filter holders. ]

[HappyFotographer]

Those are great photos....thanks for the terrific idea.

And that butterfly.....WOW

Cheers
Deb

[olrac]

I love it.....

and great photo's too

[sirhc55]

Firstly post a reply to your pics - great - now, to rummage through the drawers

[Glen]

Very impressive Elronno

[ElRonno]

Wow, what a lot of replies Thank you all for your kind words...

Most of these butterflies were shot with the N70/F70, 50/1.8 + magnification glass, Fuji Reala 100 film, scanned with a Coolscan III. I've held my SB-28 flash with built in diffuser on the SC-17 extension cord right next to the lens. I've set the camera on manual focus, focussed globally and then moved the camera back and forth to get exact focus. To prevent motion blur the main light source is the flash, with settings of 1/60 and at least f/11 so almost no ambient light reaches the film. The flash is the primary light source, and a flash takes less than 1/1.000 second.

It's really that simple. I was amazed that so many of the pictures came out so well. I was hoping to get at least one sharp pic out of a roll of film... I'm planning to go to the zoo with the butterfly garden again next week to try the same with my D70 and see what happens.

In the mean time, some more butterflies

[Dargan]

I am looking for that magnifying glass NOW!!!

[mudder]

G'day El,
Some of these macro shots are really amazing... Now the price of cheap magnifying glasses goes up on e-bay

Will have to try it though, seems to have worked a treat and a great idea!

[ElRonno]

This is to provide an example of the maximal magnification level that I achieve on my D70 using a 50/1.8 + magnifier, focused at closest distance.


(resized full image)