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#closeup #common #eyes #fliege #fliegen #flies #fly #grüne #greenbottle #insects #macro #sericata #lucilia #superclose #schmeißfliege #facettenaugen #compound #macrophotography #naturephotography
Published: 2017-09-06 13:11:22 +0000 UTC; Views: 395; Favourites: 30; Downloads: 8
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Description
Common Greenbottle Fly (Lucilia sericata, Grüne Schmeißfliege)Went out for a bit to try out my brand-new extension tubes today. It was windy and overcast, so not exactly prime conditions. That being said, some results like this shot here turned out surprisingly impressive. However, I did get a lens-camera-communication error twice and had to switch the camera off and on again; this is probably due to using all three extension tubes with a moderately heavy lens. Next time I'll try using only the largest ext. tube, since I couldn't always get within minimum focal distance, anyway. I also had to use a lot of flash and high ISO settings in order to get decent exposure.
In any case, for hand-held shots by a macro beginner such as me, the results are still pretty good I'd say.
EDIT: Updated the image; corrected wrong color profile set in Lightroom.
Taken with a Canon EOS 7D Mark II, Tamron SP 90mm F/2.8 Di VC USD MACRO 1:1 Lens with Meike Extension Tubes 13+21+31mm
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Comments: 7
Thank you.
Though I only tried my new extension tubes + macro lens combo for the first time, I'm pleased with this shot. It was very windy, so I was happy enough to have some shots that were even remotely in focus. 
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I haven't had a lot of success using extension tubes. My hands just aren't steady enough. I've been toying with the idea of possibly doing some indoor studio style shooting. That would give me a little more control of each shot.
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Using extension tubes can be intimidating and frustrating, and depending on the lens and what other kind of equipment you use it may or may not be a good idea to employ them. That's of course with regards to free-handed shooting, but carrying a tripod around outdoors and using a macro rail doesn't sound like my idea of fun to be honest.
Right now I am looking at a combination of one 31mm extension tube with my Tamron 90mm lens set to f/2.8, and I am planning to use that in high speed continuous shooting mode with a low-powered (diffused) flash to create up to ~30 image for focus stacking.
Unfortunately we're looking at a week of rain right now, so I could only do a couple indoor test shots so far, but the results look promising. I was actually quite surprised my Yongnuo YN-460 flash could keep up with the incredible shooting speed of the 7D Mark II when I tried it earlier today; good batteries are a must have, though. For the past few years I've been using Ansmann "Digital Typ 2850" rechargeable AA batteries which are meant for usage in flashes and cameras, and so far I'm really pleased with their output. That being said, I don't use my flashes very often.
In any case, I can't wait for an opportunity to make use of this setup. Hopefully the weather clears up ASAP!
P.S.: Many thanks for watching me - I'm glad you like my work!
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I try to rely on as little as I can in my shooting but I'm reaching the limit of where I can go with that. As far as stacking... that is what I want to work on in an indoor setup. I simply haven't got a steady enough hand otherwise. Generally what I like to do is shoot these critters in their own element. The more natural the better. That being said I almost always shoot with flash. I find it allows a much sharper image. My flash can barely keep up with my camera, tho.
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For some reason I find it easier (though rather exhausting!) to try and hold the camera steady while moving my upper body back and forth in order to achieve focus. But yeah, there's only so much one can achieve when it's windy or your arms and legs get tired.
I definitely agree about the environment; I don't want to take these animals out of their natural habitat and aim to disturb them as little as possible. And, if anything, the natural environment makes for much more interesting photos, anyway.
Yeah, it's nigh impossible to get a really sharp image without any kind of flash. Wider apertures give you more light (and possibly faster shutter speeds) but too little depth of field, smaller apertures kill your sharpness through lens diffraction, and you have to bump the ISO waaay up in order to avoid camera shake. But then again, all kinds of photography require compromises, don't they?
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It is generally suggested to use that technique but as you said it can be exhausting. I usually try to find a way to use my arms or wrists as a 'tripod' of sorts. If I can brace my arm on the ground or tree trunk or even my own knee I find I can maintain a steadier grip. I have a rather large amount of 'hand shake' that I need to compensate for and this helps.
It's great to find others such as yourself to swap stories with 
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