Archive for the ‘Fujifilm EF-X500’ Category
November 13, 2019
You might be familiar with the old proverb that begins “For want of a nail, the shoe was lost.” Updating the poem, I might say “For want of a step-up ring, the macro flash was lost.” Until recently, that is, when a $7 part solved a long-standing problem.
Both of my “go-to” cameras for photowalking — including the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 24x superzoom bridge camera, and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 24x superzoom bridge camera — feature excellent capability for macro photography. Set for “Wide Macro,” both cameras have a focus range from 1 cm (0.39 in) to infinity.
Problem is, at a working distance of 1 cm from the subject, “lens shadow” is a problem using the built-in pop-up flash. What’s the solution? Add an external macro flash unit such as the Canon MT-26EX-RT Macro Twin Lite.
Front of macro flash rig
The lens on the DMC-FZ150 and DMC-FZ300 has the same size filter thread (52mm), so both cameras can use many of the same accessories. I used a new Sensei PRO 52-58mm Aluminum Step-Up Ring to adapt an old Canon Macrolite Adapter 58C (58mm) to the camera lens.
The Flash Unit Mount Ring (round holder for the twin flashes) clips onto a flange around the Canon Macrolite Adapter 58C; the Contol Unit is mounted on the camera hot shoe.
It’s worth noting there is a Canon Macrolite Adapter 52C (52mm) available for ~$14 MSRP. Since I already had a 58C for one of my Fujinon lenses, I decided to buy a step-up ring and save $7.
Macro flash kit for Panasonic Lumix 24x superzoom digital cameras.
For more magnification, a Raynox DCR-250 close-up filter can be mounted to the 58mm filter thread on the front of the Canon MT-26EX-RT Flash Unit Mount Ring using two adapter rings: a Sensei 58-52mm step-down ring; and a Sensei 52-43mm step-down ring.
The same combination of adapter rings can be used to mount the Raynox close-up filter on any lens to which the MT-26EX-RT Flash Unit Mount Ring is attached.
Back of macro flash rig
Macro flash kit for Panasonic Lumix 24x superzoom digital cameras.
Demystifying step-up and step-down rings
Here’s how to decode the numbers that appear around the rim of either a step-down or step-up ring. Let’s say we’d like to connect a Canon Macrolite Adapter 58C to the lens of a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300.
The Macrolite Adapter has a filter thread diameter of 58mm; the DMC-FZ300 lens has a filter thread diameter of 52mm. We need a 52-58mm step-up ring, because we’re going to step up from a smaller- to a larger filter thread diameter. Make sense? Hope so!
How/why a Canon flash works with a Panasonic camera
The following annotated image shows the pin configuration on the hot shoe for the Fujifilm EF-X500 external flash unit. Notice that the hot shoe has four-pins: the “center pin” is used for power; the other three pins are used for proprietary communication between the camera and flash unit, such as TTL.
The pin configuration for other brands of external flash units varies by manufacturer, but most flashes use the center pin for power.
For example, all Canon external flash units (including the MT-26EX-RT Macro Twin Lite) have a five-pin hot shoe; the center pin is used for power and it’s aligned perfectly with the power pin on Panasonic bridge cameras. Therefore any current model of Canon flash is compatible with Panasonic bridge cameras with one caveat: TTL is incompatible, so it’s manual mode flash only. That’s not a problem since I prefer manual exposure for macro photography.
High-speed sync is also incompatible, but that’s a non-issue since Panasonic superzoom bridge cameras feature a leaf shutter in the lens rather than a focal plane shutter in the camera body. As a result, there is no camera “sync speed” so the flash will work properly using any shutter speed supported by the camera.
Related Resources
Copyright © 2019 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
Tags:BoG Photo Studio, gear talk, high-speed sync, studio photography
Posted in Aperture, Canon MT-26EX-RT Macro Twin Lite, digital photography, education, Fujifilm EF-X500, Godox TT685F, Godox TT685o/p, Godox X2To/p, How To, Lastolite flash modifier, macro photography, Panasonic DMC-FZ150, Panasonic DMC-FZ300, Photoshop, product reviews, Raynox DCR-250 | Leave a Comment »
October 9, 2018
The photos in this gallery show the following photography gear: Fujifilm X-T1 digital camera plus Fujifilm MCEX-11 extension tube and Fujinon XF80mm macro lens; Godox XProF radio flash trigger; Godox TT685F external flash, Godox PROPAC PB960 Lithium-Ion Flash Power Pack; and Quantum Instruments CZ2 Power Cable (for Turbo Series Power Packs).
