Along came a Spider

[Duncaji]

Taken with 5D and 100mm macro and 580ex flash.

[Mike Bell]

What was the aperture? With flash to provide lots of light you could probably have used a smaller aperture and got more DOF.

[Duncaji]

Aperture was F3.5, ISO 800 and used the flash at an angle, also used a fast shutter speed in order that I could take the shot hand held......took lots of shots of it and this was the best of the bunch.

Had I been able to get the tripod to the right height, I'd have been able to get more DOF...

I've a print of this at A3, and it does look a lot better than the compressed web version.

[Pete]

Using flash sync, you would have got 1/250sec shutter speed easily and used a good aperture (f/11 seems to work well) - you wouldn't need a tripod support either. Most people like to see spider's faces as well.

[Mike Bell]

I'm with Pete. Try f11 or even f16, 1/200 or 1/250sec, ISO 100 and the flash on ETTL. If you get the flash up close (but diffused) there is enough light.

Here is the kit I use for handheld insect macros - 350D with EF-S 60 macro (35mm equivalent 96mm) and Speedlite 430 EX (less powerful than the 580) with Stofen diffuser on a Manfrotto 330B macro bracket. There happen to be a couple of extension tubes on as well.

http://static.flickr.com/31/99375238_54c0be432a_o.jpg

[Duncaji]

Thanks guys, I'll go back to same location, as there are zillions of little critters like this to photograph and give it a go.

I will get the macro flash unit when I can afford it, but maybe getting the cable as pictured a go so I have more freedom with position and would be cheaper and maybe as effective a solution.

[racketman]

Thanks guys, I'll go back to same location, as there are zillions of little critters like this to photograph and give it a go.

I will get the macro flash unit when I can afford it, but maybe getting the cable as pictured a go so I have more freedom with position and would be cheaper and maybe as effective a solution.

Dont waste money on a macro flash, the system shown above is just as good if not better.

[Duncaji]

Thanks, this is the sort of advice I need and main benefits from using a forum, to learn.

I'll try the above solution and am confident it will work just fine......macro flash kit is pricey !

[Pete]

You won't need a set up as pricey as Mike's to start off. I've been taking my macro shots with just extension tubes on a 50mm and a Sigma flash with one of those cheap cardboard reflectors mounted onto it.

[Duncaji]

Thanks Pete, would you recommend extention tube for 100mm macro also....am I correct in saying that this will allow me to get closer to the subject ?

[Pete]

I'd guess that you'd be fine with the 100mm. I only got the extension tubes because I didn't really want to pay for a lens I wasn't going to use that often. The tubes are more of a play-thing for me.

[dpastern]

Dont waste money on a macro flash, the system shown above is just as good if not better.

Totally agreed. A 430ex/580ex with a bracket and offshoe adaptor #2 will work wonders. Trust me, I've been down this path. Using the flash on camera really does limit what you can do. As others have pointed out, 1/200, ISO 200, f11 works pretty well. You should be able to pretty much handheld with those settings, and the flash bracket/offshoe adaptor etc. Getting everything sharp will probably take some practice.

Dave

[Mike Bell]

Thanks Pete, would you recommend extention tube for 100mm macro also....am I correct in saying that this will allow me to get closer to the subject ?

Depends on the size of the bugs. With a 5D and a proper 1:1 macro lens your smallest field is 35x23mm. With a set of tubes you can go to 1.5:1 (24x16mm) or 2:1 (18x12mm) or even a bit smaller still. It gets harder to get good results as the magnification goes up and I would recommend lots of practice at 1:1 before going super macro.

My setup isn't that expensive Pete! £35 for the off-shoe cord, £40 for the bracket, £40-70 for the (optional) tubes and £15 for the Stofen - the rest is what he's got already. But I admit a homemade diffuser is often just as good or better - I also use a 1 litre Tesco's milk carton! :lol: