Reversing Ring (and a Bird Photo?) Who Knew.

Had a few minutes this evening to shoot around the house - unfortunately the bugs seemed to be mostly hiding. But, I wanted to test out my new reversing ring, the Nikon BR-2 - probably the most affordable way to get into macro photography. Used, the BR-2 costs between $8-10. These test shots combine the BR-2 Reversing Ring with a manual Nikkor 50mm 1.4 and two 27mm PK-3 extension tubes. Note: these two images are full-frame, no cropping.

Green Bottle Fly (Calliphoridae) Nikon D7000 ISO 100 f/11 1/160 sec. sec. Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 reversed with BR-2 Reversing Ring plus two PK-3 27mm extension tubes, off-camera flash with modified soft box 

Green Bottle Fly (Calliphoridae) Nikon D7000 ISO 100 f/11 1/160 sec. sec. Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 reversed with BR-2 Reversing Ring plus two PK-3 27mm extension tubes, off-camera flash with modified soft box 

At lunch, a Field Sparrow dancing 10 feet away forced me to put down my macro lens and pull out the Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC. First time shooting big wildlife in several weeks - felt a bit rusty.

Field Sparrow Nikon D7000 ISO 400 600mm f/8.0 1/800 sec.

Review: Testing the Meike MK-14EXT UPDATED

Thanks to Jeremy Mudd, I had a quick chance to review out the Meike® MK-14EXT Macro TTL ring flash for Nikon yesterday. After an hour with the flash, the jury is definitely out on this flashes' usefulness for serious macro photography. 

Meike MK-14EXT  on a Nikon D7000 - Two modeling LED lights and A and B side flashes

Easy set-up. The build quality of the MK-14EXT is nice. A few concerns. Plastic Attachment Rings - screwing the ring onto your lens makes you seriously worry that you'll cross-thread the plastic rings. Aluminum screw on rings would be a nice replacement for the cheap plastic rings Meike includes. Free Spinning - the flash wants to slide around the lens, some tension between the ring and flash would help hold the flash in place. See Jeremy's free red rubber-band "repair"  in the image below. 

Plastic Attachment Ring - QUICK TIP: Add a FREE rubber-band in the groove around the ring to prevent the flash from spinning freely.

Adaptability. The Mieke MK-14EXT won't work with my reveresed 50mm lens set-up. The kit does come with  seven (7) different adapter rings (52mm - 77mm), but the Raynox DCR-250 I use has a 49mm front fliter size - too small for use with the Meike. 

Mieke MK-14EXT Battery Door - utilizes 4-AA batteries

My most anticipated feature - the Modeling Light. A nice idea, but brighter would be more useful. I shoot in a stepped-down macro system, and the modeling light was just barely visible on an overcast afternoon. Secondly, the modeling light automatically turns off after each shot - why? When shooting a burst of shots, the last thing I want to do is take my hand off the trigger after each shot to turn the modeling light back on. 

Asilidae Trigonomiminae Holcocephala (Robber Fly) Nikon D7000 ISO 100 f/16 1/250 sec. sec. Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, Meike Mk-14EXT -3.0 Exposure Compensation 

Brightness is the key to this light. Too bright? Maybe. But the MK-14EXT definitely lets you max out your f-stop and ISO. Was able to easily shoot at ISO 100 1/250 sec. and f/16 (or smaller).

The above images show the rear display and the four different primary shootting modes: TTL, TTL A:B, Manual and Manual A:B. The Meike MK-14EXT gives macro photographers flexibility and control in the flash settings - Manual mode adjusts from 1/1 all the way down to 1/128, and easy to set A:B side power programming. 

What the Meike provides in brightness, it lacks in diffusion. As my sample images show, the light is very harsh. The samples images were taken in TTL mode at -3.0 exposure compensation. (The perfectionist in me even had to airbrushed out a few ridiculous highlights on the ladybug.) To see my preferred lighting for a ladybug, check out this link. 

