Close-up photography & macro lens

[RonWill]

Kee Hoe, look up the thread "Hatching Fundulopanchax gardneri 'Lokoja'"

[benny]

Hi guys,

Haven't been here a while... and notice this interesting thread. Some very indepth discussion here!

Anyway, here's a picture of two of the eggs that I've had the privilege to witness when it was hatching.



Taken with Canon MP-E 65 mm F2.8 macrophoto lens and the Canon MT-24EX macro flash. Both are off the shelf solution. Nothing special.

Cheers,

Edit: Seems like the forum keeps resizing the picture down to 500 pixel wide instead of the original 600 pixel. Please pardon the reduction in picture quality.

[keehoe]

Thanks Benny, but the magnification power must be very high inorder to achieve such big and clear picture.

I realise focusing is my real issue in taking these photo from my panasonic lumix fx7. Not sure how to configure the light metering and white balance of this baby. Seems to be all auitomatic.

[whuntley]

Thanks Benny, but the magnification power must be very high inorder to achieve such big and clear picture.

Technically, the lens may say "macro" but this is closer to microphotography than macrophotography, in my humble opinion. Truly great egg shots, Benny!

I realise focusing is my real issue in taking these photo from my panasonic lumix fx7. Not sure how to configure the light metering and white balance of this baby. Seems to be all auitomatic.

The small point and shoot (P&S) cameras that do so great at the kiddies' birthday party (if shutter lags isn't too bad) are not flexible enough for the unusual lighting and focus problems of macro and micro photography of live, moving subjects. You probably need external flash, which none provide, cable release (also absent), and manual focus (few have) at a minimum.

Autofocus and fish can work, with enough light and an external flash, but otherwise will just drive you nuts.

IR remotes, for some reason I cannot understand, all only work from out right in front of the camera. Since they are mostly useful for macro and tele work, why do they think someone wants his own picture taken while pointing a remote at the camera? Give me a simple cable release (or wired shutter-release switch), any day!

A tripod with a movie-style damped pan head is really nice for reducing camera shake (the reason for 90% of "bad focus") and still letting you follow the fish a bit with a long lens. Flash avoids the need, but then a dedicated stand/tripod for the flash is a good idea. Get it well off the camera if possible. Obviously, that's difficult without either a hot shoe or PC cable connection. Neither come on most P&S cameras.

Wright

[keehoe]

So to go further than what i did. I would need the following in the order of importance.

1) A digital camera that allows the following option.

(I can see that having it on digital makes it a lot more expensive compare to the non digital SLR. But i would cut down on film developement cost as i mistake is less expensive and i don't have to wait 24hours to see my mistake.)

1) Manual focus overwrite
2) External Flash
3) Addon lenses
4) External Trigger
5) Light metering
7) Configurable fast shuttle speed

2) Suitable lenses for situation (portrait of fish/ macro for fish egg and minute creature)

3 External Flashes (top, left and right)

Did i missout anything or putting them in wrong order?