Homespun Macro Setup

[Kevin Childress]

My macro table ...

I've been talking a lot lately about my macro photography, most all of which comes from focus-stacked images. With those focus-stacked images I usually comment that the focus was adjusted in 0.10mm or 0.06mm, or something like that. I wanted to share a pic of a piece of equipment that is at the heart of my little homespun macro setup. Any time I photograph in the, AHEM, 'studio' I adjust focus depth by moving the entire camera, not by adjusting the lens focus ring. This is the device that enables me to get those precise focus adjustments - down to as little as 0.02mm (1/50th mm) increments! 

This device was originally designed to produce 35mm film slides used in overhead presentations, which I've learned is (was) another incredibly precise discipline of photography. This thing was offered to me as a gift and I recognized the potential to adapt it to my focus stacking immediately. The only modification I had to make was to remove an insert from the center of the table that held the film slide (you can see an opening beneath the tripod head). I used pre-existing tapped holes in that place to install an aluminum strap that I had laying around and permanently mounted the tripod head to that strap. And I did assembly a 2" x 2" riser to set the table on. The whole thing is really solid! 

The 3 red knobs around the edges are used for adjusting the level of the table. There are adjustment screws on the right side and rear of the table for the X and Y axis. On the inside end of those screws are the 1/50th-mm graduated dials that are used to measure the adjustments. On the left side of the table are linear scales used to measure overall camera travel on the X and Y. The center of the table can rotate 360-degrees but I just keep it at zero. 

I had a conversation with a guy at G+ about this device and he asked if I thought something like this could be made at home. I sent him a rough drawing which essentially duplicates the primary function of this table - see image at bottom if you're in the market for a home-made macro table. 

1) 10" x 10" cabinet-grade 3/4" plywood.  4) Adjustment screws with knobs.  4) T nuts.  4) Plastic caps (for protecting working surfaces from tip of screws).  1) 4-way focus rail.  1) 2-way spirit level.  This could be made all day long for under $40 USD. 

[Kevin Childress]

Supporting the subject ...

When focus stacking it is important to keep your camera/lens as level as possible. So I wanted to be able to support my macro subjects in a way that I could adjust their horizontal and vertical positions to meet the angle of the lens. Here are a couple of my DIY solutions for that. Of course these supports can be used at any angle and height. 

Helping Hands: I have ~$9 USD invested in this first device. I bought two sets of helping hands from Harbor Freight, disassembled the contents, and reassembled the parts to meet my needs. This thing has a lot of articulation! I simply screwed the supplied mounting base to a scrap piece of wood for added stability. 

Vertical-rise Table: Here's another ~$6 USD investment. There are T nuts on both sides of the platform used to adjust the height and lock it down tight. This works great for placing things like rocks, or whatever, on the platform to put insects on top of. This gives me 13" total vertical adjustment.

[© Tom Cooper]

I am not particularly interested in macro like this, although I can't rule it out.

 

But I find myself getting more and more technical with my astrophotography, and will soon start building one or more barndoor and/or hinge tracker.  The standard you are setting is going to end up forcing me to document what I'm up to.

 

Ah, the tangled web we weave.

 

Tom

[Kevin Childress]

© Tom Cooper wrote:

The standard you are setting is going to end up forcing me to document what I'm up to.

Just trying to stir up a little interest in photography within this bigggggggg 'ole world of Panoramio ... 

And Tom, I for one would be happy to read about whatever contraptions you come up with!

[hvbemmel]

I´m too reading everything you guys write. I´ve always been interested in Macro and Astronomy, but I fear I don´t have the patience to put so much time in one photo, perhaps when I´m getting older ;-) . That doesn´t mean I´m not very interested though and follow both your expeditions in this wonderfull parts of photography.