Lady Bug (Harmonia Axyridis) Nikon D7000 ISO 100 f/16 1/250 sec. sec. Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, Meike Mk-14EXT -3.0 Exposure Compensation 

Biggest issue, missing the shot? Tried a dozen times to capture a picture of a long-legged Dolichopodid Fly. Each time I ended up with an empty leaf. These flies tend to jump at a flash, but I've never missed the shot with my off-body flash (a Meike MK910 i-TTL)? Something in the timing of the flash is making the fly jump before the shutter fires? Not good - I hate missing a shot.

Green Bottle Fly (Calliphoridae) Nikon D7000 ISO 100 f/16 1/250 sec. sec. Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, Meike Mk-14EXT -3.0 Exposure Compensation 

In conclusion - would I buy the Meike® MK-14EXT Macro TTL ring flash? The answer is maybe. At $72 on Amazon (affiliate link), the price is definitely right. Unfortunately, the first thing I would have to do out of the box is make a DIY diffuser to balance out the light. Secondly, I was disappointed by the modeling light - not enough power and doesn't stay on. Next steps - need to get my hands on a Venus Flexible Macro Twin Flash KX800 (affiliate link) to test out. While more of an investment at $280 and diffusion is still a DIY solution, the KX800 looks to offer some interesting flexibility - pun intended. UPDATED 08/08/2018 While I'm still working n a review, I've had the KX800 for an extended period of time now, and highly recommended it. Jeremy Mudd continues to shoot with the Meike - he gets great results, but the light is more harsh.          

Fun at the Fen

If you don't count at the mosquito bites, great nature park with prairie, marsh, hard woods and a creek. 

Asilidae Trigonomiminae Holcocephala (Robber Fly) Nikon D7000 ISO 200  f/11 1/125 sec. Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with DIY diffuser

Quite possibly the strangest bug I've ever seen - Wheel Bug in the Assassin Bugs family (Reduviidae Harpactorinae Harpactorini Arilus). Also glad that we didn't pick this bad boy up, apparently they pack a nasty bite and can even take down a hummingbird. 

Wheel Bug (Reduviidae Harpactorinae Harpactorini Arilus) Nikon D7000 ISO 200  f/11 1/125 sec. Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with DIY diffuser

Wheel Bug (Reduviidae Harpactorinae Harpactorini Arilus) Nikon D7000 ISO 200  f/11 1/125 sec. Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with DIY diffuser

Hoverfly Nikon D7000 ISO 200  f/11 1/125 sec. Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with DIY diffuser

Spotted Cucumber Beetle - Diabrotica Undecimpunctata Nikon D7000 ISO 200  f/11 1/125 sec. Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with DIY diffuser

Sexy Lady

Starting to see some Ladybugs in the wild flowers at Sweet Arrow Reserve. Unfortunately, I believe this is the invasive Harmonia Axyridis also known as Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle.

Lady Bug (Harmonia Axyridis) Nikon D7000 ISO 200 f/11 1/160 sec. and Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with DIY diffuser

Sharpshooters (Draeculacephala Zeae) Nikon D7000 ISO 200 f/11 1/160 sec. and Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with DIY diffuser

Finally One Stopped

Been trying to get a decent shot of a damselfly for weeks. These things are so skittish. 

Bluetail Damselfly Nikon D7000 ISO 200 f/11 1/160 sec. and Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with DIY snoot/diffuser

Blue Moon

First moon shot all summer. With all this rain, there's been too much moisture in the air to even try. Couldn't pass up a blue moon.

Blue Moon Nikon D7000 ISO 100 600mm f/18 1/200 sec.

Lighting, Lighting, Lighting

The art of producing images of objects on sensitized surfaces by the action of light. If that is what photography is, why does lighting have to be so damn hard? Experimenting with the flash off-body and my original DIY diffuser (a.k.a the highly modified yogurt tub.) The Graphocephala was tiny - only 3-4 mm long.

