Mush down

[astronobob]

Being inspired by our very own Fungi Fotog - Mr 'T' Regular Regulus:P ;)
I too have been getting 'down & dirty' here in a valley below the famous Mnt Tambourine in SE Qld. think is need a pair of scissors added to the fotog kit to trim a view before the subject - one great advantage of the 600D is the flip/rotate screen which saves the ol chin and ears ect :lol:

[Regulus]

Ha! I've bought you over to the dark side. :scared:
Now these are a photographic target too, there goes your daylight hours :lol:
Nice photos.
Mt Tambourine has some exceptional fungi and I would encourage you to look at my mate Will Foresters site for inspiration.
http://www.underamushroom.com/
The kit needs;
1 - a small soft paintbrush to get dirt off when the fungi is strong enough to take it.
2 - A white light Cree torch with zoom for the dark spots. Only about $5 on eBay or one of the Chinese stores online. Prob a copy, but it works.
3 - Empty 500gm rice into a biggish ziplock bag (double bag it for security) and it makes a great adjustable camera support down on the ground. Keeps moisture off too.
Sometimes it's good to go to Manual with a high f number for DOF (10~14) and adjust the shutter speed so the subject is just becoming visible, and then use the Cree for lighting.
That's all my secrets right there.
The 600D is the go to camera :thumbsup:

Trev

The photos all used the rice bag and Cree torch. (Was that rude posting pics on your thread? I might need an etiquet lesson here).

[BilliGoatsGruff]

These look great! What lens did you use for them?? I only have the standard 18-55mm that came with it and I'm looking for a macro to photograph flora :)

Trevor, what would you recommend? Your photos are always lovely.

[astronobob]

Ha ha Lol Trevor - Re etiquette, well, let me think about it :question:;) Yeah ok :rofl: just kiddin mate, , Im an easy going chap mate , no probs at all, he he :thumbsup:
In fact, I really appreciate your feedback anytime, and them tips are intriguing and valuable :thumbsup: Your additional photos are excellent and very worthy of sharing here my post & anywhere for that matter champ :thumbsup:
I'm out at this property each Fri, it not on Mnt Tambo tho, it more like at the foothills below on the eastern side, so, not quite the Rain Forest enviroment, but there are a few Mushies around to snap at :thumbsup:



Hi and thanx for the compliment Billi,,,
I dont have a dedicated Macro Lens as such, I used the 'poor mans' equivalent - Extenders :thumbsup: Thay are a 'spacer attachment' one puts between the camera body and lens - this allows the lens to focus up close and very close to the subject depending on the length of the spacer :thumbsup:
Like these - Link : http://www.kenkotokinausa.com/kenko/products/teleplusdgxdg/teleplusdgautoextensiontubeset/
I used the 36mm extender on my 70-200mm 'L' series 2.8 Canon lens for these - the lens was then able to come into focus about 100mm from the subject :P :thumbsup:
Hope this is of interest Billi ?

[BilliGoatsGruff]

do you think it would matter about the brand? Ebay has them for cheap, but I don't know if that would mean they're of poor quality. It's definitely a great alternative to spending heaps on a new lens! :thumbsup:

[REVEREND]

Nice work Bob.

Cheers Reverend..

[Regulus]

Billi, for a year I used the 18-55 kit lens that came with my Canon and bought the 25mm Macro Extension Tube (About $30 on eBay - but make sure it has the electric contacts for focus/aperture etc. Some don't! The Fotga brand is good and I still use mine on my Macro lens to get even more magnification. Although the subject is basically on the front element at this point.), and got some great results.

Plus taking it off lets you get the larger fungi.
The two photos I posted in this comment were both taken using that setup. The white fungi is 3mm high.
It takes a little, and I mean a little, practice to get used to what the focus and zoom do once you put a macro adapter between it and the camera body.
Use a remote, or the 2 second self-timer because a lot of shots will be in the 1/30~3second range.
But worth the cost and time. Good luck, don't hesitate because it's cheaper than a Macro lens (of course if you have a spare $499 then the Tamron 60 (for aps-c only ) or 90mm, and the Sigma 70mm are all excellent.
All the above presumes a dSLR. Otherwise a compact with a good Macro ability (1cm~3cm close focus) will get the little things. Also have Manual as well as the auto settings. See the link to Under A Mushroom for what can be done with a compact.
Feel free to pm me with questions on technique/camera selection etc. so Bob doesn't have steam coming out his ears cos we took over his thread. Absolutely ruins his hairdo, and ruins his day :rofl:
But now I have to go and apologise to Bob for posting more photos on his thread :lol: Unrepentant photo bomber in my spare time me. :-)

Trev

[OzStarGazer]

I have a Nikon D5100 and for flowers I use it with a Nikkor 55-300mm that I bought separately. It works well, but it is not cheap! As it is not a macro lens per se, I can also use if for other purposes of course, like landscapes, ships in the distance etc.
I had used that lens when I took a photo of the sun at sunrise and by a pure coincidence I noticed that I could see the AR2192 sunspot when I zoomed in. (I remember I posted a photo here.) :)

[astronobob]

found out steam actually works well with curlers Trev :cool3: ;)
Mighty grouse take of the 1st above there - very well executed :cool2:

[Derek Klepp]

Very hallucinogenic Bob.There has been some great Fungi around of late

[astronobob]

I wasnt that day Derek, sounds like your having a good feed tho Lol :P ;)