Gimbal Heads For Macro

November 08, 2012 in Equipment, Gear, Jobu, Macro, macro lens, Sigma, Technical

My Jobu Jr.3 gimbal head macro set up

Handholding is my favorite way to shoot macro but I have to admit there are plenty of times where a tripod is the best choice. First of all some people just cannot handhold for long periods. Other techniques such as focus stacking or setting up a certain image framing require it. Thankfully I have discovered a way to shoot with my 180 and 150 macro lenses that works great for macro and normal photography. I have been using a Jobu Design JR.3 gimbal head with my macro set up for some time now with excellent results. The balance is so good that with the controls in the unlocked positon you can let go and and the rig will not fall over, it just stays where you leave it. Also the big advantage of a set up like the image above is that you can rotate to vertical easily with changing anything other than loosening the tripod mount, even the flash position stays put.

When set up with the gimbal upright on the right side as in the image above you have unhindered access to the focus ring and controls. The clearance on the right side is a little close but does not cause any problems or finger pinching.

As you can see in the image above I use the Sigma 180mm lens without a hood most of the time because it can be a problem to light the subject with the hood attached.

I prefer to use the Jobu JR 3 in side mount mode as you can see clearly in the image above. It ships in bottom mount configuration but can easily be changed with supplied hex key (or allen key).

This is the breakdown of my basic macro tripod set up with the Sigma 180mm f2.8 OS macro lens.

If you are interested in purchasing a Jobu JR.3 let me know via email. I have a discount code you can use to save $50 on this head and 15% discount on anything on the Jobu site.

More on the JR.3 gimbal head on the Jobu site:

http://www.jobu-design.com/catalog/item/2588354/7937720.htm

More about the lens on the Sigma site:

http://www.sigmaphoto.com/shop/apo-macro-180mm-f28-ex-dg-os-hsm

Fall Macro Photography

November 05, 2012 in California, Macro, macro lens, Sigma

Female flower spider waiting to ambush prey on a seaside daisy. Palos Verdes, Southern California. Nikon D800E, Sigma 180mm f/2.8 OS Macro lens, single Nikon SB-R200 flash with diffuser @ 1:8 power, hand-held, Manual mode 1/200th s, f8, ISO 400. Image copyright 2012 Robert OToole Photography

If you are in Southern California there are still good conditions out there for macro photography I am glad to report. Last week we had a rare foggy/overcast fall morning and I was very lucky to find a flower spider on a fresh clean seaside daisy (these small lavender and yellow flowers are found naturally along the coast from Baja California up to Oregon). You need to hurry if you want to photograph flower spiders in California since they only live for one year they will be getting harder and harder to find in fall. Last month I watched one create a funnel shaped nest in the petals of a flower. This is the last stage in their short lifespan, once they create a nest they lay eggs they die. So if you are in California get out there and shoot with your macro lens.

Over the next weeks I will be spending as much time as possible field testing the new Sigma 180mm f2.8 OS macro and comparing it to my current favorites the Sigma 180mm f3.5 and the 150 f2.8 OS macros.

Sigma 180mm F2.8 OS Macro Preview

September 29, 2012 in California, D800, Gear, Macro, macro lens, Sigma

Sigma just started shipping a new 180 macro lens that is really unique for a couple of reasons. First of all it is the only optically stabilized 180 on the market today but at the same time this lens has a fast f/2.8 maximum aperture which makes it the fastest of it's type. So it looks awesome on specs alone but thanks to Sigma I was able to get my hands on one and I was able to sneak out for a couple hours before I had to jump on a flight to brasil. So what was the lens like in the field?

Female white-banded flower spider waiting for it's next customer. Palos Verdes, Southern California. Nikon D800E, Sigma 180mm f/2.8 OS Macro lens, single Nikon SB-R200 flash with diffuser @ 1:8 power, hand-held, Manual mode 1/200th s, f8, ISO 200. Image copyright 2012 Robert OToole Photography

The first thing you notice about the new 180 OS macro is what a massive and solid monster of a lens it is. In the short time I had the lens the first day I was able to make some good images quickly without any issues, see one of my favorites above, made with a monopod. The viewfinder image was very bright and contrasty so focus was quick and snappy. Back in the office the images were all very sharp without any noticeable aberrations or optical issues thankfully. So I just need to spend more time in the field and I will share my findings here.

