Next Equipment Decisions

Next on the list of purchases that are necessary to support this experiment is a good tripod. A tripod that will allow for horizontal traversing of the camera, a tripod that will get down low, and one that can potentially travel light. Without breaking the bank, I've come across two good candidates. The Benbo Trekker or Classic Models seem to be perfectly suited for these requirements, however have received some level of criticism in regards to the legs being controlled by a central locking mechanism. The other tripod that is in top contention is the Manfrotto 055. I'm leaning more towards the Manfrotto, since it accomplishes everything the Benbo does, without the flailing leg issues. If you have any experience with either model, or would like to share your opinion, drop me a note.

Back to the future

In an effort to learn more about the world of macro photography without spending the big bucks, I resurrected my Nikon FM from 1978 and purchased a Kiron 105 f2.8 lens from ebay.  Stay tuned for some samples from the first try.  I was frankly blown away with the results, at least on print. After scanning, there was some image degradation, as you can see.  Here they are: http://tinyurl.com/3rgs2a3

Some samples of LX-3 based macro photography

You will begin to see the difference as the blog develops between these early experiments with the Point and Shoot technology and the more current examples. The journey begins here: http://tinyurl.com/3pr3mav

Macro Photography

I will be doing a deep dive exploration into the world of macrophotography. For the past few years, this venture has been limited to the world of P&S cameras. I have several of these units, each one an improvement on the other, but I was left unsatisfied. I purchased my equipment from B&H.com. This is the best source for what I've been looking for, and the service is fantastic. My main purchase in 2009 was the Panasonic Lumix LX-3. I found it had a wide variety of applications, with the exception of it's limiting optical zoom. However, it did allow me to learn a lot about the differences between fast lenses and typical P&S lens options. I will be creating a gallery of macro shots taken with this camera so you can see the results. Although the results are aesthetically pleasing, they were not the ultimate in macro viewing. Of course, the small sensor of a P&S made enlargement rather useless, as the image began to pixelate.