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Just Dandy
Just Dandy
smurfguy


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Macro VI (Advanced Editing V)
Camera: Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT
Lens: Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro for Canon
Location: Thornton, CO
Date: Oct 12, 2007
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/13s
Galleries: Macro, Floral
Date Uploaded: Oct 12, 2007

 Update: Thread on magnification techniques

---------------

This is the 50mm reversed on the front of my 70-300. At 300mm, the magnification is insane. This is at 86mm. Focusing distance is about an inch.

I took more than 100 pictures of this dandelion in 3 different setups. At this magnification, my tripod couldn't even hold the camera steady, and I ended up setting the camera directly on the counter top with the dandelion placed an inch in front of the lens. Lit by a desk lamp on the right.

This is the full frame, no crop. The vignette is a result of the reversed 50mm. I tried a number of apertures to vary DOF, but in the end the smaller end had too harsh of a vignette.

PP includes (basic editing only):
- Various radii of USM
- Shadow highlight
- Gaussian blur, faded
- Color balance, Hue/Sat, B/W, and curves adjustment layers
- Resize, save for web

Some more info about reversing the 50mm:

At first I was hand-holding the 50mm on the front, but at those magnifications it's not possible to hold still, so I tapped it. =)

I then found that my tripod was not sturdy enough, because the shutter made the camera vibrate slightly (but enough at these magnifications.) So I ended up setting my camera on the counter, body, lens, and subject supported by stacks of CD's. By adding a CD or two, I got the placement just right so it sat still.

Here's one straight out of the camera at 70mm, f/16:


And at 300mm, f/20:


The dandelion head was about 8mm in diameter, so I estimate the 70mm focal length at about 2.9X magnification, and the 300mm around 8.75X.

At 300mm, the focal plane was insanely narrow - nearly unusably so. Of course, my aperture only goes to f/20. I notice that on the 180mm macro lens, the aperture goes to f/32. Now I know why! =)

Afterwards, I ordered a reversing ring on eBay. It's like a filter with 2 male threads - one 52mm and one 58mm - for attaching lenses front-to-front. This will let me attach my 50mm (52mm filter size) to either my 18-55 or 70-300 (both 58mm filter size).

Statistics
Place: 7 out of 248
Avg (all users): 6.8428
Avg (commenters): 8.1429
Avg (participants): 6.7738
Avg (non-participants): 6.9200
Views since voting: 4990
Views during voting: 273
Votes: 159
Comments: 29
Favorites: 8 (view)

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AuthorThread
Canon Canon 1d x Mark II
Sigma 85mm f/1.4 FG HSM Art
 10/28/2010 02:42:41 AM
Magnificent.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-30D
Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon
 10/28/2007 07:23:37 PM
Neat image, and thanks for the tip. I tried it with Canon 50mm f/1.8 and Canon 70-300mm IS, and it works. Ordered the reversing ring right away!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D300
Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro for Nikon
 10/23/2007 09:00:16 AM
A wonderful macro! Congrats on the top 10! :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM
 10/23/2007 05:35:37 AM
gave this a 9. great use of a reverse lens setup.. well done one 7th!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D50
Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC for Nikon
 10/22/2007 07:25:51 PM
wow. this is BEAUTIFUL i wish i could have voted for it. 10. i hate how everyone does bugs. i much prefer this and the colors are beautiful!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS
 10/22/2007 05:00:20 PM
Congratulations on a great score and a top 10 - and a new PB of course.
Beautiful shot :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D700
Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8
 10/22/2007 04:28:55 AM
Beautifully fragile and delicate. Perfect DOF. I thought this might be Ursulas image. Huge congratulations on top 10!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon PowerShot SX60 HS
 10/22/2007 01:11:20 AM
fantastic, Jeff! Great finish for a great image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon
 10/22/2007 12:12:04 AM
Congrats on top 10 and your new personal best!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Canon EOS-300D Rebel
Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III
 10/21/2007 09:34:44 PM
now that is a view you don't see everyday...nice work
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM
 10/21/2007 05:10:20 AM
Excellent, great detail/sharpness/composition, the muted colour/toning works really well with the smooth brokeh to make a great shot - 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-40D
Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
 10/20/2007 11:12:01 PM
nice dof
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Sony DSLR-A700
Konica Minolta AF 50mm f/1.4
 10/20/2007 12:09:04 PM
Wow - nice image, that's close up!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark III
Canon EF 135mm f/2.0 L USM
 10/19/2007 10:28:25 AM
I haven't seen a dandelion look this way, your colors and lighting are completely different from anything I have seen, nice shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
 10/18/2007 11:34:39 PM
Marvelous.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM
 10/18/2007 07:18:06 PM
Oh wow, my favourite shot so far. Nice and slightly surreal. good use of sepia. 9 well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT
Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon
 10/18/2007 11:55:10 AM
Very nicely done. I really like the DOF and bokeh look. Very good detail and just the right tone of color. Nice work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark IV
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS
 10/17/2007 05:41:54 PM
Wonderful depth of field as well as detail in the seeds
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-40D
Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon
 10/17/2007 01:24:45 PM
Great composition and overall image. Congrats wish you luck
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D7000
Nikon MF Zoom-Nikkor 35-105mm f/3.5-4.5 AIS
 10/17/2007 11:18:26 AM
WOW! Absolutely fabulous!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
 10/16/2007 02:35:07 PM
really nice focus and also great tones
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D5100
Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED
 10/16/2007 12:55:58 PM
Really nice job! I love the title too!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-50D
Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Canon
 10/16/2007 12:29:11 PM
great macro shot
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
Canon EF 180mm f/3.5 L Macro USM
 10/15/2007 08:19:43 AM
Lovely capture and colouring, well done:)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D3
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G
 10/15/2007 06:46:48 AM
Lovely Macro shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D300
Tamron SP AF 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di LD Aspherical IF for Nikon
 10/15/2007 04:35:56 AM
Well that's pretty special! Gratz
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Olympus E-500 EVOLT
Olympus 40-150mm f/3.5-4.5 Zuiko Digital
 10/15/2007 03:30:13 AM
Just spectacular 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM
 10/15/2007 01:23:07 AM
a-w-e-s-o-m-e!! 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM
 10/15/2007 12:13:18 AM
Truly SUBLIME! 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
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