Tag Archives: Matt Tinker Photography

Tinkering with macro set-up: 50mm reversed on tubes vs 50mm + tubes + Rynox

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The never ending tinkering with my macro set-up continues.

I’ve been mixing it up with my standard 50mm + tubes + Raynox vs 50mm reversed on tubes vs. Raynox on 200mm.

I’ve got a downsizing ring for the Raynox on the 200 that should arrive this week so more to come on that.

Here are a few things to consider:

These are 50mm reversed with slight crop in LR (about 20%). Aperture was set manually before removing from camera and reversing.

The things I like about this set-up:

  • at f22 the dof is nice
  • its a bit less contrasty than other set-ups
  • working distance is greater than 50mm + tubes + Raynox (about 6cm vs 4cm)

The negatives:

  • at f22 its just too dark and the miss rate is subsequently much higher
  • the flash ETTL system seems to miss calculate the lighting more often.
  • All in all the results is great when it hits but the reliability is poor compared with the 50 + tubes + Raynox.

This is same set-up (50mm reversed on tubes) @ f14. easier to see but still harder than the 50mm on tubes + raynox.

This is from 50mm on tubes + Raynox

Same but with contrasty processing

Which do you prefer?

More to come so watch this space!

Matt

Emerald eucalyptus chafer (Xylonichus eucalypti)

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emerald-eucalyptus-chafer-xylonichus-eucalypti

I’m trying to improve my very poor knowledge of formal names of insects. I think this is correct. Found in Sydney Northern Beaches, September 11 2016. Local trees Angophora Costata. It looks like the beetle in these links however the locations conflict:

www.jungledragon.com/image/37057/emerald_eucalyptus_chafe…

biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/Xylonichus_eucalypti%3bXylon…?

Any supporting info would be much appreciated.

cheers

Matt

Photography info: Canon 7D, Kenko Tubes & 50mm 1.8 coupled with my home made lighting setup.

Mantis with some new processing

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065 - Backyard bugs - 20151121-Edit

I’ve recently started playing with the Nik Software straight out of Lightroom. I’ve used Niksoft software for years (pre Google purchasing it) but I’ve really only used it when editing in Photoshop. The Nik collection works quite well out of Lightroom to add a bit of puch to the dynamic range of images. Probably the biggest limitation is things can get a bit noisy in the shadows, especially if things are pushed too hard. Each of these images received about 1min of post production in Lightroom 6.

   044 - Backyard bugs - 20151121-Edit

Canon 7D, Kenko Tubes & 50mm 1.8 coupled with my home made lighting setup.

048 - Backyard bugs - 20151121-Edit

Jumping spider in the nasturtium with new lighting setup

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Jumping Spider 20151024 - 04These are form the same set of jumping spider shots from the post about my new snoot set-up.

This little one was jumping around in the nasturtium flowers in our herb garden. The orange and yellow from the flower created fantastic background colours but the down side was quite a bit of colourcast to deal with tin post production.

Shot with my usual 7D with an array of tubes and close-up filters.

 

Filters

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lee graduation filters on white

lee graduation filters

Filters can be a simple way of improving your photos or just used to protect your lenses. There are many filters on the market but which ones are the right ones for specific circumstances? In this tutorial I have given a brief rundown on three of the most commonly used filters and their application.

Happy filtering

 

Jumping spiders are the coolest to shoot

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133-MTP macro-20150412

These little guys are so much fun. At about 3mm long they are far from menacing. They just jump around looking like they are having fun in the flowers. If you could go as far as calling a spider cute it would have to be a jumping spider.

Canon 7D, Kenko Tubes, 50mm 1.8 + macro diopter filter, coupled with my home made lighting setup.

Canon Release New 70D

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Canon have just released the new 70D which Canon say “is the world’s first DSLR to feature Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology, for fast Live View shooting and smooth Full HD movies.” EOS-70D-Design-Side2
The new EOS 70D looks like a great camera for enthusiast photographers who want great results at a reasonable mid range price!

See all the details, including sample shots and movies here

Samsung NX300 hits Australia

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The new Samsung NX300 has just made it’s way to Australia and is well worth having a look at. This is a great looking camera with a choice of brown, black or white retro skins that look awesome.

The NX300 falls into a relatively new class of camera that is small in size (similar to four thirds cameras) but with the same C-size sensor found in many DSLR. This little camera is packed full of features that punch well above it’s weight. With a new ultra-sensitive 20.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor and an advanced hybrid autofocus system for delivering detailed images that help blur the line between professional and enthusiast. Other impressive features include a 1/6,000 shutter speed, interchangeable lenses, RAW file shooting, and 8.6 frames per second!

At around $900 this camera is worth considering for those looking for a light weight travel camera with high end specs. See all the details here………