FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Forrestblyth]

Hello like many people here I was originally blown away by the amazing macro shots of the minerals on FMF.

I wanted to achieve the same but same found out these images take skill and a certain level of investment in gear to achieve. I have had some very nice results from taking single shots from a decent camera, but nothing like the jaw droppers I have seen some post.

To get sustainable results like those shots you really need a decent DSLR camera body macro lens, tripod and bellows system.

Now I hit the financial buffers. A decent DSLR about a £1000, a quality 100mm Macro lens £1300 (ouch). Novoflex bellows £500. Plus, all the other lighting, computer stacking programs, tripods remote camera trigger gear. I just couldn't do it financially

So not to be beat. I planned a sub £250 setup.
You do not need the latest £1000 DSLR. In mineral Macro almost all the shooting is done in manual, so all the features of an expensive camera are wasted. Even the idea of needing huge amounts of megapixels is flawed. You only end up with difficulties processing those huge amounts of Pixels Stacking the image later.

So, by DSLR choice was a £90 secondhand Cannon T5i. It has a huge tilting back screen perfect for looking live at the image.
Now lens wise the fact everything is shot in manual means I could buy a quality 100mm Cannon FD mount Macro lens.
Cannon FD mount Bellows came in at about £50 and a few adapter rings from eBay got everything mounted together.

Up to now everything is great fun, but I realize that a decent studio tripod is needed and investment in specialist macro lighting.
This set up also has given me the unexpected bonus of helping my 63-year-old eyes the pleasure of just viewing some of my specimens through it.

[Roger Warin]

Hello,
It's much easier than you think!
I became a chemist because when I was 12, around 1946 or 1947, I was developing black and white photos without understanding. My camera was an old Kodak box.
Then it was the game of focal lengths in film (Ag time).
With digital, I was disheartened by the poor depth of field. I almost gave up. I ended up sticking sharp portions on a background. Manual stacking ahead of its time.
Today, I have been using a Nikon 800E since it first appeared on the market. I am only happy with it in mineralogy, where the subject plays dead. I change the focus a little with each shot.
Generally, 6 to 10 photos are enough for acceptable stacking.
When visiting shows, I remember a saying from journalists: good depth = small focal length. So I use my old Leica DLux, with which I am very satisfied. One shot.
At home, I set up this little digital camera and switch to manual mode, turning the focus slightly after each photo.
With my best microscope, the Leica DM750P (40x to 500X),
I also do stacking. Even for TS photos of meteorites (FOV = 0.30 mm).
In fact, the slide is 30 microns thick, and that's still too much!
Stacking consists of merging up to 100 photos, keeping only the sharp parts. I think that some cameras already do this automatically in 1 photo (?).
It should be noted that my iPhone 14 is also remarkable (very small focal length), especially in low light.

But you can do this with your camera, which is a bit like a wide-field microscope. But you have to do stacking.
You don't show your photos.
Have a good trip through this world that opens our eyes to our minerals.

[Forrestblyth]

Thanks Roger for the information and encouragement..

There is plenty out there for normal macro. But like you said minerals are dead and a lot of the information is not so relevant to us as say someone trying to shoot bugs or moving wildlife. A good trusty older unit like my Cannon or your Nicon is all we may need to fund to shoot stationary minerals, leaving more funds to spend on lighting or support.

It has been nice hearing about your setup. It would be great to see or hear about any other users rig they are finding successful. shooting minerals. Please post pictures or details.

I would be grateful to see any rig either poor or rich man set up that gets results