Macro photography help

[dem331]

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I am trying to take some macro shots with SL2 + Contax Sonnar 100mm macro lens at 1:1 or thereabouts, somewhere where it is not practical to use a tripod.
 

At this magnification I find it impossible to get sufficient depth of field even with very bright lighting and ISO 3200 and at the same time avoid camera shake. I was thinking that perhaps I could use some type of holster or small tripod that I could hold against my chest to improve stability. Grateful for any suggestions. Thanks. 

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[dem331]

Probably should’ve added that the lens does not have a tripod collar. 

[dkCambridgeshire]

Can you photograph & / or describe, the actual habitat / cramped? environment / studio to "give us a clue" about your problem?

Immediate thought is to use a monopod - maybe one with a 'foot' .... in conjunction with a suitable head , e.g., a Novoflex fork mount head

https://www.photospecialist.co.uk/novoflex-forked-joint-12246326?hic_camp=google_ads:18189393538::&gclid=Cj0KCQiA6fafBhC1ARIsAIJjL8kJ9t2J3i6MRXgHym-fcNP7aNzj4BaMZLoyOqX5qPxAuzURpcdg39saAhMgEALw_wcB

... which can support a lens without a tripod collar.

Ref camera shake, consider using the electronic shutter and play the %. 

Edited February 28, 2023 by dkCambridgeshire

[Ko.Fe.]

SL2 should give usable ISO 12800 under day light. For hand held and close check macro ring light. 

 

[dem331]

4 minutes ago, dkCambridgeshire said:

Can you photograph & / or describe, the actual habitat / cramped? environment / studio to "give us a clue" about your problem?

Immediate thought is to use a monopod - maybe one with a 'foot' .... in conjunction with a suitable head , e.g., a Novoflex fork mount head which can support a lens without a tripod collar . Ref camera shake, consider using the electronic shutter and play the %. 

 

I will be on a ladder outdoors, near a tree. 

[wattsy]

If a monopod is out of the question, I assume that a string "support" is also not an option? In situations where I cannot use a conventional support I've had some success with bracing myself against something like a wall or doorframe, often using the camera strap wrapped taut around my arm or body. Macro can be very demanding at 1:1 and I think image stabilisation technology can be a real boon.

Edited February 28, 2023 by wattsy

[wattsy]

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Just now, dem331 said:

I will be on a ladder outdoors, near a tree. 

Extra long monopod? 😂 More seriously, I'd consider using a bracket of some sort to attach a tripod head to the ladder. You'll obviously have to be perfectly still to avoid the ladder bouncing about.

[jankap]

What about not using 1:1? Going farther away and cropping the result?

There also are clamps, that can be screwed to your ladder. For my 500mm mirror lens I use a ring clamp (from Canon) to become a tripod collar. 

There are small tripods also. See enjoyyourcamera.com for accessories

Edited February 28, 2023 by jankap

[RexGig0]

Would it be possible to borrow, rent, or hire the Sigma L-mount 105mm Macro lens? It may be worth trying. I have no experience, yet, with the SL system, but will offer the following:

Macro can be shot like action, if one can find a way to use an auto-focusing lens, and use the same AF mode that one would use to shoot action. Sigma makes the L-mount lens. I have no personal experience with either the lens, or the SL camera system, but Sigma’s 105mm lenses, through the generations, have been well-regarded. My first formal training was taught by an instructor who bought the Sigma 105mm Macro lens for the Canon EF mount. 

My point of reference is using the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro, with Image Stabilization, a lens released in 2008 or 2009, with Canon DSLRs that were released in 2009, 2014, and 2016. I photographed living, breathing, traumatized crime victims, for evidentiary/forensic purposes, while I was standing or kneeling, shooting hand-held. I could not use flash, or other on-camera lighting, while medical personnel were attending to the patient, so, the lights were what was in the treatment room, providing lights for the medical personnel. There was no room for a tripod. I set the AF mode to what Canon terms AI Servo, and what Nikon terms AF-C. (My only Leica cameras, thus far, are M-mount, so I do not speak Leica Auto-Focus.)

Plenty of books, and tutorials, on this subject, will still cling to the idea that macro can only be shot manually-focused, with a tripod or other support, but, at least since the introduction of the Canon 7D Mark II, in 2014, and the Nikon D5 and D500 in 2016, it has been possible to shoot macro as if it were action. AF will not be as responsive, at or near 1:1 distance, but if the lens and camera combination are up to the task, it is possible.

Edited February 28, 2023 by RexGig0

[dem331]

Many thanks for all the suggestions and RecGig0 for the very interesting experience you recount.  I will be trying out a few suggestions and report back.  

