Macro extention tubes from Fuji

Honeysuckle Bush. Close-up with Fuji X-E1 & XF18-55mm lens.

Today Fujifilm announced two macro extension tubes for the X mount,  MCEX-11 and MCEX-16 (11mm, 16mm), available from the mid-December 2014, with price tag approximately $100 (USD) apiece. The tubes provide electronic connections between lenses and camera bodies, so the autofocus will work. For XF18-55mm F2.8-4 with MCEX-11 the max. magnification on the wide end changes from 0.08 to 0.69(!!!) with working distance from the lens being just 11 mm, and on the tele end the magnification jumps from 0.15 to 0.37 (working distance 91 mm). MCEX-16 changes the max. magnification to 0.97 and 0.47 for the wide and tele ends of the zoom range, with working distances just 4 and 63 mm, respectively. In other words, MCEX-16 brings XF18-55mm close to XF60mm Macro. Obviously, the macro lens has a better resolution, and it gets more light. For other lenses the information on magnification with the extension tubes are provided in this table (pdf file).

The extension tubes reduce amount of light going to sensors / films but considering low noise of current sensors it should not create any problems. Hopefully, the autofocus speed of XF18055mm with the extension tubes will be faster than XF60mm Macro - it was a big disappointment for me. Hopefully the tubes will create a viable and affordable alternative for amateur macro shooters.

Macro with Canon M

I came across a post on the DPReview forum containing several amazing "macro" photos taken with Canon M and 90mm Tamron (link).

Passiflora flower with Fuji X10

Passiflora sp. | Fuji X10

It was cloudy, and the light was suboptimal. Even on f4 the camera produced enough depth to capture this big flower, so I was able to get a sharp shot at 1/34 sec & iso 200. The image was cropped in GIMP and the levels were adjusted a bit. That's the beauty of a compact camera: no hassle with autofocus in supermacro mode. Well, to be precise, much less hassle compared to the dedicated macro lens on Fuji X-E1. I have little doubt that Fuji X20 would produce more resolution, but I am happy with the amount of details from the X10 in supermacro shots. The image above was cropped, and the hi-res photo is available on flickr.

Funny mushrooms with Fuji X10

Stinkhorn mushroom, Phallus rubicundus | Fuji X10

Yesterday I had Fuji X10 with me on my traditional lunch walk around the campus instead of Fuji X-E1. Why X10? The answer is simple: supermacro mode. I wanted to take picture of very small fruits/berries, about 5mm in diameter. Obviously, I took some other pictures, too, and in fact ended with flat batteries, both the main and spare. Yes, I am a real shutterbug, and it is just fun to use this camera. [I bet the same is true for other advanced compact cameras.] Both our cameras, X10 and X-E1, have very similar user interface, so it is very easy to switch between cameras. I wish both model would use the same batteries... I also got an impression that the rear screen in X-E1 is more useable / visible under different angles but I have not done any direct comparisons.

In Brisbane both X10 and X20 (which is not yet available) cost less than XF60mm macro lens for the X system. Fuji X100 is just $850 (AUD), $60 higher than the macro lens.

Funny mushrooms | Fuji X10

Macro options on Fuji X

Flower of Leichhardt tree | Fuji X-E1 & XF18-55mm (crop)

I take many pictures in near-macro range. Well, I used to, with Fuji X10. The XF18-55mm lens that I have does not focus close. It is not a huge issue, but in some situations I would like to have a higher magnification. I can get XF60mm F2.4 R macro lens but it has a shallow depth of field, and I don't like this. I can use X10 but I already got hooked on image quality of Fuji X-E1. Another option would be to get Fuji X100 or X100S: both cameras focus at 10cm in Macro mode. The DoF is bigger at 23mm than at 60mm, and the magnification probably will be more or less sufficient for me, especially with 16MP sensor. The focal length on X100S might be a reasonable compromise between supermacro on X10 where shading from the lens creates problems narrow DoF of the 60mm macro.

