Moab Man's Magnified Macro

Moab Man

Senior Member
@mikew
For a long time I have loved to shoot macro, but I wanted more. A macro lens is great, but I really wanted more than just a 1:1 ratio. There are screw on magnifiers and they can provide mixed results. Often times the optic quality is just not up to par. Having looked at some of @Scott Murray macro photos I finally found what I needed - a Raynox DCR-250. For those that don't know, the Raynox will magnify what you're looking at my 2.5x. This magnification allows that micro object to fill or nearly fill your sensor, which for printing macro this is ideal. So earlier in the week I finally pulled the trigger and ordered one. The Raynox arrived yesterday and today was my first chance to play with it.

What I learned... WOW! This little bugger takes some learning and a very precision technique to get the hang of. Macro can be hard, but when you're depth of field using the Raynox could split an atom it takes some serious technique development. Once you do finally find your target in that small slice called "focused" you now realize that your holding of the camera is like you're running down the road with you camera holding a small flower in front of you while trying to take a macro picture - there's really that much shake just being a living creature.

Eventually, with practice and determination, I started to get it to work and figured out the little nuances of the Raynox. The image below was shot on a D7100 and is barely cropped for the purpose of getting to an 8x10 format - not much off the top edge.

Do I recommend it? Only if you have patience and perseverance. Your hand hold shake is magnified to something ridiculous and the DOF is insanely narrow. If you're not sure you're up for such a potentially frustrating experience there is a Raynox DCR-150 (1.5 magnification).

Those are my thoughts. I will add more images and thoughts as I go. Additionally, I will give this a try on my full frame and let you know my thoughts - DX vs FX with a Raynox.

DSC_6625_Web.jpg
 
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Bourbon Neat

Senior Member
Wow, 5mm flower and you nailed the "pollen stems" or whatever they are termed. Which of your macros was that attached, no exif data. That is truly a slice of focus and would take like maybe 16-20 shots to get the whole thing?
 

Moab Man

Senior Member
D7100, Tamron 90mm with a Raynox DCR-250, f/22, 1/160 hand held and no breathing or heartbeat. 6 total shots to get it.
 
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Bourbon Neat

Senior Member
Just watched a video over at Raynox where they did some stills and then played a video through the 150 and 250, amazing. Zoomed in on a black and white butterfly, very cool.
 

Moab Man

Senior Member
If you can get easily frustrated I would recommend the 150. However, if you really want to grind at it to get the most you can then it's the 250 I recommend.
[MENTION=37727]Bourbon Neat[/MENTION] link the video. Would love to see it.
 

Bill16

Senior Member
I think it will be more use able on a full frame! That was whast Scott uses it on and what he recommended to me! I have some hopes that it will compensate for the full frame without the drastic issues you mentioned my friend! :)
 

Scott Murray

Senior Member
I am glad you are getting the hang of it Moab man, one thing for those others to remember is that it can be used on other lenses. A 250 on a 50mm creates close to the 90mm macro. So it has many uses and options. Sure the DOF is very narrow but as demonstrated here and in various threads such an image can be used and have impact.
 

Vincent

Senior Member
Keep the pictures coming I would say.

Clearly Macro over 1:1 is an art that requires patience, I would even go for perseverance, preparation and luck.
Hand held can give results as you show, but you need a lot of stamina to take the losses.
I`m planning on trying some extreme stuff myself, I have a Canon 500D Close up lens waiting for my birthday (I got it second hand so my partner could give it to me).
Since this week I also have the 90mm Tammy.
On my budget I have the Canon 65mm MP-E (not for a Nikon body though), however I`m not convinced, Tammy + 500D + TC + Extension tubes and the time it takes to have a decent set-up, the Canon might not add a lot to that for the number of times I will use it.

I have been following Alex Wild Photography who is a biologist (specialised in ants) who takes more pictures then needed for the job and shows what I would like to reach.
 

Moab Man

Senior Member
This little flower is about half the width and three quarters the length of an average mans pinky finger nail.

Shot on a D600, Tamron 90mm Macro with Raynox DCR-250, f/64, ISO 320, off camera flash, 1/100.

The shot is tripod mounted and painstakingly focused in to see exactly how good I can get when I remove all human movement.

DSC_5052_Web.jpg
 

Moab Man

Senior Member
Next up... pursuit of a living bug.
[MENTION=9753]Scott Murray[/MENTION] What is your secret to getting a living creature (bug) in focus. Every little movement of the bug, combined with the human, can take it in and out of focus. Or is it just persistence until you nail it?
 

Scott Murray

Senior Member
Next up... pursuit of a living bug.
@Scott Murray What is your secret to getting a living creature (bug) in focus. Every little movement of the bug, combined with the human, can take it in and out of focus. Or is it just persistence until you nail it?
Bugs are alot of fun, there is no trick to it I just line my bug up and take the photo. I focus with my body and move in/out. Sometimes I take the photo when I think it is in focus as with the movement of yourself and the insect there is a bit of play. When the bug is scurrying around I try and predict where it will be and focus in front of it. There is not set technique, and when I am shooting I just take the shot that creates the photo :).
 

Moab Man

Senior Member
My bug pursuit was a failure. Too few bugs and the one I did see was too quick. Instead I have a shot from seemingly another world.

DSC_6751.jpg
 

Scott Murray

Senior Member
Thats what I love about macro - it can make the ordinary into something extraordinary. It brings another dimension to photography all in your backyard...
 

Lawrence

Senior Member
Right - decision made - landscape for me! :)
Great shots George and thanks for being so candid.
Scott goes up yet a few more notches :)
 

Moab Man

Senior Member
Having attempted a bug shot, laid in the grass next to flowers for an hour, I have truly come to appreciate the skills [MENTION=9753]Scott Murray[/MENTION] has. Right now bug opportunities are few, but as it warms my chance to get one should improve.
 

Scott Murray

Senior Member
Having attempted a bug shot, laid in the grass next to flowers for an hour, I have truly come to appreciate the skills @Scott Murray has. Right now bug opportunities are few, but as it warms my chance to get one should improve.
Thanks :) I really enjoy my bugs and I think they enjoy my company aswell ;) I wont say how many minutes I spent getting the shots that I did today :) but on occasions I do spend alot of time chasing bugs and especially if I am after a certain shot. But with the heat and humidity 30mins out is enough for me for now.
 

Moab Man

Senior Member
amazing shots! i love my raynox 250 and can't wait for bug weather

I can't wait for some patient bugs. May need to head over to Colorado where I can find some marijuana stoned bugs lacking the motivation to move, breed, accomplish anything, etc... THEN I should be able to get some really cool bug shots. Unfortunately my bugs here are too alert and I am at day 2 of no successful bug shots.
 
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