Here's a tip for you:

I frequently use my EF 100 macro with a 1.4 converter. How? Just use an extension tube between the converter and the lens.

E

Lets see some pictures....
Matt.

Matt here's one I just took 28-135 at f16 2X on cam then 12mm tube then lens.

Thanks for the tip about EF 100mm and converter! Never thought of that. Greetz.
Geert http://www.photoshop.be

Looking at the above shot, I think you need to change your timber wolf avitar to a squirrel.....

You can also throw a 5T, 6T or 500D on there as well.

E

EA6B : correct!

My macro setups are as follows:

If the object is small in size (like 1cm to 2cm) , I will use
setup 1 : EF 100mm f2.8 USM macro + 25mm ext tube (optional) + 550EX + Omni-bounce
setup 2 : EF 70-200mm f2.8 L + 25mm ext tube + 500D + 550EX + Omni-bounce

If the object is average size like > 3cm , I will use
setup 3 : EF 100mm f2.8 USM macro + 550EX + Omni-bounce
setup 4 : EF 70-200mm f2.8 L + 500D + 550EX + Omni-bounce

I find when using 500D against a bright green area, your shots will have a clean nice background. See below sample



Using a Zoom lens (like 70-200) + closeup lens (500D) - setup 2 and 4
PROs
- working distance is further
- DOF is shallow and background is nicer

CONs
- heavy
- focusing range is limited


For setup 1 and 3 , I find the working distance is very close.

Very nice shot, I love that background!

E

MagaWeb: If you don't mind, I'm going to steal your ideas and go play now

Thanks for the great tips there. I was looking for a new way to experiment with my 100mm.

vizor9 wrote:
MagaWeb: If you don't mind, I'm going to steal your ideas and go play now

Sure anyway I am sharing my tips and feel free to use my ideas and feedback any good points and flaws. I would like to hear them.

I'm not wealthy for the time, so for macro with flash I use the internal one with a transluscent plastic piece(video tape box). I set it on the front of the lens.
Here is a picture of the setting.

a shot without the plastic piece

and one with it

Excellent tips Johnny, appreciate your sharing them.

I like the little diffuser you built Denis. A little ingenuity goes a long way.
Thanks,

Gordon

nice tip o great cave dwelling one

fat bloke

wow cool trick.
Joe

johnny, sweet photo and great technique. i'll give it a try.

That's a great idea Denis and with great results! Has anyone heard of shooting down through a cone made of paper sitting on a translucent piece of glass with a light source under the glass? The subject would be inside the cone, on top of the glass. Supposed to really light small subjects well.

Although I've not tried shooting through a cone I, regularly, shoot small, translucent items by placing them on my 5000K lightbox. Additional light sources include everything from traditional hot lights, to daylight simulators, to a nifty little spelunker's lamp I picked up at my local camping equipment store. The effects of the disparate lights can be really interesting (in a good way).

Thanks for the cone tip. I'm going to have to try that.

eileen in bc

My macro setups:

1. 35 f/2 : yeah, I know, it's not really a macro, but it focuses down to less than one foot, and for flower macro photography (really pseudo-macro), it's a lightweight companion with greater DOF than the...
2. 100 f/2.8 USM Macro : If I have a tripod and time, I'll bring this one along. I have shot a few very pleasing (to me) pictures with this lens and two 420EX flashes and an ST-E2 transmitter...

My macro tips:

1. Always attempt to use a tripod with the 100 macro, or bump up the ISO as high as possible. My 10D is relatively noise-free until 1600, and then it isn't so bad if the picture is properly exposed.
2. Always be aware of the plane of focus. If you want most of a subject in focus, you either have to stop waaay down or angle your shot at the plane of focus, in which case you can get away with relatively high shutter speeds. For example, if a flower is at a 45 degree angle to the ground, place your camera/lens at the same angle, pick a reasonable f-stop and shoot. Much of the subject will make it into focus.
3. Use flash where possible. Especially off-camera or remote flash.
4. Take several shots in multi-shot mode; the middle one will be in focus more than the others.
5. Manually focus in macro mode; if I hand-hold, I usually brace on something and focus, then rock back and forth to get the exact plane of focus. I think I'm gonna have to spend for some focusing rails and a good tripod soon.

Those are my tips. Hapy New Year!

Ken

2.

We can make an excellent diffuser with a sunny delight bottle.
I didn't test yet for macro, Winter doesn't help, but for portrait it's excellent.

I find the color warmer, I thinks with a white paper in the bottle would be better.

Thanks for the great macro tips. To soften the flash I have used a folded white paper taped to the pop-up flash, which works good too imo. I had a Sony 717 this summer and though it does allowed me to get as close as 2cm of the subject the AF didn't seem to work and it was impossible to focus manually using the EVF, which is very-very poor on all digital cameras (my main reason I sold the 717, the others being noise and poor DOF) so here is what I did (shooting butterflies):

1. I noticed that they allow You as close as 30-40 centimeters if You approach them slowly and nosilessly.
2. I set the focus manually to 4-6 cm
3. I crouched down and tilted the LCD 60-75 degrees up and started moving the camera closer to the butterfly
4. The butterflies didn't seem to mind the approaching camera as long as You stayed back
5. As I was able to see on screen when the subject came to focus I pressed the shutter. here are the results: http://www.zone.ee/svenzacek/libputgbr.htm

This was just a tip for those with less expensive cameras who are stuck with useless EVF's.

Sven @ looking to do nice macros this summer with a clear viewfinder.

http://www.macrophotos.com/setup1000.htm

Danny.

If you are shooting living subjects, I find it important to know the subjects behavior. As an example, many dragonflies will return to the same spot, so that you can set up your tripod and camera and be confident that the subject will show up. Other dragonflies such as Darners spook easily so that getting close is almost impossible. For them you need a long-distance setup and a watchful eye.

Praying Mantis are easy to spot in tall grass if you know what color variation to look for and they are patient. Butterflies tend toward certain flowering plants so they are easy to shoot.

John W

I'm currently using the best combo I've ever tried for Butterfly Photography, 100-400mm IS + 25mm Extension Tube.
I believe most of you already know that it's almost impractical to use a tripod when shooting these elusive butterflies, thus, the IS really helps to handhold the equipment.
@400mm range, the working distance is very ideal to avoid distracting these highly sensitive insects.
Combined with 550ex/420ex with omni-bounce tilted 45 deg, you dont need a flash bracket at all. I just normally compensate the flash exposure to -1 stop to act as a fill-in light to the shadow portion.

Let me just share some photos taken with this combo, and let me have your feedback as well..

Cheers!
Edsel

All were shot handheld at ISO200

1/60s, f8.0 (Mycalesis Species)