Is the added weight of the OS system and the faster maximum aperture really worth the premium price tag with the new lens? I will post a review in October with lots of images and notes from the field including using the lens with Nikon and Sigma teleconverters.

Leave a comment below with any questions about this lens and I can answer them in the review.

More about the lens on the Sigma site:

http://www.sigmaphoto.com/shop/apo-macro-180mm-f28-ex-dg-os-hsm

Sigma 150mm f2.8 EX OS Macro

June 16, 2012 in Equipment, Gear, Macro, macro lens, Sigma, Technical

Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM APO Macro lens

Yesterday my UPS guy dropped off a lens that I have been looking forward to using for some time, the Sigma 150 OS macro. This lens, which is on a long term loan from Sigma, is the newest version with Sigma’s highly regarded 150 macro with OS System (Optical Stabilization). When I picked the lens up for the first time I was glad to see the new style smooth paint coating and it feels solid but slightly heavier than the old non-OS version that I own. With the addition of OS (Optical Stabilization) this lens seems like it will take the almost perfect older 150 macro lens just a little bit closer to perfection. This lens has the latest 4 stop Sigma OS system which will be interesting to see if it is of any help out in the field since I do almost all of my macro work handheld. A more stable image should make framing and focusing easier when working close. Before I get out in the field with the lens I wanted to look at this lens compared to my old Sigma 150 macro.

OS vs non-OS

Overall the lens is 24% heavier and about 10% longer than my old 150, but I dont think this will be an issue in the field. Two other specs really stand out to me, first the price went from $600 for the old lens to $1099 street price for the new OS version ($940 MSRP to $1600 MSRP). The new lens design is all new going from 16 Elements in 12 Groups with the old lens to 19 Elements in 13 Groups, but more importantly is that the working distance went from 24 cm or 9.56 in to 38 cm 15 inch. This would seem to indicate that the new lens will not lose so much focal length at close distances compared to the previous version. Internal focus lenses shrink focal length as you focus closer, the 200mm Nikkor macro lens drops to only 140mm at 1:2. I posted a 50-150-180 background image comparison in 2011 : http://www.robertotoole.com/2011/12/12/which-macro-lens/. It seemed that the old 150 macro was not just 30mm shorter than the 180mm as indicated but instead there seemed to be a huge difference between the two so I am glad to see this change with the new lens.

16 Elements in 12 Groups

The new sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM APO Macro next to the old model Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG HSM APO Macro lens.

I plan on putting this lens to use in the field this weekend to see if the lens is really an improvement over my old non-OS 150. Is it worth the 60% increase in list price. Will the OS really help with macro shooting and most importantly how is the image quality? Also how does this lens compare to my favorite close-up lens, the Sigma 180mm macro? My findings and image samples will be up here in a couple of days.

If you are interested in reading more about this lens see the following:

http://www.sigmaphoto.com/shop/150mm-f28-ex-dg-os-hsm-apo-macro-sigma

Photozone.de tests on the 150mm (on canon bodies), APS-C sensor:

http://www.photozone.de/canon_eos_ff/668-sigma150f28oseosapsc

Full frame sensor DSLR:

http://www.photozone.de/canon_eos_ff/667-sigma150f28oseos

The 150mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM APO Macro lens specs

Minimum focus distance38 cm or 15 inches at maximum magnification ratio of 1:1

Dimensions80x150 mm

Weight2.53 pounds or 1150 g with lens mount

Filter size is 72mm and the mount does not rotate

What does the long lens name on the lens indicate?

APO - Apochromatic

DG - DG for Digital, this means that this lens will fit all DSLR sensor formats including full frame.

OS - Optical Stabilizer system

HSM - Hyper-Sonic Motor

Gold ring at the front of the lens tells you this is an EX lens - the EX series is the top of the line lens series for Sigma

This lens is compatible with Sigma's APO EX converters resulting in either a 210mm f/4 (1.4x) or 300mm f/5.6 (2x) combination. AF and OS remains functional and the maximum magnification ratio in macro setup increases to 1.4:1 and 2:1 respectively.