I searched flickr for "nature" macro shots taken with X100. Here are some that I like:
f4 resized
another flower at f5.6

hi-res photo with good DoF (f5.6), and very beautiful macro from the same person taken on Fuji X-E1 and XF18-55mm lens.

some bug (wasp)
cactus flower at f5.6
flower at f8

Fuji X10: after 4000 pictures

Canna (cultivar) | Fuji X10 | Bowen park, April 3, 3012 | flickr

The image on the top was edited in GIMP: the levels were adjusted, the image was cropped and unsharpen mask was applied. It was taken with Fuji X10 in Supermacro mode, iso 200, F6.4, 1/58 sec. The flower is cultivated form of Canna, Cleopatra or something similar. These plants are very common in parks, and come in different varieties and colors, such as red or mottled as on this photo.

We just passed 4000 frames on the Fuji X10. What can I say? It is my favorite camera right now :) It is probably 4 times lighter than my Olympus E-30 but has buttons for all important controls / functions. The Fuji X10 had changed my photo style: now I take many macro shots and significantly less "landscapes". The autofocus illumination is very useful for taking pictures of animals at night. It turned out that I essentially do not use the viewfinder because it is useless for macro shooting. Even for "landscapes" I prefer the rear screen because it gives the precise framing, shows the focus point, horizon level, grids and essential shooting parameters. I figured out how to use the camera strap for stabilization, and generally do not have problems with camera shake.

I am very amazed with the quality of images from this camera. Even with lowest setting of noise reduction (my default setting) the camera produces very nice images at iso 400 or even high, and I am talking about standard 12 Mp mode here. The colors are very pleasant. The on-board flash works extremely well. Because my pictures are nature-oriented, I don't have issues with the orbs. I got the famous white discs in some street photos, especially on cars, but none of my pictures of flowers or bugs have orbs. I've done some tests in this area but at some point I just lost the interest in orbs issue. I may replace the sensor in the camera in the future but right now I prefer to take pictures of bugs or flowers.

Obviously, it is compact camera with small sensor, and it is struggling in areas of low contrast. The most upsetting thing for my is the implementation of supermacro on the wide end of zoom. While it does help with depth of field it restricts the macro photography. The object must be very close to the lens (not all bugs like it) and the shade from the lens becomes a very serious issue: the rear screen is fixed, and in bright light it is very hard to see all details of the scene.

I suspect the difference in image quality between cameras from the same class is minimal, so it is all about handling and lens. On Fuji X10 I like both.

Just in case: I am not a professional photographer or camera reviewer. I used very few cameras, so my experience with different cameras are rather limited. The photos are the only credentials I can show. After all, cameras are designed to take pictures :) 


The image below was taken in Supermacro mode, at iso 200, F5.6, 1/250 sec. The wasp was very active, and it was very hard to get closer. Size of the wasp (about 3 cm) and the color point to Abispa ephippium, Australian hornet. The flower is one of the Callistemons, probably cultivar but I am not sure. 

Wasp on Callistemon | Fuji X10 | Victoria park, March 30, 2012 | flickr

Butterflies with Fuji X10

 Euploea core | Bowen park, Herston, March 30, 2012 | flickr

Both pictures were taken with Fuji X10 in Macro mode at maximal focal length (~112mm equivalent) at iso 100. Both are cropped, especially Lemon Migrant.

Sometimes it is just impossible to get close to the butterflies because of dense vegetation in the park. That's where I hit the limit of the camera: minimal focusing distance in Macro mode at 112 mm. Even for these fairly big butterflies the frame is just big, to post the original JPEG without cropping. The camera does not focus close enough.

I have impression that all camera manufactures put supermacro mode on short end of the zoom in these days. It seems that none of current cameras have macro focusing capability similar to Olympus C-8080 with supermacro at ~90mm covering as little as 4x3cm.

Catopsilia pomona (?) | Bowen park, Herston, March 30, 2012 | flickr

flowers with Fuji X10

Lagerstroemia indica | Fuji X10 | Herston, March 7, 2012 | flickr

Close-up shot of Crepe myrtle flower taken with Fuji X10. Tech: iso 100, supermacro, aperture priority, F7.1, 1/120 sec. The original image was cropped and resized in GIMP, with local unsharpen mask. Unedited 100% crop from the OOC JPEG is below.

