New toy...

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LES..
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New toy...

Post by LES.. » Wed Mar 19, 2008 8:15 pm

I went a little crazy last weekend and splashed out on a new lens for my camera. Naturally i wanted to get a few pictures of my favourite test subjects to get a feel for it and thought i'd share the results with you guys.

The first three pictures are of the same loach who featured in my 'little brown fish' post a few weeks ago.
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Full size crop of his fin:
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Grazing on the mopani.
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It is not an easy lens to use as shown by this picture, the depth of field at macro levels is tiny, there is only a small band of about 4mm actually in focus here, still this female has lovely markings
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Finally a few non-loach subjects, a red bee shrimp:
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Rasbora pauciperforata, the detail on the scales is something to behold.
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These scaled down copies really don't do this lens justice, please click on the pictures and look for the "Download Photo" link to get full size versions of any you like.
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plaalye
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Post by plaalye » Wed Mar 19, 2008 9:05 pm

Incredible Macro Les! What is that lens?
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helen nightingale
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Post by helen nightingale » Wed Mar 19, 2008 9:56 pm

:shock: wow :D

thanks Les
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bullisbm
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Post by bullisbm » Wed Mar 19, 2008 10:13 pm

:shock: Those are amazing!!!
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Graeme Robson
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Post by Graeme Robson » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:14 am

So superb!! 8)
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janma
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Post by janma » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:28 am

WOW!

Same question as above, what lens? Going to get a macro for my D40 and hard to decide what.
-Janne
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LES..
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Post by LES.. » Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:25 am

Hi all, thanks for the kind comments.

For those who have asked the lens in question is the AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED (fully supported by your D40 Janne). It is an expensive bit of kit, especially when you can get a similar performing lens from Sigma (Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro) only without the vibration reduction for about half the price. I have been pondering it ever since i got the new camera last year, when i found it on special offer in Jessops on Saturday i just had to have it. Admittedly it is complete over kill for my level of picture taking skill but i do love the fact that all those pictures were taken hand held which given my shaky hands (damned coffee addict!) definitely shows the vibration reduction working.

Next on the list of wants is the full CSI flash setup, the Commander Kit R1C1 not that i'll be ready to drop that kind of money again in the near future...
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Mad Duff
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Post by Mad Duff » Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:04 am

Stunning photo's Les :D

Thats another thing added to my Christmas list :lol:
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Pardon my honesty - I am a Northerner

14 loach species bred, which will be next?
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janma
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Post by janma » Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:52 am

I was actually thinking of buying the Sigma version. My dad is going on a business trip to Miami and San Diego and since they are a lot cheaper there I'm giving him a mission to find one.

I've been searching the web for some shots of fish with a 105mm so this came like ordered :D Thanks!!
-Janne
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Martin Thoene
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Post by Martin Thoene » Thu Mar 20, 2008 6:24 am

Excellent stuff LES, but I think I'd find that DOF frustrating.

Martin.
Image Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.

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LES..
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Post by LES.. » Thu Mar 20, 2008 7:37 am

Martin Thoene wrote:Excellent stuff LES, but I think I'd find that DOF frustrating.
I agree, it makes life very difficult especially once you also factor in the distortion you get from using high zoom lenses through the glass of a tank, any angle that is not perpendicular to the glass causes all sorts of distortion.

The lack of depth is the main reason i want the new flash kit, with more light i'd be able to use a smaller aperture and increase the DOF. Most of these pictures were taken at F8-F10 with full power on my SB-80 flash simply because i need to keep the shutter speed high when taking hand held shots. I need to get the tripod out and see what i can achieve with a slower shutter speed although i can't imagine i'll be able to get the fish to stay still for long enough (-:

This an area where compact digital cameras have an advantage over SLRs, with their smaller sensors they have an inherently greater DOF and suffer less distortion when taking pictures through glass at an angle.
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Marcos Mataratzis
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Post by Marcos Mataratzis » Thu Mar 20, 2008 8:18 am

Hey LES..

Not bad... Image
My 450L Loaches tank
31 clown, 5 morleti, 2 sidthimunki
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helen nightingale
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Post by helen nightingale » Fri Mar 21, 2008 1:02 pm

would it be possible to have a close up picture gallery on the main site? i would like to be easily able to find pictures like these, and those lovely striata closeups somebody posted a little while ago, as its interesting to see all the scale details and all the other little details
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andre
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Post by andre » Fri Mar 21, 2008 1:06 pm

Stunning!
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wasserscheu
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Post by wasserscheu » Sat Mar 22, 2008 7:43 am

wonderful :!: ... as usual I love to explore details. For example you show those "tubercles", which show nicely as cones. I did a nose study on Garra Fl´s and all 8 have similar "horns". I would like to learn to differentiate between just "horns" and tubercles...

Anyway veeeery nice macro lens.
Wolfram
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