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View Full Version : 500mm Macro Lens; Noo Kidding!



Arthur Morris
04-19-2008, 03:12 PM
On the way out of Green Cay this morning some nice folks pointed out this Ribbon Snake to me. (Please confirm the ID; thanks!). It was a tiny thing so I placed three extension tubes (two 25mm and one 12mm) on the 500mm lens with the 2X TC behind them. (Normally the TC would go on the lens and the tube or tubes on the camera.) Next, I turned AF off as it will never focus once you put a tube in front of a TC. The MFD of the lens is reduced from more than 15 to less than 10 feet with this set-up. With the 2X in front of the tubes you could get down to about 12 feet.

Canon 500mm f/4 L IS lens on Mongoose M3.5 with tubes and TCs as noted above. ISO 3200. (I ran High NR in Breezebrowser when I converted the image.) Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/125 sec. at f/8.

Don't be shy; all comments welcome.

Arthur Morris
04-19-2008, 03:16 PM
For educational purposes, the image above represents the ORIG capture. I used a Quick Mask to cover the leaf in the urc and then the Patch Tool to do some additional clean-up. Then made Levels, Curves, and Selective Color adjustments as described in detail in Digital Basics. I forgot to mention that noise control with the MIII is astounding.

Bruce Enns
04-19-2008, 03:34 PM
I like the first one better...and you seem to have gained a somewhat distracting grey splotch on the leaf behind and to the right of the snakes head.

Great shot!

Cheers!
Bruce

Arthur Morris
04-19-2008, 03:44 PM
Hi Bruce, I should have mentioned that the image in the second pane represents what the file looked like before I optimized it. Sorry for not making that clearer at first. .

Bruce Enns
04-19-2008, 03:58 PM
Hi Art...and I apologize for not being able to read very well...LOL

Arthur Morris
04-19-2008, 04:08 PM
You read just fine. I edited the post to make it more clear to others... (I often show the ORIG in Avian and assumed that folks in Macro knew my style.

John Cooper
04-19-2008, 10:26 PM
Always a difficult subject to compose but well handled here Art!! The diagonal composition and the raised head towards the lens gives loads of impact!!

Robert O'Toole
04-20-2008, 05:19 PM
Very nice Artie, the eye contact is excellent, the comp is very good and of course the diagionals look really appealing to me.

Robert

Mike Moats
04-20-2008, 06:45 PM
Hey Artie, very cool comp and like the DOF.

Jason Ambler
04-20-2008, 07:16 PM
Artie,

This appears to indeed be a ribbon snake, specifically the Peninsula ribbon snake, Thamnophis sauritus sackenii. The middorsal stripe is less distinct than the lateral stripes.

Great capture with the 500. I don't often think to use this lens for "macro" but for species that could reach out and touch you or startle easy the 500 would provide the needed working distance to not stress the animal out or put the photographer in range.

This snake must have been really cooperative and feeling secure as it gave you the time to set up the extension tubes/TC combo and compose the shot. There must be something in the Florida water?

Jason

Alfred Forns
04-21-2008, 08:49 AM
Should have made an image of you making the image !!!! You should have seen the look on peoples faces with all the extension tubes !!! Fine image Artie !!!!

Steve Canuel
04-21-2008, 09:21 PM
Very nice image Artie. The head and eyes are tack sharp and appear to be coming right out of my screen. The repeating lines of the subject's body, his yellow lines, and the leaf in the BG are a nice touch as well.
Steve

Vincent Grafhorst
04-23-2008, 01:01 AM
Now this is what I would call a safe snake macro set-up! I always am hesitant to approach snakes too closely with my short 100/2.8. Love the comp here, but a bit more DOF would have improved this IMO. Though I realise that would be near impossible.