Meet my Macro setup

SDK^

SDK^

SDK^

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
21,335
My new Canon MR-14 Macro Ring Flash arrived today. I haven't had chance to capture any insects yet but I tested it on some flower stamens indoors and it rocks.

I'll try and post some insects soon :)


Canon 20D + BG-E2 Grip
Canon 100mm Macro lens
Kenko Extension tubes (12, 20 & 36)
Canon MR-14 Macro Ring Flash

Canon-100macro-MR-14-flash.jpg
 
A very big setup for very small subjects :) What magnification do you get with the macro lens plus all the extension tubes? I always thought the tubes were for using a non-macro standard lens as a macro and didn't realise people used both.
 
freebooter said:
What magnification do you get with the macro lens plus all the extension tubes?
Click to expand...
I haven't worked out the actual magnification factor but I have taken these 3 images which illustrates the difference.

macro-example.jpg
 
Very nice!

I'd love to get my hands on one of those flashes! Wouldnt mind some tubes either! Do you find you use them much? I can't decide whether i'd use them enough to justify the cost...
 
SDK, what do you think of the Kenko tubes. I was going to get a set only I was reading on another board that some guy with a similar set up to your own, his lens fell of due to a sloppy fit but was fortunatley saved by the ring flash he also had connected. It's made me a bit wary but there's no way i'd pay for the Canon ones.

Nice setup btw.
 
The flash has so many features, it's going to take a while to learn everything.
  • The 2 Flash tubes (left & right) can be set to fire at different ratios in 1/2 stop increments for sculptural lighting effects.
  • You can turn either tube off so only one side fires
  • The MR-14 can act as as master unit and transmit wirless signals to a 550EX slave so it can be used for background lighting.
  • There are two small focus assist lamps that can be toggled on/off by the press of a button.

This is going to be fun :)
 
:eek:

I want to get back into my macro photography :D

In "auto" mode, how good are the results? Obviously you will learn the intricacies of it over time but what sort of learning curve is required?

So hard to justify the money it costs over a 430EX but no doubt produces some fantastic results!!
 
Tachyon said:
SDK, what do you think of the Kenko tubes. I was going to get a set only I was reading on another board that some guy with a similar set up to your own, his lens fell of due to a sloppy fit but was fortunatley saved by the ring flash he also had connected. It's made me a bit wary but there's no way i'd pay for the Canon ones.
Click to expand...

There is zero chance of the lens will falling off.
The tubes lock just the same as a lens does to the camera mount. You have to press each tube release quite hard to unlock them and even then they are quite stiff to turn, so an accidental release is not going to happen.

The only problem with tubes is they are really difficult to use on a Macro lens
Magnification is so high that camera shake is very hard to control. Also, each tube you attach loses approx 1 stop so shutter speed becomes very slow. Couple all that with millimeters depth of field even at F16 and they become very specialised - A tripod and/or Flash unit is essential.
 
DRZ said:
In "auto" mode, how good are the results?
Click to expand...
The Flash on Auto or the camera ?
The camera needs to be set in Manual mode otherwise it acts as fill in flash.
The Flash on auto is perfect - as you would expect :)
 
SDK^ said:
There is zero chance of the lens will falling off.
The tubes lock just the same as a lens does to the camera mount. You have to press each tube release quite hard to unlock them and even then they are quite stiff to turn, so an accidental release is not going to happen.
Click to expand...

Excellent, just what I wanted to hear. :)
 
Straight from work and with the sun going in there wasn't much to photograph, got this fly though :)

Taken with setup as above - Macro lens, all extension tubes etc..

Shutter : 1/250
Aperture : F22
ISO : 200
Image not cropped

fly-1.jpg
 
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