Body workout on bees, with examples

[Frank Fremerey]

 preview_bloodbee_entering_nest_D81_0614_v1.JPG

Francis. The pictures are numbered. Just look at the line below where
the original file name is given.

[rosko]

the original file name is given.

They are numbered indeed...

Was I still sleeping ?

Entschuldigen Sie mich !

[Erik Lund]

Looks like a defective lens, non are really sharp... but some sharpness seems to be running along both sides of the image, with a unsharp center column. Also a lot of noise or something in the second image...

I would;
Big 40x60 cm softbox with grid on a battery pack like an Elinchrom Ranger with short bursts of high power would freeze action nicely and you can shoot at ISO 100

Old 105mm Micro nikkor f/4 would help... since the 105mm Micro Nikkor AFS VR looses a lot of focal length as you get closer, due to the IF design...

Or 125mm APO Lanthar 200 mm Micro Nikkor...

[ColinM]

The link worksn't

The image I felt had a "jittery" bokeh & background was 0588.
Anything you did differently on this one?

[Bjørn Rørslett]

A suggestion is using the older MF Micro-Nikkor 200 mm f/4. It has a very fast-rotating focusing collar that can be flicked into position by a finger tip, it is quite light weight, long enough of build to be be easily supported and operated by hand, and has internal focusing so its physical length does not change. Image quality isn't at the stellar level of the best Micro-Nikkors, but provided you don't stop down too much, should be more than satisfactory. There is some CA though, but digital processing easily removes most of it.

If you add a flash bracket, you have a very handy helper for capturing your insects.

I agree with Erik's evaluation. The posted images by the AFS 105 Micro in this thread really show less than top quality. VR is a feature that cuts both ways and in my opinion., never should be relied upon for close-ups.

[Frank Fremerey]

Flash does not make sense here because these bees are gone after the first flash is fired. You cannot record series of their behavior that way. And you only get one shot every 20 minutes instead of one series every 20 minutes.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

OK, higher ISO then. But the comment about the better handling 200 stands.

[Frank Fremerey]

Currently I am looking into acquiring a longer Macro.

The MF 200/f=4 is a hot candidate.

I also could use a very small very sturdy tripod that also stands on soft ground.

a beansack maybe?

[Frank Fremerey]

The link worksn't

The image I felt had a "jittery" bokeh & background was 0588. Anything you did differently on this one?

No, I just checked the EXIF: This is the D750 with the 2.8/60G Micro Nikkor at F=10 and 1/1000 s and ISO=360. The structure in the BG is caused by the test setup of my Biologist Neighbour. She planted some pots with flowers her bee test subjects like and created an artificial fodder source that way. Then she tested if the return times of her bees were affected by the distance of this fodder source. She used lots of fertilizer ion these plants so that the stems grew unnaturally fast and long.

What you see are these entangled long stems.

Frank

[Frank Fremerey]

OK, higher ISO then. But the comment about the better handling 200 stands.

Is there something inbetween? What about the once famous Microo Nikkor Zoom? Or a 105 MF Micro Nikkor?

[Frank Fremerey]

I just bought Ebay Number: 221843411535

4/200 Micro Serial Number 207157

It seemed dirt cheap to me. All other offers were 100 Euro more than this and from the pictures it looks very good. I can easily sell it if I do not like it.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

I just bought Ebay Number: 221843411535

4/200 Micro Serial Number 207157

It seemed dirt cheap to me. All other offers were 100 Euro more than this and from the pictures it looks very good. I can easily sell it if I do not like it.

Looks nice enough. The wobbling lens hood is preferably taped into its extended position. For hand-held use it is sometimes better to remove the tripod collar, although I personally find it gives better traction for your hands. But removing it saves on weight and it snaps back in a split second anyway should you need it.

I will not surprised if you join the ranks of CPU "chippers" after having purchased this lens. It is amongst the easiest one

[rosko]

Is there something inbetween? What about the once famous Microo Nikkor Zoom? Or a 105 MF Micro Nikkor?

I have bought a micro nikkor 105mm f/4 recently : I really love it. very sharp and its very long trow (more than 300°) allows accurate focus. But you only get half life size.

One of the cheapest micro nikkor on the second hand market.

http://nikongear.net/revival/index.php?topic=1022.0

[Frank Fremerey]

Erik: NPS promised to send a tested D810 and a tested 105VR ASAP

[Erik Lund]

As stated above 105 VR is not for this job, but ok then you will see what it can do...
Instead of flash buy a video LED light...