Godox flash photography gear.
The Godox TT685F flash head is the same size as a Canon 580EX II Speedlite so slide-on plastic light modifiers that work with a 580EX II will work with the TT685. That said, some work better than others. The “Sto-Fen Omni-Bounce OM-EY” is a tight fit — too tight in my opinion. The “Vello Bounce Dome (Diffuser) for Canon 580EX II Flash” is a perfect fit.
The Godox radio flash trigger and external flash unit are compatible with both TTL and HSS (high-speed sync flash).
Godox flash photography gear.
The Godox TT685F external flash can function as either a radio master or radio slave. According to the B&H Photo Web page for the TT685F, current as of 01 November 2018, the flash can also function as either an optical master or optical slave.
Much to my surprise, the TT685F cannot function as either an optical master or optical slave. I had hoped to be able to use the TT685F as an optical master to remotely trigger other Fujifilm-compatible external flash units such as my Nissin i40 or Fujifilm EF-X500. This is a BIG disappointment, especially since the TT685C for Canon Cameras features both optical master/slave and radio master/slave modes. Although both the TT685F and TT685C sell at the same retail price point of ~$110, you’re paying for less-capable hardware in the TT685F and that’s just not right! Hey Godox, are you listening?
The Godox PROPAC PB960 Lithium-Ion Flash Power Pack can be used with the TT685F to enable burst mode flash photography. A follow-up blog post will feature a short video clip showing that burst mode flash works quite well.
Editor’s Notes
I contacted B&H Photo on 10 October 2018 via an online chat with a customer service representative named “Dan W.” Dan admitted the B&H Photo Web page for the Godox TT685F is (or was) incorrect. The following quote is an excerpt from the transcript of my chat with Dan W.
“Optical master/slave transmission is available for working with other standard flashes.”
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1348949-REG/godox_tt685f_ttl_camera_speedlite.html
I asked “How do we make this right? I don’t want to return the TT685F but I’d be happy to settle for a discount on another Godox flash.” After talking with a manager, B&H offered to give me a $5.00 discount on another flash unit. B&H misrepresented the product I bought in good faith and their best offer to make it right is $5? Please, get serious.
I have always raved about B&H Photo and its extraordinary customer service. Whenever there has been a problem with an order, it was always resolved quickly in my favor. B&H’s latest offer of a $5.00 discount is an insult and NO WAY TO BUILD CUSTOMER LOYALTY!
Addendum
As it turns out, the Godox Web page for the TT685F, current as of 12 October 2018, says the flash can also function as either an optical master or optical slave.
It’s noteworthy that the graphic of the flash LCD shows the icon for radio master/slave mode. Hey Godox, does anyone fact-check your Web pages before they are published? This is false advertising!
Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
Tags:gear talk, high-speed sync, studio photography
Posted in Aperture, digital photography, extension tubes, Fujifilm EF-X500, Fujifilm X-T1, Fujinon XF80mm macro lens, Godox PROPAC PB960, Godox TT685F, Godox XProF, How To, Panasonic DMC-FZ150, product reviews | 2 Comments »
February 16, 2018
In a recent blog post entitled Cordulegastridae exuvia, I was able to identify the specimen to the family level. Since then, I was able to identify the genus and species.
The dichotomous key for Cordulegastridae larvae that appears on p. 330 in Dragonflies of North America, Third Edition by Needham et al. was used to identify the exuvia.
dichotomous key: a key for the identification of organisms based on a series of choices between alternative characters. Source Credit: Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
The first couplet [1, 1′] is as follows.
1. No lateral spines on abdominal segments 8-9; western [2]
1’. Lateral spines present on segments 8-9; eastern [3]
(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)
Since the preceding annotated image shows lateral spines on abdominal segments eight and nine (S8, S9), proceed to the third couplet [3, 3′].
3(1’). Palpal setae 4; usually 5 large and 5 small premental setae present; some setae on margin of frontal shelf spatulate (Fig. 391e) [erronea]
3’. Palpal setae 5-7; 5-9 large and 3-5 small premental setae present; all setae on frontal shelf slender, not spatulate (Fig. 391f) [4]
(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)
The preceding annotated image shows the inner side of the prementum. Four (4) palpal setae are present, plus five (5) large- and five (5) small premental setae. The premental setae on the lower-right side of the prementum seem to be more intact than the ones on the upper-left: the large premental setae are labeled using white numerals; the small premental setae are labeled using red numerals.
