crazy good bug macros

eas

http://pishmo.com/macro/

Dundhoone

Its like something from a horror movie. Love the mantis with the pentagram in the background....:D

CONMIKE12

I love those shots,the colours and the crispness.I'd love to be able to do stuff like that.I'd also love to have the moulah to afford all the lenses that i keep wishing for !!

eas

I'd love to have those insects in my back graden.

I've gone out so many times with macro lens and tripod trying to find some interesting insects, with no luck. Bluebottles and Snails. blah!:)

elven

They look less like insects and more like animals! I managed to overcome my *ick* reaction and appreciate them... amazing stuff.

Morlar

Thats an excellent link - the focus on those pictures is amazing.

rabbitinlights

Holy Crap, What kinda lense would they be using?

mtracey

Geez they're something else or what... wonder what they were using lens wise ?

Fenster

Awesome photos, my bug-loving fiance approves.

mloc

id love to know what kinda of equipment he (she?) used, my dad does a lot of that kind of thing but so close up.

eas

They all look like fairly big bugs.The magnification isn't that high really. You could get that close with a standard macro lens. Getting that depth of field would be hard though. The overall quality is astonishing.

To me they're more amazing from a lighting aspect and how he got them to "pose" as they are. I'd say they're definitely taken in a studio environment.

I wonder if these are live or dead? could be in an insectarium.....

Valentia

Yummy. I'm hungry

elven

Valentia wrote:

Yummy. I'm hungry

ewwwwwwwww

They couldn't be dead, could they? I expect most of them are fairly happy to just sit there - expecially the caterpillar-y things which wouldn't go anywhere very fast I expect... it's the DOF that impresses me too. Must be some really good lighting.

Valentia

All the subjects in those pics are a shower of posers if you ask me. Too much makeup and those cheesy grins. I'd sware one of them is even winking at the camera. All they are missing is a gawky pair of shades. Give me strength from uber egos

mathias

couldn't look , serious bug phobia , got as far as number 3 and nearly squirmed into a fit !!.
Seriously good photos though.

mtracey

love to know what they used and how

masteroftherealm

Your all going to go insane when u see what they were taken with.

One of these.

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/z3.html

Just shows you dont need thousands of euros woth of gear for amazing photos!!

mtracey

mathias

Heres a review ,


http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/minolta/dimage_z3-review/index.shtml

You would never think from the review that this camera would be good enough to take images like that , most of the reviews post about the softness and noise levels in the images.

It has a super macro mode allowing a focus distance at the wide end of 1cm , unless those insects are huge that must have been the focus distance in most of the shots with this camera.

I would imagine that no Dslr with a kit lens could match those pictures ( because focus distance is too great ), you would need a dedicated macro setup such as an EF F2.8 100mm macro for that type of shot on a Canon. That lens can be had for about €459

mtracey

Thats because none of the kit lens I know are macro lens.
No non-kit non-macro lens would be able to do this either

mathias

Strictly , all the kit lenses have a macro capability , its the shortest focal distance marked on the lens with a flower Icon.

They are not very good at it , but its the lenses best " Macro " Capability.

mtracey

Macro is when photographed the subject is lifesize or greater, ie ratio of 1:1 ?

mathias

Managed to look at em all at last ,
One thing that springs to mind is that I personally think its highly unlikely that these were done on a Dimage ,
My reason for this is the Macro style ring light that was used , now Im no expert but arnt these mostly for Macro lenses ,

You can see the ring light reflected in some of the shinier parts of the insects!!
Anyone else think this ?
Or is there a way that a ring light could be properly set up with a Dimage ? ( With out casting a shadow. )

masteroftherealm

Well the shooter himself said they were taken with the dimage.
http://www.mhohner.de/minolta/twinflash.php
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=details&Q=&is=USA&O=productlist&sku=35134

Is the flash system Im guessing?

mathias

Yeah that is exactly the setup I would expect to be used for that type of shot , the flash gear mounts on the lenses , the first link there is almost certainly the setup , An SLR setup with a macro flash , these may well go under the Dimage name also , however ,

The link earlier though shows a point and shoot Dimage Z3 compact camera , thats what Im doubting was used !

masteroftherealm

Both flash system I linked work on the Z3 ;p

mathias

Quote ;

I have used the macro twin flash with a Dynax 7, the Minolta 100/2.8 Macro and the Minolta 200/4 APO Macro G lenses. The latter has a 72mm filter size, for which I had ordered the 72mm adapter.

End Quote ;

Is that the guy in the link , the pictures at the bottom look very similar to the OP, I cant tell from the OP who did the work as its in polish or something , he only mentions A1 A2 Dimage compacts work with the flash and says himself that he used the above , a Dynax 7 , which is an SLR , is it not ?!

masteroftherealm

Nope the guy with the original macros uses a Z3, it says so on his site. Id link ya but its not in english hence me knowing (Latvian friend was over so I got him to translate for me)