Handheld Macro Photography

May 30, 2012 in Articles, D800, Equipment, Gear, Macro, Nikon, Technical

Handheld Macro Photography

Honey bee on approach to land on a Calandrinia. Nikon D800E, Sigma 180mm f/3.5 EX APO Macro HSM lens, single Nikon SB-R200 flash @ 1:8 power with diffuser, handheld, 1/250th sec, f8. ISO 500.

Handheld macro photography in the field can be one of the most fun and rewarding ways to photograph nature. The required equipment setup can be simple and lightweight and easy to use and does not have to heavy, overly complicated and cost an arm and a leg. Over the next couple of weeks I will cover my favorite close-up tips and techniques in multiple parts; macro flash basics, my recommended equipment, and finally field techniques. I hope this will inspire and motivate you to get out in the field and give close up photography a try, especially my favorite, hand held macro flash photography.

I prefer to shoot handheld and with flash when doing macro photography. Using flash allows you to attain sharp results even in breezy conditions without the use a tripod. In fact using flash means you can photograph in all kinds of less than satisfactory situations like midday sun, dark cloudy skies, or even at shooting at night with good results. Flash can record and reveal an amazing amount of detail and sharpness in the field that would be difficult or impossible to attain even with a tripod. For an idea of what kind of sharpness you can expect look at the example directly below then look at the image below that made at a 100% view or 100% crop of the very same image below at the actual pixel level in Photoshop, Menu > View > Actual Pixels. Note that these images were made with a Nikon D800E.

Daisy close up.

Nikon D800E, Sigma 180mm f/3.5 EX APO Macro HSM lens, single Nikon SB-R200 flash @ 1:8 power with diffuser, handheld, 1/250th sec, f8. ISO 200.

Take a look at the full frame daisy image above, then look at the same image below cropped at 100% view to show you the amount of detail present in the same image above.

This kind of detail is impressive but when you consider that the image was made handheld at close to life-size magnification with a 180mm telephoto lens without a tripod it is almost unbelievable.

Handheld close-up photography gives you freedom and speed that is just not possible when using a tripod. You can shoot at different angles and perspectives freely without the need to constantly adjust a tripod. Even more importantly shooting handheld makes shooting small fast moving objects possible and even fun, like this Robber fly image below.

Robber Fly, Dysmachus trigonus, southern Hungary, Europe. Robbers are interesting to watch and photograph, they can take prey larger then themselves. Nikon D800E, Sigma 180mm f/3.5 EX APO Macro HSM lens, single Nikon SB-R200 flash with diffuser @ 1:8 power, handheld, Manual mode 1/250th sec at f9, ISO 200. Image copyright 2012 Robert OToole Photography

Almost any flash will work well for close up but remember to always place the flash as close to the subject as possible for the best light quality, and always use of a flash diffuser for softer lighting. Choose a flash that allows you the capability to control the output with manual control or exposure compensation. Low size and weight are very important considerations when choosing a flash for hand held use.

If you have trouble holding the camera steady, monopods are fast enough to use for close up work without all the bulk and weight of a tripod.

Considering a ring flash or dual flash set up from Canon or Nikon? This type of system is really suited for scientific applications. They are heavy, expensive and a little large to have to carry for long hours in the field. A single small flash is all you need for good results in the field.

The downsides to a macro flash set up is most of all the initial cost then there is the extra weight and extra set up time. The macro flash set up does not have to be expensive, my current Nikon set us was less than $250.

My current macro gear set up

I will post a complete breakdown and description of my macro equipment in a few days but this image will give you a good idea of what the system looks like. At the front you have a single Nikon SB-R200 attached to a Nikon XS-1 adapter ring mounted to a Sigma 180mm macro lens mounted on a Nikon D800E, simple, fast and deadly sharp.

After shooting macro with Canon DSLRs for about 7 years and Nikon for the past 5, I have to say the set up as seen below is about as close to macro gear perfection as you can get, super sharp, light, quick, responsive and wireless. Nothing can come close to matching this set up in terms of portability, reach, resolving power and it is all available off the shelf for a a very low price, that is if you find a D800 or D800E in stock that is. You do not have to use the same equipment as I do, a shorter macro lens and an older body would work very well.

For this image I removed the flash diffuser so you could get a good look at the flash. I use this system handheld about 90% of the time. Also the D800E flash is down but it would be up during normal use in the field.