The setae on the frontal shelf are mostly missing, as shown below. It’s possible they were broken off either when the larva burrowed in stream sediment (personal correspondence, Sue Gregoire) or when I cleaned the specimen.
(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)
Genus and species
The number of palpal setae strongly indicates the specimen is an exuvia from a Tiger Spiketail dragonfly (Cordulegaster erronea). Further, the rudimentary ovipositor shown in Photo No. 1 indicates this individual is a female.
The face behind the mask
Do you remember the way the female exuvia looked with its mask-like labium in place? In my opinion, she looked exotically beautiful!
(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)
Well, that was then and this now. The following photo shows the face and mouth of the exuvia after the face mask was pulled away from the face in order to count the setae on the inner side of the prementum. Look closely at the full-size version of the photo. Yikes, that’s the stuff of nightmares!
Related Resources
- Cordulegastridae exuvia, a blog post by Walter Sanford featuring an exuvia collected by Mike Boatwright.
- Odonate Exuviae – a hyperlinked list of identification guides to many species of odonate exuviae from seven families of dragonflies and three families of damselflies.
Tech Tips
The following equipment was used to shoot macro Photo No. 2, 3 and 5: Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital camera, in manual mode; Canon MP-E 65mm Macro lens (set for 2x); and Canon MT-26EX-RT Macro Twin Lite. A Sunpak LED-160 Video Light (with a white translucent plastic filter) was used for some photos.
The following equipment was used to shoot macro Photo No. 1 and 4: Fujifilm X-T1 digital camera; Fujifilm MCEX-11 extension tube; and Fujinon XF80mm macro lens. An off-camera Fujifilm EF-X500 external flash unit and Sunpak LED-160 Video Light (with a white translucent plastic filter) were used for Photo No. 4. A Raynox DCR-250 close-up filter and Canon MT-26EX-RT Macro Twin Lite was used for Photo No. 1.
Adobe Photoshop CC 2017 was used to annotate selected images.
Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
Tags:Cordulegaster erronea, exuvia, Family Cordulegastridae (Spiketails), female, gear talk, habitat specialist, labium, lateral spines, ovipositor, prementum, Tiger Spiketail dragonfly
Posted in Aperture, Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon MP-E 65mm Macro lens, Canon MT-26EX-RT Macro Twin Lite, digital photography, dragonflies, education, extension tubes, Fujifilm EF-X500, Fujifilm X-T1, Fujinon XF80mm macro lens, How To, macro photography, natural science, Photoshop, Raynox DCR-250, wildlife photography | 8 Comments »
February 12, 2018
By definition, a true macro photo is one with a magnification of at least one-to-one (1:1, or 1/1), that is, one unit on the camera sensor is equal to at least one of the same units in the real world. Magnification (in-camera) can be calculated using the following formula.
Mc = size of camera sensor / size of subject on camera sensor
Both measurements must be expressed in the same units in order for the units to cancel during division.
For example, let’s look at the following “full-size” image of a Corduligastridae erronea exuvia. “Full-size” means the image is uncropped (4896 x 3264 pixels).
The photograph shown above was taken using a Fujifilm X-T1 digital camera, Fujifilm MCEX-11 extension tube, and Fujinon XF80mm macro lens. The specifications for the macro lens lists the maximum magnification as 1x. Question is, what is the actual magnification of the subject?
The X-T1 features an APS-C sensor (23.6 mm x 15.6 mm). The dragonfly exuvia is approximately 35 mm in length, or 3451 pixels out of 4896 pixels across the entire image.
Using two equivalent ratios, the following proportion can be used to solve for the length of the exuvia on the camera sensor, in millimeters (mm).
x mm / 23.6 mm = 3451 pixels / 4896 pixels
x = ~16.6 mm. In other words, the exuvia is ~16.6 mm wide on a camera sensor that is 23.6 mm across.
Calculate the in-camera magnification using the following formula.
23.6 mm / 16.6 mm = ~1.4x
The magnification of the macro lens plus extension tube is ~1.4x. 1.19x is listed as the theoretical maximum magnification using an MCEX-11 extension tube mounted on the 80mm macro lens. If we round the spec’d magnification to ~1.2x, the actual magnification of ~1.4x is more than advertised.
