Macro with a Cheap, Light-weight Setup
My camera was in the service centre to check on a little glitch, so I had the opportunity to experiment with a light-weight setup using my older camera – Nikon D80 with 50mm and an extension tube set. Actually, I hate to hear comments like “your camera must be very expensive!”… so this will be a cheaper option that I will use occasionally. 😛
As this was meant to be light-weight, I did away with all external flashes and used just the onboard flash, diffused by a flimsy piece of foam wrapper.
![Cheap and Light Macro Setup](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8178/7995825800_0830000313_z.jpg)
The results were not too bad, though there could be some improvement! Generally a good working distance is required for an evenly lighted subject. When the lens is too close, a lot of light is blocked by the lens itself. Also, with this diffuser, it is almost impossible to see the subject so I had to move my camera away if I wanted to see where the subject ran to!
![Sample Shot of Flipside 200 - DSC_7093](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8172/8053543141_9046cab380_z.jpg)
#1 Before starting out, I did a test shot on my bag. Never knew that it looked so complex inside the puffy exterior!
![Darkling Beetle? - DSC_7098](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8182/8003105434_723ac75732_z.jpg)
#2 Found a little beetle to try on! Light was well diffused, but as expected, such views would lead to darker parts at the bottom
![Snail - DSC_7099](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8316/8003102705_5dc20d20d1_z.jpg)
#3 Victor was also testing his micro 4/3 setup on this snail and I joined in as well. Problem with extension tubes is… the narrow range of focusing distance. This was at the maximum focusing distance, I couldn’t zoom out any further.
![Mangrove Longhorn Beetle (Aeolesthes holosericeus) - DSC_7100](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8314/8003102509_5a159cce5f_z.jpg)
#4 Found a common longhorned beetle to try on!
![Mangrove Longhorn Beetle (Aeolesthes holosericeus) - DSC_7103](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8309/8003102353_9a1bea324b_z.jpg)
#5 Traditional face shot
![DSC_7106](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8177/8003102183_192299f2f8_z.jpg)
#6 Cute little planthopper, like a pill
![DSC_7110](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8303/8003104710_965647039e_z.jpg)
#7 Going closer with the full set of extension tubes, but the DOF was extremely thin!
![DSC_7111](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8303/8003104582_e1ae21b39d_z.jpg)
#8 View from the front was very cute as well. 🙂
![Cricket - DSC_7112](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8310/8003104440_dc1cc08ff2_z.jpg)
#9 Still fiddling around with the lighting, so I shot everything I saw
![Derbid Planthopper (Derbidae) - DSC_7114](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8303/8003098687_695d2b388c_z.jpg)
#10 Derbid planthopper
![Derbid Planthopper (Derbidae) - DSC_7118](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8459/8003104212_9ea2c4c8c1_z.jpg)
#11 Side view of the little fella
![Mating Darkling Beetles (Tenebrionidae) - DSC_7119](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8033/8003104038_f300891fd0_z.jpg)
#12 Found the perfect subjects to test my lighting! A pair of ultra-reflective beetles… mating?
![Huntsman Spider (Sparassidae) - DSC_7128](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8461/8003103890_9ffa076e32_z.jpg)
#13 Juvenile Huntsman Spider
![Mosquito? - DSC_7131](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8041/8003103686_077d748e05_z.jpg)
#14 Mosquito?
![Velvet Mite (Trombidiidae) - DSC_7135](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8298/8003103510_ba1e066fd4_z.jpg)
#15 A tiny little velvet mite that stood still for a moment, long enough for me to steal a shot here
![Velvet Mite (Trombidiidae) - DSC_7140](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8175/8003103364_b66c15d0d9_z.jpg)
#16 Ran onto a leaf and posed again
![Velvet Mite (Trombidiidae) - DSC_7149](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8299/8003103174_bb6b56d43d_z.jpg)
#17 Shot from the other side
![Velvet Mite (Trombidiidae) - DSC_7151](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8458/8003102996_6c8897f128_z.jpg)
#18 Couldn’t help shooting from all angles as these little velvet mites hardly ever stop running!
![Giant forest ant (Camponotus gigas?) - DSC_7153](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8296/8003102888_eee3259ee7_z.jpg)
#19 Close up of a forest ant. The lens was too close to the subject, so the front was not lighted up well.
![Pseudoscorpion - DSC_7166](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8447/8003102668_e9a9618e8b_z.jpg)
#20 Found lots of Pseudoscorpions on the wooden railings too
![Four-lined Tree Frog (Polypedates leucomystax) - DSC_7168](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8461/8003102450_f625e8aae9_z.jpg)
#21 Walked down to the stream and found some sleepy amphibians – probably a Four-lined Tree Frog
![Weevil (Curculionoidea) - DSC_7170](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8439/8003099447_7833b9bb59_z.jpg)
#22 Maroon coloured weevil
![Deaf Leaf Grasshopper - DSC_7181](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8041/8003099265_6eee042e89_z.jpg)
#23 While we were resting at the park entrance, I saw this little dead-leaf grasshopper
![Jumping Spider (Salticidae) - DSC_7185](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8459/8003099085_42afe80a23_z.jpg)
#24 Also found a tiny jumping spider (
Salticidae)
![Jumping Spider (Salticidae) - DSC_7188](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8299/8003101724_eb254b0e9b_z.jpg)
#25 It turned around to reveal a super cute, bulging pair of eyes!
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