Lembeh Straits Extreme Macro

Hi Folks

I have just finished a series of video clips from the Lembeh Straits using a Sony A7s, Nauticam housing and my custom 5X lens. A DIY led light integrated macro port plus two RG Blue lights. Here is the first one. I used a saturated grading style as I am interested in bringing out the color and texture. Even aperture at F32, DOF is paper thin. A bit of vignette is added. Hope you will enjoy it.

Hi

Nice to see much textures, the grading provide an interesting look.

Sometimes too much shaking make it uncomfortable to look at. As it is very difficult to be stable at this level of magnification, maybe no pan, just fix shot would be better.

I'm not sure if it is possible with your lens, I would record some close-medium shot at intermediate level of magnification because sometimes it is difficult to understand what we are looking at.

I would shorten the video keeping the best shots.

All above comments are base on my own test.

At f32, what was your ISO setting? What picture profile was it?

Can you show detail of your DIY lens and light system? What tripos have you use?

Super macro is very challenging, nice work!

Surreal!

Hi All

Here is my second video of the Extreme Macro series at the Lembeh Straits.

Top side critters this time.

All happened on a dining table. No critter was harmed. The macro world is fascinating.

Thanks to NAD lembeh resort staff for putting up with me poking around looking for bugs…..

Hey Peter. Yes I have even more surreal clips to come. I gotta make an UW microscope slider or stabilizer for this macro lark.

Cheers

David

Crazy stuff David - thanks for sharing! Working with that kind of DoF must be frustrating. I assume the footage was all manual focus?

How has the A7S been for other U/W shooting? Can it see in the dark at depth as it has been reported to on land?

Crazy stuff David - thanks for sharing! Working with that kind of DoF must be frustrating. I assume the footage was all manual focus?

Yes crazy DoF. Min. aperture is F32. The lens is 5X on a full frame sensor of the A7s. It only focuses manually. In fact the best way to focus is to lock focus and slide back and forth. Breathing will cause camera movement. UW with scuba its hell and I breath hold too many times. Top side a little easier. Picking the right subject matters too. Too big and I could only shoot the eye and other extremities. Need to be just right. For example the Ant on the last video is perched on a bamboo chopstick and the Ant Mimic Jumping Spider is only the size of a grain of rice.

The Nauticam A7 housing is great. Just the right size and weight for long static holds. I also use a short tripod. The custom lens and port with built in lights will be revealed when I tested with the GH4. That M4/3 sensor is going to give twice the magnification to the 5X lens. LOL

How has the A7S been for other U/W shooting? Can it see in the dark at depth as it has been reported to on land?

The A7s is the most light sensitive camera out there now. UW it is also as good for low light as top side. The trick is setting ISO to no higher than 32000. Yup it is clean right up to there. At 60000 its grainy but not bad grain. I have to set the video light set at lowest setting most of the time. This camera could shoot with just a dive light for macro. Colour and white balance on the other hand is difficult to get right. I use S log2 and I have not been able to MWB the different clips to match the colours. I even tried UW mode which works sometime in shallow water. Quite a tricky profile to use. In the first video I tried one of the more saturated profiles and I like how the colour pops. Currently the A7s records at XACVs 8-bit. Not a lot I could do in post before the image breaks up. May be with the Atomos Shogun and at 4K I could do a lot more. Like cropping and stabilization in post.

This was a first test with the system. I also used the Nikonos V adapter by Nauticam. Tried with the Nikonos V 15mm, 20mm even the Sea and Sea Nikonos 12mm. All performed superbly. There will be one video showing wide close up shots. I just need to work on the colour balance. Tricky with this camera or may be just my ineptness

cheers

David

Cool Stuff!

I'll pick your brains about some of it on Fri / Sat if you're around

Remarkable! I am really fascinated by extreme macro but have only seen it done at this magnification on land. Kudos for taking it underwater. The shallow DOF really works in some sequences to give a dreamy quality.

I wonder if you could post a photo of the lens and set up just for curiosity? Or maybe I could drop by when I'm in town in a few weeks?

Remarkable! I am really fascinated by extreme macro but have only seen it done at this magnification on land. Kudos for taking it underwater. The shallow DOF really works in some sequences to give a dreamy quality.

 

I wonder if you could post a photo of the lens and set up just for curiosity? Or maybe I could drop by when I'm in town in a few weeks?

I would not show off the contraption yet because it looks rough. Once I have a proper one made then all will be revealed. However it works but need some refinement. I would like to use a GH4 next time.

I have no problem showing if you drop by. Drop me an email when you know exact date (info@scubacam.com.sg)

regards

David

Cool Stuff!

 

I'll pick your brains about some of it on Fri / Sat if you're around

 

Hey Simon

 

Important day Saturday! Hexacopters!

 

 

Wow! Very cool.

Looking forward to look the video shoot with the Nikonos lenses.

I'm hesitant to purchase the Nauticam housing because of the UW white balance issue you mentioned. In other hand the compactness of the system with the Nikonos lenses is very attractive.

Need to work more on the Picture Profile setting and color correction.

The DIY Lens is not a zoom, correct?

Not zoom. Variable from 4x to 5x. I modded the lens mount to fit the Sony FE mount de-clicked the aperture ring. Soon all will be revealed.

Eunjae - thanks.

Cheers

David