Leaf Hopper (Graphocephala versuta) Nikon D7000 ISO 200 f/11 1/125 sec. and Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with DIY diffuser

Daddy Long Legs (Hadrobunus maculosus) Focus stack of two images. Nikon D7000 ISO 200 f/11 1/125 sec. and Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with DIY diffuser

The Heat Continues

Just the thought of going out to shoot makes me sweat...

Asilidae Trigonomiminae Holcocephala (Robber Fly) Nikon D7000 ISO 200  f/11 1/125 sec. Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with modified soft box

Leaf Hopper (Acanalonia Bivittata) Nikon D7000 ISO 200  f/11 1/100 sec. Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with modified soft box

Hotter and Hotter

Today at lunch was blistering (still 88-degree at 7:00 PM), using my regular stack up of extension tubes and lens (Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes) - I was without my homemade diffuser. These were shot with an off-camera flash with a modified soft box. 

Ailanthus Webworm Moth Nikon D7000 ISO 200  f/11 1/100 sec. Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with modified soft box

Hoverfly Nikon D7000 ISO 200  f/11 1/100 sec. Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with modified soft box

Captured this lightning bug (Lampyridae) image this evening utilizing my DIY flash diffuser/soft box/snoot.

Firefly (Lampyridae family) Focus-stack of three hand-held images. Taken with Nikon D7000 ISO 100 f/11 1/100 sec. and Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with DIY snoot/diffuser

Firefly #2 (Lampyridae family) Focus-stack of two hand-held images. Taken with Nikon D7000 ISO 100 f/11 1/125 sec. and Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with DIY snoot/diffuser

Return to the Bugs

What can we find right outside the front door? Testing out a homemade snoot/diffuser - found some willing flies. What can you make with a shoe box, aluminum foil and a paper towel?

Picture-Winged Fly Nikon D7000 ISO 200  f/11 1/100 sec. Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with DIY snoot/diffuser

Cleaning Calliphoridae (Clean Green) Nikon D7000 ISO 200  f/11 1/125 sec. Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with DIY snoot/diffuser

Robber Fly Nikon D7000 ISO 200  f/11 1/125 sec. Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with DIY snoot/diffuser

Butterflies and Birds

Fun close-up of this little butterfly at Spring Lakes today. Due to the large subjects today - had to remove a couple extension tubes (and was still too close). 

Eye of the Butterfly Nikon D7000 ISO 400 f/11 1/125 sec. and Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 20mm + 12mm extension tubes

For Louise

Louise asked that I photograph something a bit more her style - butterflies or hummingbirds. Well, I didn't see any butterflies, but we did have some pretty visitors of the bird variety.

Male Hummingbird Nikon D7000 ISO 640 460mm f/6.3 1/250 sec. with a single off-camera flash

Male Hummingbird Nikon D7000 ISO 640 460mm f/6.3 1/250 sec. with a single off-camera flash

Unfortunately I had the power set wrong on the flash for this next one. Great pose, I'd have loved to freeze the action better.

Male Hummingbird Nikon D7000 ISO 640 460mm f/6.3 1/250 sec. with a single off-camera flash

Love the Creepy Crawlies

Couple great opportunities today to capture spiders and grasshoppers at Sweet Arrow Reserve. These photos are hand-held photographs that have been focus-stacked in Photoshop (two images stacked for the spider, three images for the brown grasshopper, and a single exposure for the nymph).  

Jumping Spider Nikon D7000 ISO 400 1/250 sec. Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with DIY snoot/diffuser

Grasshopper Nikon D7000 ISO 400 1/250 sec. Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with DIY snoot/diffuser

Grasshopper Nymph Nikon D7000 ISO 400 1/250 sec. Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with DIY snoot/diffuser

Image Stacking

This long legged fly photograph is the result of stacking three separate images. The first image had the wing in focus, the second the eye and the third the middle body. While I'm not the biggest fan of focus-stacking in Photoshop, it is quick, easy and I already own it. Once I corrected the three images in Lightroom to my liking, I brought them into PS and used Auto-Align and the Auto-Blend. Photoshop did a pretty good job this time of getting the details correct.

