xl2 filming an ants head at DVinfo.net

Cassidy Bisher · May 25th, 2005, 10:46 PM

For you professional wildlifers out there... what lens would you suggest getting for shooting (with clarity) say... and ants head, or the pours on human skin?

any links?

Spank U!

Cassidy
www.motivitypictures.com

Chris Hurd · May 25th, 2005, 11:19 PM

The stock 20x lens is fine for this purpose if you remove the lens hood. Zoom out to full wide. Leave it there (don't zoom in). Add plenty of light. You now have full macro capability. Do a search on "macro" in this board as we've covered these steps before several times. The hardest part for you will be maneuvering a big camera like the XL2 around such tiny objects. Hope this helps,

Cassidy Bisher · May 26th, 2005, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Hurd

The stock 20x lens is fine for this purpose if you remove the lens hood. Zoom out to full wide. Leave it there (don't zoom in). Add plenty of light. You now have full macro capability. Do a search on "macro" in this board as we've covered these steps before several times. The hardest part for you will be maneuvering a big camera like the XL2 around such tiny objects. Hope this helps,

Ok Chris, thanks a lot, i will try this and search for macro's..

cass

Shekar Dattatri · May 26th, 2005, 08:44 PM

What I understood from the original post is that Cass wants to be able to go really tight on his subjects - an ant's head and pores on human skin. The way to achieve this would be to use a 35mm still camera macro lens such as the Canon or Nikon 100mm macro lens on the XL-2 with the appropriate adapter (both available from ZGC or other dealers). This will provide stupendous magnification. If even more is required, an extension tube in between the adapter and the lens will provide it. Needless to say, shooting such ultra macro shots requires plenty of light (for depth of field, which gets shallower with greater magnification), a rock solid tripod and a subject that doesn't move too much (at least for the duration of the shot).

Greg Boston · May 26th, 2005, 11:07 PM

If it needs to be really close up then you could also add a diopter ring on the front of the lens. I have +7 and +10 diopter rings for my digital still camera. However, as Chris stated, the 20x has macro capability if you follow the steps he outlined.

=gb=

Bob Safay · May 27th, 2005, 06:28 AM

Cassidy, as a former entomologist I still do a lot of macro. I use a set of diopters and the 1.6 converter. Lots of light. Ants are really fast and hard to pin down. A good trick is to stick them in a cooler. NOT long enought to kill them, just to slow them down. Have your shot set up. After a couple of minutes the insect is usually cold enought that you can put it "on-stage" and video. I also have the Camcorder hooked up to a monitor and focus and frame on the monitor. Also, I have several small glass (2 - 4 gal fish tanks) that I set up to simulate the environment. I can take the top off, tilt forward and video through the top. A little vasoline around the top 1/2 inch of glass keeps the ants from making an escape while you are videoing. And please release them after you are finished. This past winter I did macro of praying mantis laying her egg pods and then the little darlings emerging. Facinating. What kind of ants are you videoing? Bob

Jon Bickford · May 30th, 2005, 05:14 PM

with my little optura 20d with tiffen +7 and +10 i can focus on the dust on the lens i've used that for some extreme macro stuff but you need a LOT of light to make that little one chip look decent

Cassidy Bisher · June 2nd, 2005, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shekar Dattatri

The way to achieve this would be to use a 35mm still camera macro lens such as the Canon or Nikon 100mm macro lens on the XL-2 with the appropriate adapter (both available from ZGC or other dealers).

thanks shekar, i ran into this site:

http://www.redrockmicro.com

Could you send me a link to ZGC or other dealers that have lense adapters for the xl2?

cas

Cassidy Bisher · June 2nd, 2005, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon Bickford

with my little optura 20d with tiffen +7 and +10 i can focus on the dust on the lens i've used that for some extreme macro stuff but you need a LOT of light to make that little one chip look decent

can you send me a link to the optura 20d, and the lense adapter you use?

thanks Jon

Cassidy Bisher · June 2nd, 2005, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Safay

This past winter I did macro of praying mantis laying her egg pods and then the little darlings emerging. Facinating.

bob, i would love to see some of that footage or a screen shot of the praying mantis.

thanks for the advice. i am just trying to learn how to get extreme close ups.. thanks to everyone hear i have learned alot.

cass
www.motivitypictures.com

Greg Boston · June 2nd, 2005, 08:44 PM

Cassidy,

ZGC is one of our site's sponsors. Just click on the sponsors link on the main page or Click Here. Be sure and tell them you found them through DV-INFO if and when you order.

