Macro DSLR Speed Challenge #58 - SMYG (The Macro Way)

This week's Macro DSLR Challenge topic is:

SMYG - The Macro Way

Show Me Your Gear, any piece/detail of it: a lens, a cap, a cord, a battery, a shutter, a trigger, a zipper, a tripod head, an old camera, anything. old or new, working or broken




Standard Rules apply:
Photo Submissions:

1. Camera - Any Canon DSLR camera
2. Lens - Any lens, or attachment that can give Macro photos (ex. extension tubes, bellows, macro filters, reverse mounted lens and of course a true macro lens.).
3. Time - any on-topic photo taken at any time is eligible, although photos that have won other competitions should NOT be entered.
4. Size - Please see the Image posting rules.
5. Post-Processing - do whatever you like and the host will decide if it works.
6. Posting -
* ONE MACRO PHOTO per photographer in each challenge.
* Photo Name/Title in the message.
* Camera model & lens used in the message.
* Post brief Exif data including ISO, shutter speed and aperture used in the message.
* Notes - anything you feel you need to explain.
7. Commenting - No commenting during challenge. When the posting is closed and a winner has been declared, comments can be made in this thread.
8. Questions - Use PM
9. Have FUN!

One challenge every week, on the following schedule:

* New Topic - After winner is declared.
* Posting Starts - Right after topic is announced.
* Posting Ends - 5:00 PM Eastern Tuesday, January 26, 2010. Winner will be announced shortly thereafter.
* Winner from this competition decides the theme of the next one (and judges it for a winner) after this competition is closed.

Here is a link to our previous Macro DSLR Speed Challenge winners <-- click to see

Extension Tube

Extension Tube

IMAGE LINK: http://johnbdigital.co​m/blog/macro/extension​-tube.htm

Shot Settings

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Redirected to error image by FLICKR

"Taking Lens Aperture Self Portrait"

Canon FD 70-210/f4 Trombone Zoom Depth of Field Markings

Exif

Camera Model Canon EOS 7D
Shooting Date/Time 24/01/2010 17:01:25
Shooting Mode Bulb
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 120
Av( Aperture Value ) 11.0
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed 100
Lens EF100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
Focal Length 100.0mm

Magnification life size

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Houston, this is Major Tom. We have made Contacts.

Houston, this is Major Tom. We have made Contacts.

Canon 50D
100mm f/2.8 macro at 1:3 magnification
1/100 seconds
f/11
ISO 200
Flash fired +2 FEC off shoe (with second cord) from above into a light box I build for the occasion.

I found the light box too small for the application. I could barely get the camera in there. Makes for limited angles. I will need to make a bigger one. I was thinking perhaps of cutting up a plastic container and using white canvas. More outdoor friendly than cardboard and paper.

Trying to hold the flash in one hand and the camera in the other in cumbersome. Especially with arms crisscrossed (I had the flash firing from the top right). A stand and wireless trigger would be make this easier. Being Zaphod Beeblebrox would have made this a snap. Unfortunately, I do not think that Mr. Z Beeblebrox would bother with taking pictures in the first place.

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Lens Cap

I'm hooked to photography

velcro on the pouch of my 580EX II

Diffuse This!

Flash Diffuser grid on 580-EXII

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Challenge is now closed.

Its nice to see "new blood" on this challenge, I think we have good entries here. I took some time to say a few words to each one of them.

Extension Tube: I love the soft and deep blue background, the composition is pleasant but I think you should had difused the light on thr tube a little more.

Shot Settings: Old manual lenses do have a diferent feeling, all that hard metal, the resistence changing the apertures vs the softness of the focus ring...

Taking Lens Aperture Self Portrait: I think that image can get much better with some Post Processing. WB, extra contrast, blacks, clarity. One thing I learned in macro is that some pictures you just can't get them right straigh from the camera, no mather how hard you try.

Canon FD 70-210/f4 Trombone Zoom Depth of Field Markings: One of my favourites, I kept comming back for this picture, and I ended up searching online for picture to figure what what exactly was I love the diagonal lines and the wave effect I see in the background. I wish you have cleaned the dust particles, they distract a bit.

Houston, this is Major Tom. We have made Contacts: the light box seems to be working just fine, maybe missing just a bit of reflected light on the left.

Lens Cap: I like how you turned the letters into gold. Ultrasonic is indeed valuable

velcro on the pouch of my 580EX II: One of my favourites, the extra magnification turns a common "object" in something out of the ordinary.

Flash Diffuser grid on 580-EXII: Another fave, speaking of turning something into gold, you turned it into silver. The plastic looks pure metal, the 1st thing that crossed my mind was a meat hammer.

So I had to pick one of the favourites right? Trust me, it wasn't easy.

I ended up picking "velcro on the pouch of my 580EX II" as the winner of this week challenge, way to go Daniel2000!

I hope you had fun with this challenge, I enjoyed the entries, thanks everyone for participating, I'm looking forward to see you guys on the next one

Congrats Daniel2000!

Great take on it everybody.

Congrats, Daniel! Yours was one of my faves as well. I loved that take on the theme.

Missed you this round Monty!

Congrats Daniel! Good job everybody! I know my entry was kind of weird, but I was just happy to get a somewhat decent shot of the aperture. I was also just happy to have the time to enter at all!

OMG!
I never thought I would win
thanks
now I have to think a new theme, will post next challenge very soon (in minutes scale )

here is the new challenge
have fun
and thanks again for the first place