The image of the roly polie (Armadillidiidae) is a focus-stack of three seperate images, allowing me to get the front and rear of the pillbug both sharp.

Dolichopodidae #3 Nikon D7000 ISO 100 f/8 1/200 sec. and Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with DIY snoot/diffuser 

Armadillidiiae's New Shell Nikon D7000 ISO 100 f/8 1/200 sec. and Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes, off-body flash with DIY snoot/diffuser 

Lens Stacking

The two shots below were taken using a ridiculous lens stack-up - a Nikkor 105mm f/4 Micro AI manual focus lens + 27mm + 20mm + 14mm + 12mm extension tubes. Amazed light actually reached the sensor.  

Scarlet and Green Leafhopper Nikon D7000 ISO 400 105mm + 73mm of extension tubes f/11 1/100 sec.

Toad Nikon D7000 ISO 400 105mm + 73mm of extension tubes f/16 1/80 sec.

Noisy Neighbor

Last night this noisy little neighbor was demanding attention. A juvenile Barred Owl, it posted itself on top of a dead tree and was screeching up a storm. Nothing seemed to scare this little guy. Whether it was our two sheep dog, me sounding like Sasquatch, or another owl wanting it's roost - he stood his ground longer than I could stay up and take pictures. Needing all the light possible, I used my Nikkor 80-200mm 2.8 lens and an off camera flash to capture the photo.

Juvenile Barred Owl Nikon D7000 ISO 800 200mm f/5.0 1/50 sec.

Juvenile Barred Owl Nikon D7000 ISO 800 200mm f/4.0 1/80 sec.

Weekend of Close-Ups

Really enjoying experimenting with macro work. The best part - when there isn't much time, you can shoot right in your backyard. These images also represent my first experiment with DeNoise from Topaz Labs. So far, very impressed with DeNoise's ability to preserve the detail in fine detail sections like the eyes of the hoverfly, while beautifully smoothing the fine grain in the background. In the past, I've relied on Photoshop, masking and reducing noise in select areas. DeNoise speeds the process and gives a much better look.  

Hoverfly Nikon D7000 50mm + 59mm of extension tubes ISO 200 f/11 1/160/sec. 

Dolichopodid Fly Nikon D7000 50mm + 59mm of extension tubes ISO 800 f/11 1/400/sec. 

Grasshopper Nymph Nikon D7000 50mm + 59mm of extension tubes ISO 100 f/11 1/125/sec. 

Don't Bite Nikon D7000 50mm + 49mm of extension tubes ISO 100 f/11 1/125/sec. 

Agapostemon Nikon D7000 50mm + 59mm of extension tubes ISO 200 f/11 1/160/sec. 

Playing with Danger

Couldn't resist taking some pictures of this awesome yellow jacket at Cox Arboretum. Glad he was more interested in the flower than he was in me.

Yellow Jacket Nikon D7000 ISO 160 50mm + 58mm extension tube f/11 1/250 sec.

Housefly Nikon D7000 ISO 200 50mm + 58mm extension tube f/11 1/100 sec.

Still Feeling a Bit Buggie

After being eaten alive the other day, you would think I'd earn my lesson. Here I am out again with the extension tubes (59mm's worth) trying to get up close and personal with more insects.

Fly Nikon D7000 ISO 160 50mm + 59mm extension tube f/11 1/100 sec.

Damselfly Nikon D7000 ISO 100 50mm + 59mm extension tube f/11 1/100 sec.

Fly II Nikon D7000 ISO 160 50mm + 59mm extension tube f/11 1/100 sec.

Rainy Days

We're experiencing a very wet summer - not usually great for a photographer. Tonight, got out after the rain (and in the near dark) to capture some macro images. Captured this hand-eld shot of a green hopper, but ended up using two images stacked in Photoshop CC to bring both the right and left rear legs into focus. If my research is correct, this is a final instar katydid nymph. 

Katydid (Tettigoniidae Famiy) Nikon D7000 ISO 200 50mm f/11 1/250 sec.