 100% crop from the image above

Diversity of Euphorbiaceae

Fijian Fire Plant | Toowong, Brisbane, December 19, 2011 | flickr

 This picture was taken last year, shortly after I bought the Fuji X10. Tech: iso 400, F5.6, 1/105 sec, with exposure compensation -0.3. I guess it was shot in Supermacro mode. The original JPEG was cropped and resized in  GIMP. Generally I also apply unsharpen mask for images intended for the web. The 100% crop from the unedited JPEG is at the bottom of the post. Not bad for image from a compact camera made at iso 400 with negative exposure compensation.

Today I learned that this plant is a cultivar of Acalypha wilkesiana from Euphorbiaceae family. This is really surprising for me because the flowers do not look like Euphorbiaceae flowers. Well, the flowers are really small, so it was hard to see anything. The phenotypic diversity of plants from this family is just amazing.

100% crop from the unedited OOC JPEG

Saving Hibiscus Harlequin Bug

Hibiscus Harlequin Bug, Tectocoris diophthalmus, was caught in the Golden Orb-weaver spider web, and the spider went to rescue the bug and released it from the trap. Either the bug was big for the spider, or it was too stinky/ uneatable for the predator, or it was act of a female solidarity (both are females). The Harlequin Bugs are quite big, over two centimeters in length, so, it gives the idea about the spider's size. It was happen so quick that I took just one picture. Fuji X10, Aperture priority mode, iso 200, 1/100 sec, F6.4.

Below is the picture of the same Golden Orb-weaver spider, Nephila sp., from Nephilidae family. I think it is a female of Nephila plumipes, or N. ornata (old name for the same species?). Fuji X10, iso 200, 1/170 sec, F5.7. The original image was cropped a little bit in GIMP and resized.

Just in case I posted the 100% crop of the spider's body. Click on image to see a bigger size. All picture were taken in Victoria park, Herston, Brisbane, on January 31, 2012.

Macro with Fuji X10

Damselfly Ischnura sp? Victoria park, Herston | January 31, 2012 | flickr

F4.0, 1/280 sec, iso 100

Finally I figured out how to make money with photography: I go to a small local park with the camera during lunch time instead of spending cash at canteen :-) Today the weather was very good, without bright sun, and I captured several images on Fuji X10. I used Macro mode at maximal focal length, or Supermacro mode, handheld. The first and third images were cropped, and second and fourth just resized. The Unsharpen mask was applied for all images after resizing.

Long-jawed Spider, Tetragnatha sp, Victoria park, Herston | January 31, 2012

F5.6, 1/320 sec, iso 200, supermacro

It can be T. bituberculata, T. demissa, Brown Long-jawed Spider, T. nitens.

 

Not identified yet, and it is not a macro :(

F4.5, 1/640 sec, iso 200

Exuvia, Victoria park, Herston | January 31, 2012 | flickr

F5.6, 1/250 sec, iso 200, exposure compensation -0.7 

The exuvia above apparently belongs to cicada but there are several cicada species in Brisbane. The 100% crop from the original JPEG is below. 

I wish the X10 had an additional supermacro mode on the long end of the zoom. The supermacro at wide end is rather limited in use, especially if you want to take pictures on dragonflies or spiders.

When the night comes to Brisbane

 Brown Huntsman Spider, Heteropoda jugulans. January 11, 2012 | flickr

Night life is very prolific during wet season in the South East Queensland, including Brisbane. Giant spiders wander inside houses, cane toads are coming in great numbers, and numerous Asian House Geckos stay close to windows in order to catch insects.

All pictures were taken with the Fuji X10 in Aperture priority mode using on-board flash. The upper image was taken in Macro mode at maximal focal length. The JPEGs were cropped and resized. The image with Brown Huntsman Spider (above) was processed in GIMP a little bit, the levels were adjusted, and unsharpen mask was applied. You can click on the images to see a bigger picture.

I am very pleased how the X10 works with its tiny flash including the metal door/window frame on the photo below. The highlights were clipped very nicely in this picture.

