sir, your fly is undone!!!

[ving (David)]

well theres a play on words!

not the final version, but I am so happy with this that i had to post this grainy version
I'll post a better version when i reinstall psp12 and i promise that it will be grain free

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Gee David - great effort! You must sit around waiting for this stuff to happen..

[ving (David)]

i was heading in from a backyard session when i saw this guy on my fly plant... i mean chilli plant
litterally stumbled across it.

it was actually quite comical watching this tiny jumping spider struggle with its prey

[joshman (Josh)]

hahah, another fantasitc image there ving! is that image cropped? or is it full frame?

i must ask, what lens are you using? and if i may be so bold as to ask it's price?

i'm looking at getting a quality macro lens in the future and wondering where abouts i should be looking. also, what sort of set up are you using for such a shot? tripod with ball head?

[ving (David)]

ask away josh

i am using a 1970's (i think) nikkor 55mm micro reverse mounted on a pk13 extension tube. the tube and macro lens cost me $150 together on ebay and the reverse mount adapter was something like $15. the shot is hand held and just the pop up flash was used. camera settings were 1/500th sec shutter @ f/11 for the last 2 and f/32 for the first one.

and yes, these are full frame, not crops
shot with a nikon d40.

[RB (Andrew)]

Very nice David, I really like the third one.

[ving (David)]

thanks andrew, its my fave too

[joshman (Josh)]

well, i'll be... that's awesome! how close can you get to a subject?

[Sharnbrook (Mike)]

Nice ones Dave, we haven't had a cloud free night (or day) here in Brissie for weeks, and I have been spending my time tracking various insects in the garden. I shall post some shots in the next day or so.

[ving (David)]

i was about 15cm away from the spider i think... this is the maximum magnification i can get with this set up but if i use my 55-200mm at 200mm on the extention tube and reverse mount the macro lens on top of that i get roughly 2.3-2.5 times what i got here. i just need a way of mounting the macro to the 55-200 now instead of rubber bands

[joshman (Josh)]

i also assume that this is done manual focus?

[ving (David)]

being that when you reverse mount a lens you loose all metering and auto focus ability yes. because the lenses focal point is fixed all you have to do is move back and forth slightly till focus is reached... mind you the dof in the view finder is only about 2mm so you dont have to move much. takes a pretty steady hand.

[ving (David)]

hey josh you could use one of these and reverse mount your 50mm to your 70-300mm. that would get you some serious magnification i think...

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....tab%3DWatching

[joshman (Josh)]

that'd be some nasty awesome magnification...seriously tempting

it might be too much though, my focal plane might end up being inside the lens

[ving (David)]

yeah well it'll cost you a whole $15 to find out
worth it i think

[fringe_dweller]

expect a call from david rabbitborough very soon

[ving (David)]

lol kearn!
okie dokie!

[Roof]

Nice Shots Buddy

[NQLD_Newby]

Great shots Dave. That's one hungry spider, a meal thats bigger than he is