Post your BUG photos here

Archibald · Nov 25, 2023

This thread is for closeup pics of insects and other small arthropods like spiders and centipedes. (Arthropod = creature with jointed legs.)

Here are two photos start it off.

Four-lined Plant Bug

Join to view EXIF data.

Red Admiral butterfly

Join to view EXIF data.

Archibald · Nov 25, 2023

And two more:

Sweat Bee on daisy

Join to view EXIF data.

Bumpy-looking grasshopper.

Join to view EXIF data.

Only RF · Nov 26, 2023

You are doing some nice work. Keep it up. Many years ago I had the MP-E 65mm and the twin flash but just lost interest. I like viewing macros.

Archibald · Nov 26, 2023

Only RF said:
You are doing some nice work. Keep it up. Many years ago I had the MP-E 65mm and the twin flash but just lost interest. I like viewing macros.

I still have mine, but that lens is awful to use in the field. When you preset it for (say) 2x, then it is extremely difficult to find your (tiny) subject. While you are searching, the little bug notices the glass bearing down on it and it goes under the leaf.

It is a great lens in the macro studio, though. I mount it on a tabletop mount and can then adjust it as I wish.

Only RF · Nov 26, 2023

Archibald said:
I still have mine, but that lens is awful to use in the field. When you preset it for (say) 2x, then it is extremely difficult to find your (tiny) subject. While you are searching, the little bug notices the glass bearing down on it and it goes under the leaf.

It is a great lens in the macro studio, though. I mount it on a tabletop mount and can then adjust it as I wish.

I agree. It was too much of a specialty lens for me. I got much more use out of my 100 macro.

Archibald · Nov 28, 2023

Hoverfly ready for takeoff. Taken last May in Indiana. Note the halteres (little paddles where the wings attach to the body). They are vestigial hind wings.

Join to view EXIF data.

Archibald · Dec 2, 2023

Lygus bug. These guys are common but small.

Join to view EXIF data.

Stephen · Dec 4, 2023

Nice job. Winter has started, and there are fewer bugs here. I like your hoverfly photo very much as it looks very natural.

Archibald · Dec 4, 2023

Stephen said:
Nice job. Winter has started, and there are fewer bugs here. I like your hoverfly photo very much as it looks very natural.

Thank you, Stephen. Feel free to post your bug pics here.

Archibald · Jan 2, 2024

A fly with red eyes, washing its hands. Taken last summer.

Join to view EXIF data.

Grahamk · Jan 3, 2024

Nice images. Could you provide some background information - how much cropping is involved and how close can you get to, say, the fly with the 100mm macro before it takes fright and disappears? I’m thinking of taking advantage of Canon’s offers and treating myself to the 100mm macro. Thanks.

Archibald · Jan 3, 2024

Grahamk said:
Nice images. Could you provide some background information - how much cropping is involved and how close can you get to, say, the fly with the 100mm macro before it takes fright and disappears? I’m thinking of taking advantage of Canon’s offers and treating myself to the 100mm macro. Thanks.

Thank you, Graham.

The working distance of the RF 100mm is around 11 cm (4 1/2 inches) at 1:1 magnification. Although the lens will magnify up to 1.4x, I find that hard to do in the field and usually shoot at something less. I crop to get the final photo. This shot was cropped about 50% linear (so to about 25% of the pixels). Cropping is no problem with the R7 because it has lots of pixels.

With the cited working distance, I have good luck shooting bugs. Some of them spook, though, and that is annoying. Crab spiders don't like my lens, nor do lady beetles and some other bugs. I still get shots of them, but it is harder. Flies are usually cooperative subjects. Those tiny iridescent longlegged flies can be a problem, though, because often they get spooked by the pre-flash. They are gone by the time the actual flash takes place. So I usually shoot manual flash, which doesn't do a pre-flash. That way I get one shot of them at least.

Let me know if you have more questions.

Grahamk · Jan 4, 2024

Archibald said:
Thank you, Graham.

The working distance of the RF 100mm is around 11 cm (4 1/2 inches) at 1:1 magnification. Although the lens will magnify up to 1.4x, I find that hard to do in the field and usually shoot at something less. I crop to get the final photo. This shot was cropped about 50% linear (so to about 25% of the pixels). Cropping is no problem with the R7 because it has lots of pixels.

With the cited working distance, I have good luck shooting bugs. Some of them spook, though, and that is annoying. Crab spiders don't like my lens, nor do lady beetles and some other bugs. I still get shots of them, but it is harder. Flies are usually cooperative subjects. Those tiny iridescent longlegged flies can be a problem, though, because often they get spooked by the pre-flash. They are gone by the time the actual flash takes place. So I usually shoot manual flash, which doesn't do a pre-flash. That way I get one shot of them at least.

Let me know if you have more questions.

Thanks Ed. Very helpful.

Stephen · Jan 6, 2024

Archibald said:
A fly with red eyes, washing its hands. Taken last summer.

View attachment 23651

Wow! Excellent photo! I like it very much.

I used to take single shots for bugs. After buying the EOS-R7, to get more depth of field, I try to shoot in focus bracketing/depth composite mode.
This is one of the trials.

Object : fly
Camera : EOS-R7
Lens : EF 100mm f/2.8 macro IS
Distance : 0.3m ( Magnification ~1x )
Shooting mode : Av f/7.1 1/160s, ISO 1000, CRaw, handheld
Mode : in-camera focus bracketing / depth composite enabled, 10 shots, focus increment = 1
Post processed : Digital Photo Professional (stacking - TIF), Topaz Denoise AI (sharpness, denoise - Jpg)
Focus point : eye

cropped photo

Join to view EXIF data.

Original uncropped photo

Size Estimation

EOS-R7 : 6960 x 4640MP, 22.3 x 14.8mm
width of fly in photo = 1943
size of fly = 1943 / 6960 x 22.3mm = 6.2mm

Observations
1. The depth of field was not enough to cover the whole body of the fly as the increment was too small
2. The focus point was not precise

I tried to crop the photo more

Join to view EXIF data.

The other day, I tried to shoot with increment of 4
Shooting mode : Av f/8, 1/100s, ISO 1600, CRaw,handheld
Focus point : front wing (with magnified glass x 5)

Join to view EXIF data.

The depth of field was adequate after using increments of 4

Archibald · Jan 6, 2024

@Stephen , excellent work! The sharpness looks great to me, and you also have nice lighting. You did well with the slow shutter speed of 1/160 - in fact I would say it is amazing.

I want to try this technique too, when the bugs come back.