Best lighting option for macro?

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Ironwood

Senior Member
A lot depends on what you are shooting, how you are shooting (tripod or handheld), and how much you want to spend.
I get results that I am happy with using the onboard flash and a piece of packing foam cutout on the end of the lens, for my handheld bug and spider shots.
 
D

Don Kuykendall_RIP

RIP :(
Ironwood said:
A lot depends on what you are shooting, how you are shooting (tripod or handheld), and how much you want to spend.
I get results that I am happy with using the onboard flash and a piece of packing foam cutout on the end of the lens, for my handheld bug and spider shots.
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Would like to see a photo of that setup. Sounds interesting
 
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texaslimo

Senior Member
So far I have been using natural light only. I do not know much of anything about flash period, much less, macro flash. I have seen some stuff online, but dont know much of anything about it really. This is why I came here....
 
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Ironwood

Senior Member
texaslimo said:
So far I have been using natural light only. I do not know much of anything about flash period, much less, macro flash. I have seen some stuff online, but dont know much of anything about it really. This is why I came here....
Click to expand...
Good lighting will improve your shots out of sight, lighting is key.
[MENTION=9753]Scott Murray[/MENTION] has a few threads on macro and lighting which would be helpful for you to read, I don't have time to search for them at the moment, but will look tonight, and link them here.
 
wev

wev

Senior Member
Contributor
I use my SB700 on 1/4 power with the built in diffuser down.

LynxSpider5_2016_08_14.jpg
 
Fred Kingston

Fred Kingston

Senior Member
One of the things you'll find, as everyone correctly mentions is, it depends... You find there's no single method that works all the time, and then you evolve into using different types of lights, and building all manner of contraption and reflectors... The key is being flexible to use different materials to modify and adjust what you have available...
 
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texaslimo

Senior Member
When I saw the photo of the R1C1, my thoughts were that it made sense for light to come from the side instead of straight on and oh, my Lord that is expensive!
 
I

Ironwood

Senior Member
Scott Murray said:
Feel free to have a read on this thread, it is a sticky in the Macro section.

http://nikonites.com/macro/28686-want-take-macro-then-thread.html
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Thanks Scott, I was just about to start looking for your threads. Saved me the trouble :)

Here is my version of the Scott Murray diffuser......

IMG_0024.jpg


IMG_0025.jpg


This is a very low cost way of getting some acceptable lighting on the insects. I found my foam in the dumpster at work, enough to make about 5 of these.

I mostly use mine on my 55mm macro lens, but also have one for my 105mm as well.

Not too bad for something I got for free, and took 5 minutes to make....

DSC_9681-wm.jpg
 
D

Don Kuykendall_RIP

RIP :(
Ironwood said:
Thanks Scott, I was just about to start looking for your threads. Saved me the trouble :)

Here is my version of the Scott Murray diffuser......

View attachment 224979

View attachment 224980

This is a very low cost way of getting some acceptable lighting on the insects. I found my foam in the dumpster at work, enough to make about 5 of these.

I mostly use mine on my 55mm macro lens, but also have one for my 105mm as well.

Not too bad for something I got for free, and took 5 minutes to make....

View attachment 224983
Click to expand...

Very interesting idea
 
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