# More testing with the new lighting rig (pic heavy...again..)



## crimbfighter (Jun 8, 2016)

So, I finally finished the second arm for my macro lighting rig so now I have dual diffused flashes. Here's a crappy cell phone photo of the dual rig. I keep the two flashes on separate groups so I can easily adjust individual output for any desired lighting effect.




I'm still working out my technique with it, but each test run I improve. I've been playing with different combinations of SS, ISO, aperture, and flash output to find the ideal balance to get the sharpest photos possible. I think I'm still a little slow on my SS, so I'll probably bump the flash output for the next go to compensate for increasing the SS. Anyway, here are the ones I liked best from this batch.

Hover Fly







Random spidey




Overturned Pill Bug




Tending to the children




And Beeeeeeees!




Comin' in hot! (not the sharpest)




Just taking off




Preparing for takeoff (not super sharp either, but fun anyway!)


----------



## weepete (Jun 8, 2016)

Proof of the pudding and all that. Nice shots!


----------



## crimbfighter (Jun 8, 2016)

weepete said:


> Proof of the pudding and all that. Nice shots!


Thanks!


----------



## davholla (Jun 9, 2016)

Very nice


----------



## astroNikon (Jun 9, 2016)

nice pics

What lens are you using ?
and how far away are you on avg when you take a shot ?


----------



## SquarePeg (Jun 9, 2016)

Good stuff and very creative on the homemade (?) lighting rig!  The first bee shot is my favorite.  Also curious on what lens you used.


----------



## smoke665 (Jun 9, 2016)

Nice! Made even more so by the knowledge that you came up with the lighting rig.


----------



## crimbfighter (Jun 10, 2016)

astroNikon said:


> nice pics
> 
> What lens are you using ?
> and how far away are you on avg when you take a shot ?



My Nikon 105mm f/2.8G. The distance to subjects varies depending on what I'm shooting. If the insects are on the move, I tend to set the focus distance a bit farther away so I can get a greater DOF, closers to 18 or 24 inches away, increasing my chances of getting the subject in the area of acceptable focus, then I crop in. Otherwise I leave the lens set at minimum focusing distance, which gives me about 10 inches of working distance from the subject. I almost never use the focus ring to get the subject in focus, but rather move the camera back and forth while watching the focus plane move over the subject. When I use extension tubes, then almost everything is shot with about 8 or 9 inches of working distance. Hope that answers your question.



SquarePeg said:


> Good stuff and very creative on the homemade (?) lighting rig!  The first bee shot is my favorite.  Also curious on what lens you used.



Thanks! It is homemade indeed! Most components I was able to purchase individually (though most of them are actually made for the manufacturing industry). The mounting block is totally custom. I designed it and had a machine shop make it. The diffusers, too, are custom made by me.



smoke665 said:


> Nice! Made even more so by the knowledge that you came up with the lighting rig.



Thank you!


----------



## astroNikon (Jun 10, 2016)

crimbfighter said:


> astroNikon said:
> 
> 
> > nice pics
> ...


Yes it answers my question.  Thanks.
I was going to get a 105/28 AF-D (a little cheaper) until my d600 took a tumble and I bought a D750.  The 60mm seems just too short and required one to be too close.

I've done the same thing with moving myself/camera instead of the focus ring on my 24-85 in macro mode. It just seems easier to move.


----------



## crimbfighter (Jun 10, 2016)

astroNikon said:


> crimbfighter said:
> 
> 
> > astroNikon said:
> ...


Yeah, I've played with the 60mm. Depending on the subjects you're shooting, I did like the wider FOV, but I agree, the working distance is a problem for me..


----------



## davholla (Jun 17, 2016)

The woodlouse is my favourite but all are good.  What are the flash arms that you are using?


----------



## Overread (Jun 17, 2016)

Great looking setup. Ive tried the flexi arms before but the ones I used were probably half as thick andvwere no use for a steady speedlite flash.

One thought is you might consider a diffuser that is the opposite way around to the ones you have there . The idea being that most bugs are a 3d shape, but light falls off inverly over distance, thus a flat or convex light source will have more light hitting the middle of the bug and less at the edges. Whilst is you mack a concave light source you are changing the distances to be a little more even. Ive also seen this done with a second diffuser over tge lens hood and curved with the lend body profie, though tht tends to be on the mpe65mm,  which has very small working distances


----------



## crimbfighter (Jun 17, 2016)

davholla said:


> The woodlouse is my favourite but all are good.  What are the flash arms that you are using?


