First Flash Third Question

[Artshot]

Is anyone using a 200mm for almost macro?

The micro 200mm has the same 1/2 magnification as a micro 105, but the working distance is more than twice as far away. Just curious on how flash position is used with this specific lens.

[Stagecoach]

Is anyone using a 200mm for almost macro?

The micro 200mm has the same 1/2 magnification as a micro 105, but the working distance is more than twice as far away. Just curious on how flash position is used with this specific lens.

I assume you are referring to the 200mm f/4 Micro-NIKKOR AI-s?

I do not use a 200mm macro lens Art but positioning would have to take into account the same factors as we do when using any lens at close distances with flash. The primary concern is that neither the lens barrel or hood get in the way of the light causing shadows.

Assuming the above lens (there are more than one version with different physical sizes), positioning is pretty flexible due to the distances involved, MFD 0.7m and MWD 0.5m, whether the flash is above the camera or to the side.

A quick mod to a diagram I have shows this, note the exact flash position may not be the same for your 910 and the lens hood is not in position;



As to where you place the flash you would have to be well above or to the side of the camera, possibly beyond the bounds of practicality, to achieve much influence of flash light direction.

I suspect also that if it is mounted at the side of the camera with the flash mounted directly to a bracket fixed under the camera it must not be too close to the camera for the lens/hood to block the light path.

Doing a google search I came across examples where someone had heavy bracketed a standard speedlight so that its head was just above the lens hood pointing forward and slightly down. I suppose these options are very much based upon rigs for hand holding, tripod or monopod use.

[rpcrowe]

There are many ways to shoot with the 200mm lens and not get the shadow from the lens barrel in your image...

First is a rig like this. The angle of the flash can easily be adjusted:

Here is some information on this rig:
https://rpcrowe.smugmug.com/Photogra...hy/i-HQZRWZ5/A

Second is using a reflector/Diffuser like the Joe Demb Flash Diffuser Pro with the bounce card pointed 45 degrees forward to cash as much light on the subject as possible. I "think" that the flash would be high enough to avoid the lens shadow. Note: Joe Demb has a larger bounce card available or you could easily attach a larger piece of reflective material to the standard bounce card using gaffer's tape...


Third would be to hand hold the light - not the most practical when shooting macro with a 200mm lens...

If you are not moving around a lot, then a light stand with a flash and a softbox would also work.

Don't automatically rule out a ring flash like the Yongnuo YN-14 EX TTL which they have for Nikon and is relatively inexpensive at about $99 USD. Either side of this flash ring can be adjusted individually to allow some shadows in your image...


Or a ring flash adapter like this one...

This darn thing is difficult to balance...

Or a twin flash like this. You would need a pair of hot shoe flashes and preferably a diffuser like a mini softbox (In the old days, I used Kleenex tissue to diffuse my flash)

A smaller flash like a Viltrox woul probably be more efficient.

Peruse eBay using Macro flash bracket as your search parameters.

You could also fabricate just about any kind of rig using these pictures as a guide...
https://www.google.com/search?q=DIY+...w=1707&bih=889

The unique one that I spotted in the above group is having a hotshoe flash mounted to the lens hood. I don't know if this would work but, it is an interesting concept

[Artshot]

Thanks for the drawing and the photos on setting things up. Time to do some experiments.

[rudi]

Is anyone using a 200mm for almost macro?.....

No Art, I am using a 100 mm . Reason being that the 180 mm (I am a canon shooter) + a bracketed flash was too heavy for me for handholding. It didn't felt comfortable in my hands...YMMV. I must admit that I was already used to the 100 mm when I tried the 180mm.

[Geoff F]

My standard rig is a 180 mm Sigma macro often with a 1.4x converter attached and mostly with flash, even if I don't actually use it for some shots. Nearly always on a tripod.

This allows me to get those essential small subject identification points in sufficient detail from a safe working distance. Larger lenses are often handy for those bigger but nervous subjects like butterflies and dragonflies where you have to shoot from several feet away.

[rpcrowe]

No Art, I am using a 100 mm . Reason being that the 180 mm (I am a canon shooter) + a bracketed flash was too heavy for me for handholding. It didn't felt comfortable in my hands...YMMV. I must admit that I was already used to the 100 mm when I tried the 180mm.

I also use a 100mm macro lens because IMO it is a good compromise considering weight, cost and lens to subject distance.

There is really no difference in the image when you are at a 1:1 ratio between any lens from 50mm to 200mm. The difference is in the lens to subject distance in attaining the 1:1 image. A 1:1 image ratio is exactly that - the image on your sensor is the same size as the subject itself. Surprisingly, there is actually no difference in depth of field at a 1:1 ratio (if shot at the same aperture) even though the focal lengths are vastly different.

There is no sensor to subject distance difference between a 1:1 image on a crop sensor camera and a 1:1 image on a full frame camera. The difference being that the crop sensor will capture less of the image. You can pretty well disregard the 1.5 (Nikon) or 1.6 (Canon) crop sensor conversion ratios when shooting at 1:1. The sensor to subject distance with either a crop or full frame camera at 1:1 is exactly the same (given that you are using the same lens on both cameras). The difference between the different sized formats is that with a full frame camera at a 1:1 ratio, you can cover a subject area of 36mm x 24mm while with an APS-C crop camera you can only cover 23.6mm x 15.7mm (Nikon) or 22.2mm x 14.8mm (Canon)