Good luck with your ant filming!

=gb=

May 25th, 2005, 10:46 PM	#1
Cassidy Bisher Regular Crew Join Date: May 2005 Location: Grand Rapids MI Posts: 198	xl2 filming an ants head For you professional wildlifers out there... what lens would you suggest getting for shooting (with clarity) say... and ants head, or the pours on human skin? any links? Spank U! Cassidy www.motivitypictures.com

May 25th, 2005, 11:19 PM	#2
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	The stock 20x lens is fine for this purpose if you remove the lens hood. Zoom out to full wide. Leave it there (don't zoom in). Add plenty of light. You now have full macro capability. Do a search on "macro" in this board as we've covered these steps before several times. The hardest part for you will be maneuvering a big camera like the XL2 around such tiny objects. Hope this helps, __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

May 26th, 2005, 08:44 PM	#4
Shekar Dattatri New Boot Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 24	Filming an ant's head and other ultra macro shots What I understood from the original post is that Cass wants to be able to go really tight on his subjects - an ant's head and pores on human skin. The way to achieve this would be to use a 35mm still camera macro lens such as the Canon or Nikon 100mm macro lens on the XL-2 with the appropriate adapter (both available from ZGC or other dealers). This will provide stupendous magnification. If even more is required, an extension tube in between the adapter and the lens will provide it. Needless to say, shooting such ultra macro shots requires plenty of light (for depth of field, which gets shallower with greater magnification), a rock solid tripod and a subject that doesn't move too much (at least for the duration of the shot). __________________ Shekar Dattatri Wildlife and Conservation Filmmaker XL-2, DSR - 11, Aaton Super 16mm, Bolex EL Super 16mm

May 30th, 2005, 05:14 PM	#7
Jon Bickford Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Las Vegas, NV., Los Angeles, CA, Posts: 220	with my little optura 20d with tiffen +7 and +10 i can focus on the dust on the lens i've used that for some extreme macro stuff but you need a LOT of light to make that little one chip look decent __________________ Jon Bickford, Trepany Films San Pedro, CA Trephine001@aol.com

May 26th, 2005, 11:07 PM	#5
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	If it needs to be really close up then you could also add a diopter ring on the front of the lens. I have +7 and +10 diopter rings for my digital still camera. However, as Chris stated, the 20x has macro capability if you follow the steps he outlined. =gb=

May 27th, 2005, 06:28 AM	#6
Bob Safay Trustee Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 1,558	Cassidy, as a former entomologist I still do a lot of macro. I use a set of diopters and the 1.6 converter. Lots of light. Ants are really fast and hard to pin down. A good trick is to stick them in a cooler. NOT long enought to kill them, just to slow them down. Have your shot set up. After a couple of minutes the insect is usually cold enought that you can put it "on-stage" and video. I also have the Camcorder hooked up to a monitor and focus and frame on the monitor. Also, I have several small glass (2 - 4 gal fish tanks) that I set up to simulate the environment. I can take the top off, tilt forward and video through the top. A little vasoline around the top 1/2 inch of glass keeps the ants from making an escape while you are videoing. And please release them after you are finished. This past winter I did macro of praying mantis laying her egg pods and then the little darlings emerging. Facinating. What kind of ants are you videoing? Bob

June 2nd, 2005, 08:44 PM	#11
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	Cassidy, ZGC is one of our site's sponsors. Just click on the sponsors link on the main page or Click Here. Be sure and tell them you found them through DV-INFO if and when you order. Good luck with your ant filming! =gb=