The hairy eye of a honeybee

[DanK]

On sedum, which is still mostly white so not a great background. You can clearly see the hairs coming out of the compound eye.

50D, 100mm macro, 36 mm extension tube, 1/125, f/13, diffused flash.

C&C welcome, as always

[PaulRJennings]

Wow

[Nicks Pics]

A fuzzy eye?? You really get in close with your macro photography. I find that hard to do. It's neat to see those critters in such detail. What's your close focus distance?

[DanK]

A fuzzy eye?? You really get in close with your macro photography. I find that hard to do. It's neat to see those critters in such detail. What's your close focus distance?

Not sure what the focus distance is with a 36mm tube, but it is very small. I believe that minimum working (distance from the front of the lens) is about 5.9" (15mm) with no tube, and it is considerably less with the tube. I would guess maybe 3-4 inches. I set the lens to closest focus and focus manually, by rocking back and forth slightly on a monopod. Needless to say, I don't get many keepers at that distance.

[NorthernFocus]

Crazy detail. You provide us with an otherwise unseen view of life. Nice job.

[IzzieK]

+1 to Dan's comment. Excellent shot Dan. I can actually see all the furry stuffs not only in the compound eye but most of the body too...

[Stagecoach]

They must get a pretty fuzzy view with that eye hair Dan, good one.

[Shadowman]

Very nice.

[pnodrog]

I was just about to go to bed without learning anything new today but you have saved me. Never imagined any eye having hair. Great detail.

[Saorsa]

They must get a pretty fuzzy view with that eye hair Dan, good one.

Actually no, the hairs stick straight out between the components of the compound eye so are not very intrusive. They do protect the eye from being abraded when working in flowers like a thistle where the bee digs deep into the flower.

[DanK]

Thanks, all. Seeing details you would normally not notice is one of the nice aspects of macro.

[rudi]

On sedum, which is still mostly white ...

Hi Dan,
Nice shot, but I am intrigued by the 'overexposed' (hope I may say this) sedum because I had (and often still have) the same problem with Whites and specular highlights.
My flash is usually set to ETTL, but lately I try to work in manual mode and set the power output to my liking, what gives me better balanced pictures. I don' know what your flash settings are..., just saying. Keep in mind that I am not an expert and still learning.....

[DanK]

Hi Rudy,

Yes, that area is a problem. I virtually never use manual flash, and I wouldn't for macro because in the case of flying bugs, things are moving and changing too fast to calculate what I would want the flash to be. What I should have done in this case is just dial in more negative FEC. That would have the same effect as what you suggest, without the need for manual adjustment.

It's easy to have the oppose problem as well: if the background is far enough away and not illuminated enough by ambient light, it can fall off to black.

Dan