Related Resources
Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
Tags:exuvia, Family Cordulegastridae (Spiketails), gear talk
Posted in Aperture, digital photography, dragonflies, education, extension tubes, Fujifilm EF-X500, Fujifilm X-T1, Fujinon XF80mm macro lens, How To, macro photography, natural science, wildlife photography | Leave a Comment »
February 6, 2018
My good friend Mike Boatwright, a fellow Virginian and extraordinarily good odonate hunter, collected an exuvia on 22 June 2017 in Amherst County, Virginia USA. Mike sent the exuvia to me for identification. This specimen is a member of the Family Cordulegastridae (Spiketails).
Photo No. 1 enabled me to see all of the critical field marks required to make an identification to the family level for this specimen. Here’s the decision tree I used to identify the exuvia as a spiketail dragonfly, based upon the excellent Vimeo video, Identifying dragonfly larva to family (8:06).
- The specimen has a mask-like labium.
- The margins of the labium have “deeply jagged, irregular teeth.”
Of the four families of dragonflies that feature a mask-like labium, the crenulations on the face of Corduligastridae are unmistakeable!
(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)
The specimen is ~3.5 cm long (~1.4 in) and ~8 mm wide (0.3 in) at its widest. Notice the dorsal side of the exuvia is covered by sandy grit. The specimen will need to be cleaned in order to get a clearer view of the frontal shelf.
(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)
Photo No. 3 shows a ventral view of the exuvia.
(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)
Photo No. 4 shows a closer view of the “rudimentary ovipositor,” located on abdominal segment nine (S9). An ovipositor is used for egg-laying by all adult damselflies and some species of adult dragonflies: females have this feature; males do not. Therefore, this individual is a female spiketail.
(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)
Photo No. 5 shows a closer view of the mentum, a two-segment hinged “jaw” that is used to grab food: the prementum is the segment of the labium closer to the mouth; the postmentum is the segment closer to the base of the head. Only the prementum can be seen in the following photo.
Determining the genus and species
Although it’s easy to identify Cordulegastridae exuvia to the family level, it’s more challenging to identify a specimen to the species level. First, the exuvia must be cleaned in order to show the small hairs and brown dots on the frontal shelf. Second, the labium must be pulled forward to show the inside of the face mask in order to count palpal- and premental setae.
Related Resources
Tech Tips
The following equipment was used to shoot all of the macro photographs featured in this post: Fujifilm X-T1 digital camera; Fujifilm MCEX-11 extension tube; and Fujinon XF80mm macro lens. An off-camera Fujifilm EF-X500 external flash unit and Sunpak LED-160 Video Light (with a white translucent plastic filter) was used for Photo No. 1-3 and 5. A Raynox DCR-250 close-up filter and Canon MT-26EX-RT Macro Twin Lite was used for Photo No. 4.
Adobe Photoshop CC 2017 was used to annotate selected images.
Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
Tags:crenulations, exuvia, Family Cordulegastridae (Spiketails), female, gear talk, labium, mentum, ovipositor, prementum
Posted in Aperture, Canon MT-26EX-RT Macro Twin Lite, digital photography, dragonflies, extension tubes, Fujifilm EF-X500, Fujifilm X-T1, Fujinon XF80mm macro lens, How To, macro photography, natural science, Photoshop, Raynox DCR-250, wildlife photography | 6 Comments »
January 1, 2018
The following gallery shows 32 finalists for my “Top 10 Photos of 2017.” The photos are presented in reverse-chronological order beginning in November 2017 and ending in April 2017.
The Top 10 photos will be selected using reader feedback. Please enter a comment at the end of this post listing the number for each of your 10 favorite photos. If listing 10 photos is asking too much, then please list at least five photos, e.g., No. 5, 8, 14, 17, 21, etc. Thanks for sharing your selections, and thanks for following my photoblog!
No. 1
No. 2
No. 3
No. 4
No. 5
No. 6
No. 7
No. 8
No. 9
No. 10
No. 11
No. 12
No. 13
No. 14
No. 15
No. 16
No. 17
No. 18
No. 19
No. 20
No. 21
No. 22
No. 23
No. 24
No. 25
No. 26
No. 27
No. 28
No. 29
No. 30
No. 31
No. 32
Editor’s Note: The following location codes are used in some photo captions, shown above.
Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
Tags:Accotink Bay Wildlife Refuge, Dogue Creek, Hemlock Overlook Regional Park, Huntley Meadows Park, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge, Meadowood Recreation Area, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, retrospective, Riverbend Park, Wickford Park
Posted in Aperture, butterflies and moths, Canon 580EX Speedlite, damselflies, digital photography, dragonflies, Fujifilm EF-X500, Fujifilm X-T1, macro photography, natural science, Panasonic DMC-FZ150, Raynox DCR-250, wildlife photography | 5 Comments »
December 28, 2017
There’s always more to discover/learn! My odonate-related new discoveries in 2017 are presented in reverse-chronological order.
Fine-lined Emerald dragonfly
A Fine-lined Emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora filosa) was spotted at an undisclosed location in Prince William County, Virginia USA. This individual is one of several males spotted during a period of a week-or-so in mid-September 2017.
Immature male Calico Pennant
A Calico Pennant dragonfly (Celithemis elisa) was spotted at Painted Turtle Pond, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Prince William County, Virginia USA. This individual is an immature male. Notice its coloration is similar to female Calico Pennants.
Allegheny River Cruiser dragonfly
An Allegheny River Cruiser (Macromia alleghaniensis) was netted by Mike Blust at Hardware River Wildlife Management Area, Fluvanna County, Virginia USA. This individual is a male.
Harpoon Clubtail dragonfly
A Harpoon Clubtail dragonfly (Phanogomphus descriptus) was spotted at “Straight Fork,” Highland County, Virginia USA. This individual is a male. Sincere thanks to fellow Virginians Karen Kearney and Mike Boatwright for guiding me to this unique high-elevation habitat.
It’s worth noting that I saw two more new species during the same trip: Riffle Snaketail (Ophiogomphus carolus); and Dot-tailed Whiteface (Leucorrhinia intacta).
Those who know me well are familiar with one of many “Walterisms”: “I haven’t ‘seen’ something until I have photographed it.” My rationale is two-fold: 1) A photograph verifies a sighting. 2) The detail visible in a good photograph exceeds the acuity of the human eye. Suffice it to say I saw two other species but haven’t seen them. Makes sense to me!
Swift River Cruiser dragonfly
A Swift River Cruiser dragonfly (Macromia illinoiensis) was spotted at Riverbend Park, Fairfax County, Virginia USA. This individual is an emergent/teneral female.
Spine-crowned Clubtail dragonfly
A Spine-crowned Clubtail dragonfly (Hylogomphus abbreviatus) spotted along Bull Run at Hemlock Overlook Regional Park, Fairfax County, Virginia USA. This individual is a male. A female was spotted on the same day at a nearby location.
Epitheca cynosura exuvia
A Common Baskettail dragonfly (Epitheca cynosura) exuvia was collected at Painted Turtle Pond, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Prince William County, Virginia USA.
Epitheca princeps exuvia
A Prince Baskettail dragonfly (Epitheca princeps) exuvia was collected from an unknown location. This specimen was on temporary loan from Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax County, Virginia USA.
Copyright © 2017 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
Tags:Allegheny River Cruiser dragonfly, Bull Run, Calico Pennant dragonfly, Celithemis elisa, Common Baskettail dragonfly, emergence, Epitheca cynosura, Epitheca princeps, exuvia, Family Corduliidae (Emeralds), Family Gomphidae (Clubtails), Family Libellulidae (Skimmers), Family Macromiidae (Cruisers), Fine-lined Emerald dragonfly, Fluvanna County, Hardware River Wildlife Management Area, Harpoon Clubtail dragonfly, Hemlock Overlook Regional Park, Highland County, Huntley Meadows Park, Hylogomphus abbreviatus, immature male, Macromia alleghaniensis, Macromia illinoiensis, male, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Painted Turtle Pond, Phanogomphus descriptus, Prince Baskettail dragonfly, retrospective, Riverbend Park, Somatochlora filosa, Spine-crowned Clubtail dragonfly, Swift River Cruiser dragonfly, teneral
Posted in Aperture, Canon 580EX II Speedlite, Canon 580EX Speedlite, Canon EOS 5D Mark II, digital photography, dragonflies, extension tubes, Fujifilm EF-X500, Fujifilm X-T1, macro photography, natural science, Nissin i40, Panasonic DMC-FZ150, Photoshop, photowalking, Raynox DCR-250, wildlife photography | 2 Comments »
December 20, 2017
Here’s a light-modifier for external flash units like the Fujifilm EF-X500, shown below. It’s simple, and works surprisingly well.
