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Praying Mantis
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 3:36 am    Post subject: Praying Mantis Reply with quote
I found a praying mantis outside my front door a couple nights ago. So what did I do? Grabbed my macro bellows II, K-7, and Vivtar 135.. 1:2.5 for some macros. For the shots with that rig, magnification of about 1:1.5 or so on the APS-C sensor is at 24 to 30 inches.

For scale, this mantis is about 2.25 inches long. The head, though is pretty tiny.







PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 4:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
not bad at all and the magnify ratio is good enough than 1:1, i wonder how heavy you deal with those macro equipment?


PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 5:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hey, Declan,

The weight isn't bad. Maybe four pounds. But because the lens is nice and heavy, it provides a good balance and it's easy to use and swings comfortably. I can't get a steady shot much below 1/250th (estimated) on film or 1/125th on the image-stabilized K-7, but that's okay.

I tried the macro bellows with my Rodagon 80mm f4 and all the shots but one were blurry. Compared to the 35, the f4 shots were during the day without a flash. I think all three of those shots needed the camera's flash.

I'll get a photo of the rig at some point. It's pretty simple and the magnification range is superb. The bellows wasn't designed for the Komine 135mm, so I can only guess at the magnification ratio, but full extended I could barely get the mantis' full head in the frame. These shots were all taken with the bellows a bit less than 2/3 extended.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 3:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
What a handsome lad


patrickh


PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 3:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Not sure about 'handsome' Patrick, I'd say it's a butt-ugly alien fiend. Laughing

Diffusing the flash would provide more sympathetic lighting. Smile nice sharp image though.

I wish we had exotic looking beasties in Scotland, all we get are big hairy coos. Cool


PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 3:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
great captures, superb lady !


PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 6:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Interesting stuff. The second one shows superb detail. The problem I find doing macro is to get the whole subject in frame and in focus. Did you take any of the whole mantis?


PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 6:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hey, Gary,

Yeah, the flash is pretty harsh, even cut by 0.7 stops. So I ordered a soft box ($2!) for my Vivitar 2500. It's the same one you had on your kit.

As for whole-body shots, not so many. The further I got from the mantis, the more agitated it seemed to be. So I managed these two shots with the insect in focus from further away.





PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 7:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Those cheap mini softboxes make quite a difference, I'm sure you'll like it. Smile
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