105mm + 2x + D100

Here are my hermit crabs using the 105mm plus 2x teleconverter and external diopter. All three are shot at minimum focus distance at f/27 with external diopter on and dual Z220's at -1 1/2 or -2.

The second one is in a shell the size of a dime. The third is in a hole in a sponge. There is a second crab peering out from deeper in the same hole.

Love those blue eyes. Amazing! Especially the second one. Was it hard to keep it steady?

BTW. Great job on the website. I really like clicking on the lens info and having all the photos with that lens pop up.

The first two were in a sand bottom so steadying the camera was not too hard. The third was handheld and was difficult. All three were hard to compose because activating the shutter wiggles the camera if you're not careful. None of these were cropped.

My favorite is the second, too. The critter is unposed. Sometimes you just get lucky.

Focusing is extremely hard without a dedicated focusing light which I'm setting up now.

Craig,

I think the crab in the white shell is simply amazing. The way his body is lit up INSIDE the shell is just too cool. I think he must have fallen over into that fire coral and then was sorta stuck there.

Here is what I rigged up as a focusing light that mounts on the flat port:

It's made out of a large hose clamp and rubber sleeve that you can get at Home Depot for joining together two large PVC pipes. I drilled a hole in the stainless steel band for my ULCS ball to mount.

It sounds like I am going to have to rig up something like this for my Aquatica if I want to shoot super-macro w/ my 105.

Cheers

James

I believe the Aquatica has a tap on the top that takes a ball directly. You'll need that ball, two clamps and an 8" arm. That's what the Aquaticas on the trip had and what I'm buying for my rig.

I fired one strobe straight into the shell and placed the other directly on top to light through it (if anyone was interested).

Outstanding shots Craig.

I also think you are correct with the ball mount for a spotting light as the A5000 has exactly what you mention. And, I have the ball mount for it.

Ya, I've got all that stuff.

Buy why mount it way back on the housing and use an 8" arm when you can mount the light way up there on the end of the port?

I'm guessing that it's because you can flip the mount upside-down and get the light down closer to the port.

Cheers

James

In my case the light is at the end of the port. As for DSLR that may be a different story.

Craig, I found the DOF an interesting example.

I noticed some problems with DOF when zooming out my cp5000 lens. In current or a moving subject I found I was not getting the DOF I wanted. Or, where I wanted. But, your shots demonstrate I was not doing anything incorrectly. You have only the eyes in focus on the first shot. Beautifully I might add. Then in the shot where you pull back you have the entire body in the DOF.

Indonesia here I come.

I don't see why you couldn't do it as James does since his port end is always the same. With my Nexus, the multiport and threaded connections would make that a major PITA. Mounting the light using arms means not removing the light when opening the port. I think you always want the light just beyond the port and down close to it to minimize parallax.

DOF is a major challenge. With the teleconverter, the 105 becomes a marginally slow lens for focusing and the focus light becomes critical. I found at times that I couldn't see the plane of focus in the finder at all. The third shot is not as well focused as I would like.

The third pick is why I really noticed. I would agree it is not optimal but, the first certainly is very unique.

I have seen some that will take the second shot and do a serious crop to have a full DOF on the subject but, I just still try to avoid that as I find it serves no purpose for being able to print the picture other than a postage stamp. Yes, certainly works for web etc as discussed in a separate thread.

This of course being IMHO.

Great shots, Craig. I often read these pages, but rarely post. Felt i had to say something about your shots.

I like the 2nd one best. Great shapes and clean colours (well black and white!). Also your control of depth of field is really impressive with the 2x. Technically some of the best shots I have seen with a 2x - excellent lighting, exposure, focus and DOF. First class.

Alex

Thanks, Alex. You're very kind.