Help with filming macro time-lapse slime mold.

pustule

pustule

Member
I'm hoping to get some help identifying what gear i'd need to film something similar to this video clip (you can skip to around 26 seconds in to see the example i'm talking about):


I'm wondering if anyone has a guess as to what kind of macro lens might have been used to do this time-lapse shot of a pulsating slime mold. To get that kind of close detail from a slime mold, i'd assume you'd need a macro lens that can focus super close... I'm just not sure what would be recommended for capturing images similar to this.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations you might have.
 
Great, thanks for the tip. I forgot to mention, I'm using a canon T3i.

I was considering getting a Venus LAOWA VEN6028C Ultra Macro 60mm F/2.8... Not sure if anyone has any experience with that lens for this type of use.
I haven't looked into extenders too much yet.. maybe that'd get me in close enough
 
I've done stuff with ants on a Canon 100mm macro lens (the L version). You can rent that lens for about $50/week. I've also done a little bit of stuff with bellows to get even closer, but that was quite a while ago. My experience with even smaller stuff was attaching a camera to a microscope via a microscope adapter; the lab had it so I don't know enough to make any recommendations, but looks like some are available for $100ish...no idea how good those are. But I'm no expert at macro in general and in mold-sized macro especially.

Also, the google pointed me to:

Let us know what ends up working for you!
 
Thanks for the info Jim! That video was really great. I wish I had the technical expertise with cameras to build the type of setup he was using. He got some great shots!
 
Look into mounting a used F-mount Nikon Nikkor lens backwards. You'll need an EF to XXmm adapter. It screws into the filter thread of your lens then you mount that to your camera. The focus is set so you can only adjust focus by moving the camera or subject. Just search "backward(s) lens macro" etc. I can't remember which focal length (probably a 28mm) but I used it for these shots:

blue pencil_1.10.1.jpg

sharpener_1.10.1.jpg

silver ball_1.24.1.jpg
 
rob norton said:
Look into mounting a used F-mount Nikon Nikkor lens backwards. You'll need an EF to XXmm adapter.
Click to expand...

Wow, those shots are amazing Rob, thanks for posting them! That looks pretty much exactly like the imagery i'm hoping to capture with slime molds. Do you think the lens you used was this model?:
https://www.amazon.com/Nikon-NIKKOR-28mm-2-8D-Cameras/dp/B00005LE71

Any chance you could post a link to the adaptor i'd need to mount this to my Canon T3i? I want to make sure to grab the proper one. I've never mounted a lens backwards...

Thanks again for the info!
 
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