Brown Huntsman Spider and three Asian Hause Geckos, January 11, 2012

Brown Huntsman Spider and Asian Hause Geckos, January 11, 2012 | flickr

Macro with point-and-shoot cameras

Sometimes people ask me why their macro shots are not sharp, and I would go on my usual talk on aperture, depth of field and high iso for a quite a while. So, I decided to write a small post on macro for newbies, aimed for people who use point-and-shoot cameras mainly in Auto mode but not happy with their close-up  photos of flowers or bugs taken in local park.

Shaky camera/object and shallow depth of field are two major problems for macro photography. The former gives you blurry pictures, and the latter results in just part of the object being sharp. In addition, the light is very important factor.

Let's start with the light issue. Personally I try not to shoot under the direct sun because the shiny and glossy objects such as leaves will be overexposed (completely white), and the shady areas will be black. Cloudy weather is the best choice for macro. Flowers in the shade of a house or tree are also good for shooting. If you have a (white) umbrella you can try to use it over the object of the interest.

Even slightest camera movement during macro shooting will produce blurry images. On DSLR this can be addressed by increase of iso (sensitivity) and hence very short exposure but this will produce high amount of noise in compact cameras, with some exceptions. For example, on Fuji X10 I routinely use iso 400 for macro, and very happy with the results. The best solution is a tripod. Even a cheap tripod is better than nothing. Don't forget to disable image stabilization and activate timer mode unless the camera has an infrared remote control. You need a timer to eliminate a camera shake from pressing the release button.

The object also should be immobile. Do not shoot on windy day.

Second, learn how to control the aperture on your camera.  The aperture affects depth of field, and the close the object to the lens the smaller the depth of field at the same aperture value. It seems that in auto mode many compact cameras use apertures nearly entirely open (in combination with very short exposure time). With this settings camera produces sharp images but with very narrow depth of field. You want to have aperture closed to some extend. Generally with Fuji X10 I  use aperture from about 4 to 7. Be aware that at big aperture values the diffraction may be an issue. Closing the aperture reduces amount of light entering camera and results in longer exposure - another reason to use a tripod.

Also keep in mind that many cameras in supermacro mode can take pictures at very short distance, and occasionally the lens may touch the object, so it is good idea to use a protective UV filter.

Craneflies with Fujifilm X10

Photo: December 30, 2011 | flickr

I have not used compact cameras for years, and forgot all the fun of point-and-shoot that is always with you. This morning I had ~20 minutes of free time in a small park at Chapel Hill and went to take pictures of unknown flowering vine with Fuji X10. I spotted a pair of mating craneflies on the same vine, and took several pictures in supermacro mode (iso 400, F4.0, 1/75 sec for picture above). The depth of field is quite amazing for F4.0. The insect is Tiger Crane Fly, Nephrotoma australasiae (Tipulidae family) which is quite common in Brisbane, or similar species. As usual, non-modified 100% crop of the original image is posted below.

Another cranefly image on my flikr page.

bugs with Fujifilm X10

Photo: December 26, 2011 | flikr

Photo was taken with Fujifilm X10 in the Springbrook national park, SE Queensland. Tech: supermacro, iso 400, exposure compensation -0.3, F4, shutter 1/12 sec (handheld). The supermacro mode on Fuji X10 is limited to 28mm (equiv.), so it is not really bugs-friendly but still usable. The image above was cropped from the original file and downsized ~ two times. The bug is small, about one centimeter. Below I included unedited 100% crop from the original image with my thumbnail as a scale. Click on image to see the bigger size.
 

Supermacro on Fujifilm X10: iso 400

Photo: December 23, 2011 | flikr
Another example of supermacro shot with Fujifilm X10. It was cloudy, so the shot was at iso 400, F5, 1/180 sec. Below is 100% crop from the original image.

Supermacro on Fujifilm X10

Photo: December 23, 2011 | flickr
African Iris, Dietes bicolor. Supermacro mode on Fujifilm X10. Minor crop of the original image. Shot at iso 100, spot exposure metering, exposure compensation +0.7, F3.6, noise reduction low. I changed the levels in GIMP a little bit. Below is unedited 100% crop from the original image (click on image to see the 100%).