[dkCambridgeshire]

Try a "Yorkshire tripod" ... piece of string looped around your shoe .... t'other end secured to a 1/4" thread screw .... "screw "t'other end screw into camera tripod bush and pull 'ard lad whilst keeping keep foot on ground " ...    

There is a commercially made version available 

Edited February 28, 2023 by dkCambridgeshire

[Ko.Fe.]

47 minutes ago, RexGig0 said:

Would it be possible to borrow, rent, or hire the Sigma L-mount 105mm Macro lens? It may be worth trying. I have no experience, yet, with the SL system, but will offer the following:

Macro can be shot like action, if one can find a way to use an auto-focusing lens, and use the same AF mode that one would use to shoot action. Sigma makes the L-mount lens. I have no personal experience with either the lens, or the SL camera system, but Sigma’s 105mm lenses, through the generations, have been well-regarded. My first formal training was taught by an instructor who bought the Sigma 105mm Macro lens for the Canon EF mount. 

My point of reference is using the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro, with Image Stabilization, a lens released in 2008 or 2009, with Canon DSLRs that were released in 2009, 2014, and 2016. I photographed living, breathing, traumatized crime victims, for evidentiary/forensic purposes, while I was standing or kneeling, shooting hand-held. I could not use flash, or other on-camera lighting, while medical personnel were attending to the patient, so, the lights were what was in the treatment room, providing lights for the medical personnel. There was no room for a tripod. I set the AF mode to what Canon terms AI Servo, and what Nikon terms AF-C. (My only Leica cameras, thus far, are M-mount, so I do not speak Leica Auto-Focus.)

Plenty of books, and tutorials, on this subject, will still cling to the idea that macro can only be shot manually-focused, with a tripod or other support, but, at least since the introduction of the Canon 7D Mark II, in 2014, and the Nikon D5 and D500 in 2016, it has been possible to shoot macro as if it were action. AF will not be as responsive, at or near 1:1 distance, but if the lens and camera combination are up to the task, it is possible.

I used 100L on Canon DLSRs. IS was helping and AI-Servo AF mode with USM focus motor as well.

Continuous AF was compensating my motion and tracking moving bugs. IS was helpful for still objects.  

Where are two Macro AF lenses for L mount, but how good is SL2 continuous AF, it might be a question.  

[tangosix]

Montana gun sling, or any adjustable leather ching sling.  This reminds me of shooting a rifle in tricky situations.  You connect the sling to camera, wrap one arm in the leather strap, squeeze your elbows down to tighten, take a breath holding half of it and go for it. 

I use one while hiking in low light.  Not sure how well this may work for macro, but it saves me at least three stops in the bayou at night.  

[Stuart Richardson]

Please be safe with the ladder! Up in a tree looking through a lens and with both hands trying to hold a camera still while adjusting the distance sounds like it could potentially be a bit dangerous!

Edited February 28, 2023 by Stuart Richardson

[dpitt]

The standard Leica table tripod + long ballhead kan be used against the shoulder to stabilize the camera.
You have to set it in a different way, to accomodate the shoulder and the Ballhead top end can be turned at 90 degrees.

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Edited March 1, 2023 by dpitt

[NickT]

Have you tried "poor man's" focus stacking? In manual focus and high shutter release mode focus at the front of your object then slowly lean forwards while pressing the shutter button. The resulting series of photos can be combined in Photoshop to create a single photo with an apparent large depth of field. This works fine on objects that do not move.

[dem331]

5 hours ago, NickT said:

Have you tried "poor man's" focus stacking? In manual focus and high shutter release mode focus at the front of your object then slowly lean forwards while pressing the shutter button. The resulting series of photos can be combined in Photoshop to create a single photo with an apparent large depth of field. This works fine on objects that do not move.

No, I have tried focus bracketing by moving back and forth by minuscule amounts, but I might have a go at combining them with Photoshop. Thanks. 

[Eclectic Man]

When photographing landscapes from a helicopter, Timo Lieber used a camera with a gyroscopic stabiliser attached.  They are quite expensive, but see https://www.gyroscope.com/d.asp?product=GYROSTABILIZER for one brand (there may be other brands). I don;t know what his 'hit rate' was, but the final images are exceptional.

Timo Lieber website at: https://www.timolieber.com 

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[dem331]

Very interesting, although too elaborate for me! 

[Photoworks]

Nice images from timo.

Looks like he is using a phase one that does not have any in camera stabilizer in it, the gyroscope is often expensive and rent is a better option.

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Some of the medium format lenses with Leaf shutter don't go up enoght in speed.

 

I have seen a photographer with SL2 and 90-280 create similar images, great work too.