They are a commercially available product used in the manufacturing industry. It's not something that, often crosses into the photography world.



Overread said:


> Great looking setup. Ive tried the flexi arms before but the ones I used were probably half as thick andvwere no use for a steady speedlite flash.
> 
> One thought is you might consider a diffuser that is the opposite way around to the ones you have there . The idea being that most bugs are a 3d shape, but light falls off inverly over distance, thus a flat or convex light source will have more light hitting the middle of the bug and less at the edges. Whilst is you mack a concave light source you are changing the distances to be a little more even. Ive also seen this done with a second diffuser over tge lens hood and curved with the lend body profie, though tht tends to be on the mpe65mm,  which has very small working distances



That's a good point about the diffusers. I've looked at the diffusers that I've seen others using and had noted how they were often flat or concave, as viewed from the subject, but hadn't really thought too much about why. But, you make a good point. I had previously thought about how I could make a flat ended diffuser, but the challenge comes in when trying to make them one piece, and lay flat for storage. Compound angles or sharp creases are challenging to get to lay flat or be made from one piece. Your suggestion did spark a new idea, though. I think I'll try a modification to the diffusers which should give them a concave front but still be simple in design. Thanks for the feedback!


----------



## tirediron (Jun 17, 2016)

crimbfighter said:


> davholla said:
> 
> 
> > The woodlouse is my favourite but all are good.  What are the flash arms that you are using?
> ...


They look like the same arms I use with my dial indicator on the lathe.


----------



## crimbfighter (Jun 17, 2016)

tirediron said:


> crimbfighter said:
> 
> 
> > davholla said:
> ...


They're actually used to deliver liquid coolant to the cutting tools in mills, lathes, etc. I used them for years as a tool & die maker, which is why I knew they were exactly what I was looking for  They are used for other applications, periodically, but coolant delivery is their primary function.


----------



## tirediron (Jun 17, 2016)

crimbfighter said:


> tirediron said:
> 
> 
> > crimbfighter said:
> ...


Ohhhhhhhhhhh... okay.  I thought they looked like coolant tubes, but I figured they wouldn't be stiff enough.  I have a couple for my dial gauges that look very similar.


----------



## crimbfighter (Jun 17, 2016)

tirediron said:


> crimbfighter said:
> 
> 
> > tirediron said:
> ...


I'm not sure what diameter yours are that are on your indicator, but the ones I used are the largest diameter available. The smaller diameter versions definitely don't have the holding power for the weight of a speedlight. I also made some other super secret modifications to increase the holding power of the segments


----------



## davholla (Jun 21, 2016)

crimbfighter said:


> tirediron said:
> 
> 
> > crimbfighter said:
> ...


That explains why I couldn't find brackets like that to buy.


----------



## smoke665 (Jun 21, 2016)

After seeing your rig, I found some heavy stranded copper wire in the shop. Wondering if that would work for arms


----------



## crimbfighter (Jun 21, 2016)

Overread said:


> Great looking setup. Ive tried the flexi arms before but the ones I used were probably half as thick andvwere no use for a steady speedlite flash.
> 
> One thought is you might consider a diffuser that is the opposite way around to the ones you have there . The idea being that most bugs are a 3d shape, but light falls off inverly over distance, thus a flat or convex light source will have more light hitting the middle of the bug and less at the edges. Whilst is you mack a concave light source you are changing the distances to be a little more even. Ive also seen this done with a second diffuser over tge lens hood and curved with the lend body profie, though tht tends to be on the mpe65mm,  which has very small working distances



I made up some new diffusers which create a concave surface and are still double diffused. I'm still having difficulty with them drooping because of the new design, so there needs to be some tweaking yet. But, I think it made a difference in terms of the lighting. Here's a few test shots with the newest design diffuser.















davholla said:


> crimbfighter said:
> 
> 
> > tirediron said:
> ...


Indeed it does 



smoke665 said:


> After seeing your rig, I found some heavy stranded copper wire in the shop. Wondering if that would work for arms


It very well might. Just depends on the strength of the wire. Weight might become an issue with thick heavy wire, though. My rig is already at the heavy end of my preference.


----------