Mount a translucent white plastic foam bag on the flash head, secure it using a rubber band, and voila! In this case, I repurposed a foam bag that came with my Raynox DCR-250 close-up filter.
Thanks to Alan Pezzulich for sharing the idea for this clever light-modifier with me during a walk-and-talk about some of his techniques for field macro photography.
Copyright © 2017 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
Tags:gear talk, light-modifier, studio photography
Posted in Aperture, Canon 580EX Speedlite, digital photography, Fujifilm EF-X500, How To, macro photography, Panasonic DMC-FZ150 | Leave a Comment »
August 12, 2017
Several Banded Pennant dragonflies (Celithemis fasciata) were spotted at Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR), Fairfax County, Virginia USA. All of the individuals in this gallery are male, as indicated by their terminal appendages.
Fujifilm X-T1
The first photo was taken using my Fujifilm X-T1 digital camera, Fujinon XF55-200mm zoom lens plus a Fujifilm 11mm extension tube, and Fujifilm EF-X500 shoe mount flash. The lens was set for a focal length of 200mm (~300mm, 35mm equivalent).
The camera was set for an aperture of f/11. I forgot to decrease the aperture to f/16 (one of the lessons learned from recent field testing). Although depth of field (DoF) wasn’t an issue for the lateral view of a male Swift Setwing dragonfly featured in my last post, DoF is an issue for this viewpoint of a male Banded Pennant dragonfly. Notice the head and thorax are in focus; the terminal appendages are not.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150
The photos in the last set were taken using my Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 superzoom bridge camera plus Canon 580EX Speedlite, my go-to kit for photowalking.
Is that a head-tilt I see below? Did you notice the male Variable Dancer damselfly (Argia fumipennis) in the background?
Editor’s Notes
What are the take-aways from looking at photo sets of the same subject taken using different camera kits, shown head-to-head?
First, the Fujifilm X-T1 is a good camera that I should use more often. My comfort level with the Fujifilm camera isn’t the same as my trusty Panasonic, but that should develop in time.
Second, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 is capable of capturing high-quality photographs, especially when used in combination with a good external flash unit such as the Canon 580EX Speedlite.
Copyright © 2017 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
Tags:Banded Pennant dragonfly, Celithemis fasciata, Family Libellulidae (Skimmers), gear talk, head-tilt, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge, male, Mulligan Pond, terminal appendages
Posted in Aperture, Canon 580EX Speedlite, damselflies, digital photography, dragonflies, extension tubes, Fujifilm EF-X500, Fujifilm X-T1, natural science, Panasonic DMC-FZ150, photowalking, product reviews, wildlife photography | Leave a Comment »
August 10, 2017
Several Swift Setwing dragonflies (Dythemis velox) were spotted at Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR), Fairfax County, Virginia USA. All of the individuals in this gallery are male, as indicated by their terminal appendages.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150
The photos in the first set were taken using my Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 superzoom bridge camera plus Canon 580EX Speedlite, my go-to kit for photowalking. Many of these photos are uncropped; some of the images were cropped slightly in order to improve composition.
Male Swift Setwings prefer perching on low vegetation overlooking water. The first two photos show males perching briefly away from the shoreline.
I think the next two photos are strong candidates for my Odonart© Portfolio. What do you think?
The last two photos were taken within minutes of each other using two different camera kits. Is that a head-tilt I see below?
Fujifilm X-T1
The last photo in this gallery was taken using my Fujifilm X-T1 digital camera, Fujinon XF55-200mm zoom lens plus a Fujifilm 11mm extension tube, and Fujifilm EF-X500 shoe mount flash. The lens was set for a focal length of 200mm (~300mm, 35mm equivalent).
The camera was set for an aperture of f/11. I forgot to decrease the aperture to f/16 (one of the lessons learned from recent field testing), although depth of field wasn’t an issue from this viewpoint of the dragonfly.
Copyright © 2017 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
Tags:Dythemis velox, Family Libellulidae (Skimmers), gear talk, head-tilt, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge, male, Mulligan Pond, Swift Setwing dragonfly, terminal appendages
Posted in Aperture, Canon 580EX Speedlite, digital photography, dragonflies, extension tubes, Fujifilm EF-X500, Fujifilm X-T1, natural science, Panasonic DMC-FZ150, wildlife photography | 2 Comments »
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