Learn Macro | Macro Photography Ramblings and Observations from Across the Pond by Paul Harcourt Dav

Time 2020-10-10 19:07:00

Web Name: Learn Macro | Macro Photography Ramblings and Observations from Across the Pond by Paul Harcourt Dav

WebSite: http://learnmacro.com

ID:77385

Keywords:

Observations,and,Across,

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Laowa 25mm f/2.8 (2.5-5X Ultra Macro) Laowa 25mm f/2.8 lens  for Ultra Macro  (2.5x 5x magnification)  Suggested price: $399 Available mounts: Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K, Sony FE  (others such as micro... Take a Closer Look. No matter where one lives, you are surrounded by the small and extraordinary – insects, spiders, flowers. This is a wild world in every sense but easily overlooked because the inhabitants, like most life-forms on Earth, are very small. Macro Photography allows  you can peer into this world, witness and document incredible species with behavior that most people never see. At Learn Macro, we share nature  macro photography ramblings from across the Atlantic. —Clay Bolt (Montana, USA) and Paul Harcourt Davies (Orvieto, Italy). I apologise for nothing posted on Learn Macro for a while that is about to change. The past few months have been hectic with tours, works shops and assignments now it is too hot to go out and so I stay inside and write!Eggs of the Large White (Piers brassicae) butterfly a portion of an imageThe Laowa 25mm f/2.8 lens  for Ultra Macro has had great press since we ran a very detailed review on this blog one of the first on its capabilities.A few days ago I set up my Panasonic G9 with a stacking experiment. The camera has an integral capacity for stacking but that works only with lenses that can be electronically coupled and the camera can shift the focus as it takes a series of images. I wanted to test the 6K burst at 30 frames per sec that generates single frame of 18MB rather than the 4K Burt that can do 60 fps and produce smaller still images after extraction from and MP4 file.The way I decided to do this was to reduce the speed my Stackshot focusing rail so that I could get more frames over a short focus movement. Then I started the Stackshot slightly back from the point of furthest focus and pressed the shutter cable That generated an MP4 clip ..I then top and tail in Quicktime and export to Helicon Focus to extract frames and combine them. The problem was that the program did not handle 6K frames..I did what I always do and contacted then at Helicon they are incredibly helpful and sent me a link to a beta version that extracts the files and does a superb job of combining.When I checked through the images I had generated I was astonished at the detail captured. With stacking I use an aperture of f/4 to f/5.6 which helps minimise diffraction  and produces soft backgrounds. We always have to remember that the effective aperture is much smaller than the marked aperture and this affects diffraction. In this case a 5x magnification produce an effective aperture 6 stops smaller it is always magnification +1 = number of stops less.I hav attached three images.The first of these shows a micrscope slide to which a piece of cabbage leaf is taped. On the reverse you can see the small yellow island of Large white butterfly eggs (Pieris brassicae). The focusing stage is a modified microscope stage that lets me align small subjects with precision. To give you an idea of scale those eggs are about 0.5mm high. You cans also see the front of the Laowa 25mm lens and a few GODOX LED lights with 36 LEDs a piece.Next you will see the result where the lens is extended to give maximum magnification which, thanks to the crop factor of the 4/3 sensor, gives the same field as 10x magnification would on full frame because you select a smaller portion of the image circle.The real revelation was in taking about 30% of this image and seeing the detail that was sharply revealed with no breakdown the sort of thing you would get from a low-powered microscope . Here, because of the stacking the depth of field is greatly enhanced. You can see the wonderfully sculpted flasks. The larva will emerge through the tiny circle at the top and then proceed to eat the egg as its first source of protein. In fact in one or two of the lower eggs you can see the dark head of the larvae as it forms. What looks like a grey leather surface is, in fact the cabbage leaf underside.There is really no end to what you can do with this remarkable lens much cheaper than the competition and blistering sharp.©. Paul Harcourt Davies 2018 no part of this article may be reproduced in any way without permission of the author. Laowa 25mm f/2.8 lens  for Ultra Macro  (2.5x 5x magnification) Suggested price: $399Available mounts: Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K, Sony FE  (others such as micro 4/3 can be used with adaptersOptional Accessories: Tripod collar $30,     Adapters for :M43 (micro 4/3) $30, Fuji X (FX) $30There is a brand new addition to the Venus / Laowa macro lens line up: a 25mm f/2.8 with 2.5x 5x magnification on full frame, that opens up really exciting possibilities by taking you into the realm of extreme macro at very high quality but much less costly than the competition offers.This lens opens up hidden worlds here the Venus lens is pushed to its limits at 5x magnification to show tiny fruiting bodies on a lichen. Marked aperture f/5.6 with an image stack of 40 images combined in Helicon Soft to get greatly extended depth of field.I have been working with this lens for the past month and, with the world of extreme macro for three decades, using everything I could get my hands on…This account is part review but I have tried to make it a detailed guide to using a lens like this by examining the problems people find, the reasons for them and, most important some solutions.Those who are serious about using this remarkable little lens might find something useful in the sections that follow the main lens description.Focal length: 25 mmShooting magnification: 2.5 times to 5 timesMinimum aperture: F16Maximum aperture: F 2.8Field of View: 10.3 degreesLens construction: 8 elements in 6 groupsNumber of diaphragm blades: 8Minimum photographing distance: 173 mm to 223.5 mm from sensor planeWorking distance of 40 mm (5 times) to 45 mm (2.5 times) from front lens elementUltra low dispersion lens element, to suppress chromatic aberration and promote high sharpness with high color fidelity.lens elements  have multilayer coating, minimizing ghost and flareWeight: 400 g Read More

TAGS:Observations and Across 

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