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[OM] Ultimate cheap macro studio

Subject: [OM] Ultimate cheap macro studio
From: Dan Mitchell <danmitchell@xxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 24 Feb 2007 21:58:21 -0700
  What's the cheapest possible way to build a macro studio?

  Simply put, don't build one...

  A 20/3.5 macro (thanks to Dean for the loan!) mounted on a PM-MTOB 
mounted directly on an E-330 has a working distance such that I can just 
sit the thing I'm photographing on the table, tilt the camera down to 
point at it, pop the builtin flash up, turn Live View on for composition 
and focussing, and the camera takes care of the rest.

  No tripod -- the bottom corner of the camera sits on the surface, and 
I focus by sliding it back and forth; no diffuser, the builtin flash is 
at a very convenient angle; no fiddling around adjusting lighting, 
because it powers the flash correctly with no need to tweak (amazingly 
enough), and because the flash is well out of line with the lens, it 
lights very nicely.

  Working distance, something like an inch; resulting subject size, 6mm 
around 1/4" or so. (so, "5x" magnification in 35mm terms)

  Here's the "studio":

http://www.danielmitchell.net/sgal/galleries/E330/macro/0_studio.jpg

  The result of that shot:

http://www.danielmitchell.net/sgal/galleries/E330/macro/ring_3.jpg

  And a bunch more shots here:

http://www.danielmitchell.net/sgal/index.php?gallery=./E330/macro

  They're not all taken exactly like that, some were done outdoors 
(grass/ice) or just plain handheld out in the air (book, cactus), but 
still all just using the builtin flash.

  One very nice feature of live view is that, outdoors, it's bright 
enough to set the shot up even stopped all the way down; inside, either 
I point a light at the subject, or I compose open and stop down before 
shooting in the usual way -- with this old-style lens, it's surprisingly 
easy. There's no click stops, so I can just push it round with a 
fingertip without jogging the camera.


  Things get a bit more complex with bellows/extension tubes, because 
then the builtin flash doesn't illuminate the subject as well (if at 
all) -- I've got some more shots of that setup that I need to upload. 
It's also possible to get nicer lighting by using a second slave flash, 
but that then requires a bunch of fiddling around to get everything 
exposing properly.

  As it is, this setup I have takes as close to zero time to set up as 
is possible; camera on, hit popup-flash button, compose, shoot, done.

  Heaps of fun!

  -- dan

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