Bellows...

I used some film age gear for this pic.. Old bellows system with a screw mount lens and off camera flash. Theres easier ways to get a good shot of bugs and spiders with todays gear but I still enjoy messing around with old gear. Don't ask my why, its probably because its challenging and I like to see my old gear get some playtime. Camera is my old dslr k20D pentax with a screw mount adapter.. The set up is all manual and a real pita to use ...not very forgiving. Flash was used off camera in my hand at various angles for effect.

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I'll post more shots in this thread as I take them, this is a An American Grass spider... size is about 1/2 " body.

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al

How old is that camera, Al? I've never seen one like it and I've been around a while. Excellent picture.

I must have little spiders in the pasture because early in the morning I see pretty round webs out there that look like little bowls. I've never bothered to find the spider that does this. Next time I see little bowls in the pasture I'll take a close look.

That is a killer image Al and with that setup being still is a plus. :) Old gear still really works nicely :D
Pat

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Originally Posted by LizStreithorst

How old is that camera, Al? I've never seen one like it and I've been around a while. Excellent picture.

I must have little spiders in the pasture because early in the morning I see pretty round webs out there that look like little bowls. I've never bothered to find the spider that does this. Next time I see little bowls in the pasture I'll take a close look.

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Liz that bellows and lens go back to the 70s.. The camera, is still a decent Dslr though it was released in 2008...11 years old. The bellows is good for some kinds of macro-photography. You can use various normal lenses with it and in effect make a macro lens by increasing the distance between the lens and camera. Its finicky and not easy to use,but it was widely used in film days. It can also be used to copy slides to digital as a scanner.
al

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Originally Posted by Second Hand Pat

That is a killer image Al and with that setup being still is a plus. :) Old gear still really works nicely :D
Pat

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Thank you Pat. You can often make due with older gear, especially if on a tight budget.It can take some time and a lot of frustration but its doable.

al

I understand, Al. Thanks for explaining it to me.

Excellent set up Al.

I don't have bellows yet (I am looking for K-mount bellows as I don't have many of the M-42 screw mount lenses), but I do have extension tubes :)

I use older K-mount lenses as they are so clear.

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Originally Posted by dagray

Excellent set up Al.

I don't have bellows yet (I am looking for K-mount bellows as I don't have many of the M-42 screw mount lenses), but I do have extension tubes :)

I use older K-mount lenses as they are so clear.

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Extension tubes are great.I never am without them in my bag.

Theres a bunch of bellows for k mts on ebay.. some are garbage others not but thats where I picked up the pentax bellow here in m42 mtd.

I also picked up dirt cheap another bellows that I use for slide copying mostly its k mtd. Not as robust as the pentax one but does a good job.
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I paid an insanely small amount... $10.

al

Al, have you ever done a reverse ring to screw two lenses together? I used to love doing this with my Nex6 w/ a Minolta 135 2.8 & 50 1.4 screwed together. Macro photography is so much fun. It makes you look for subjects which is so entertaining.

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Originally Posted by rickztahone

Al, have you ever done a reverse ring to screw two lenses together? I used to love doing this with my Nex6 w/ a Minolta 135 2.8 & 50 1.4 screwed together. Macro photography is so much fun. It makes you look for subjects which is so entertaining.

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I have Ricardo. I have a bunch of various sized threaded rings to put together the lens. I have an old book from film days on scientific documentation with film where the author recommended carrying black electrical tape with you in the field as in a pinch you can reverse one lens on another and tape it there. I still to this day carry a role of electrical tape in my camera bag!

al

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Originally Posted by brewmaster15

I have Ricardo. I have a bunch of various sized threaded rings to put together the lens. I have an old book from film days on scientific documentation with film where the author recommended carrying black electrical tape with you in the field as in a pinch you can reverse one lens on another and tape it there. I still to this day carry a role of electrical tape in my camera bag!

al

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lol, I always carry Gaffer's tape :)