Camera purchase advice please

[enthusiast jules]

Hi John.
I'm very interested that you use bellows and microscope with your D7000, as there is very little mention of this equipment, when I search. I have been considering the Nikon bellows for some time and perhaps a 20 f2.8 which I understand can achieve 22x if reversed, not far off microscope territory.It's a pity Nikon don't make a lens like the Canon MPE 65, thuugh bellows are more flexible.
Do you use any special techniques or equipment for super accurate focusing?
Are bellows really practical outdoors?
Can you recommend the best tripod head for macro?
Regards
Jules.

[FungiJohn]

Hi Jules

The Nikon bellows and associated components are very good BUT they are very expensive!

I use a relatively cheaper version (£60) of bellows, but it is secured in a homemade 'rig' and is very stable. It is also used in the horizontal position rather than vertical. It is normally used with a reversed 50mm Nikon Lens.
LED lights are used for illuminating the subject.

You certainly couldn't use bellows easily in the field and even in a 'studio' it's never easy!

For field work a set of 'auto' extension tubes are probably the best compromise.

Yes, it's a great shame Nikon don't do a MPE equivalent. They almost ignore the fact that the thing exists!

Any microscope (Compound or Dissecting) can support a DSLR given the right adaptor. The main issues are 'camera shake / vibrations' and good adequate lighting.

'Super accurate focusing' is not a problem in macro but DoF is. Depending on your subject you may need to think about using 'Stacking' software.

A search in the forums should bring up quite a few threads on which is the best 'macro tripod / head etc'. In the end it's whatever suits you and gets the results you want.

Good luck

John

[enthusiast jules]

Hi John .
Thanks for the prompt reply.It seems that a bellows unit would have been an expensive mistake, though a set of Nikon tubes are almost as much.I am a bit concerned about using my very heavy macro, 105 VR, with third party tubes as they are only plastic.I am interested you employ LED lighting, I bought the R1C1 kit but found I could get pleasing results with natural light, and never used it.Strangely the Nikon D7000 manual says never to use the convenient built in flash for macro but give no reason.I tried and it was fine,though the 105 does give a generous working distance.I find the combination of the D7000's high ISO capabilities and VR are a great combination for very active insects like bees.
I have tried focus stacking software but find the subject tends to, at best, move between shots or at worst disappear completely.I know Macro is meant to be challenging, but this problem seems virtually insuperable.I suspect some people chill their subjects to keep them motionless.
I think I need a lot more practice, before buying any more kit.I took these shots the day my D7000 arrived.






Your rigs look more like lab experiments than photography equipment to me.
Regards Jules

[nightshade]

The Kenko Tubes I have are extremely well made and certainly not plastic,
they are full function with my Nikkor lenses and my Sigma lenses

[enthusiast jules]

Thanks Nightshade, the Kenko tubes sound ideal.I did read a review which said the Kenko tubes had well made metal fittings, but the tube itself was plastic, and advised not to use them with heavy lenses like zooms, hence the price saving over Nikon.They must have been mistaken, though even all metal lenses are quite scarce now.If they are as well made as you say, the Nikon tubes at around £100 each are very poor value, as there is not even any glass to consider.
Have you ever tried focus stacking with live creatures ?
Regards Enthusiast Jules

[nightshade]

I have been reading up on it and a Google search will throw up some extremely interesting reading and methodology. The one that intrigued me
was a base of 80lbs of Granite! I phoned around several monument makers
and several could supply polished sections of various heavy stones!
I have not tried focus stacking but will get around to it, I wonder if the stone keeps things cool as well as vibration free? I know a short stay in a fridge will slow things down and as long as you practice your technique and know your equipment you should be able to reduce your handling times. That is the way I would go, a balanced set up with a quick accurate stepping system. A compound micro drill table will cost around £90-£170 an Axminster compound table around £80 all with accurate, repeatable, micrometer X-Y adjustments.