Although the previous folding contraption took some helped in taking some good pictures in controlled circumstances, it proved to be unweildy in the field. So another attempt.
This design was to be more portable. Mimimal requirements to get the job done. A small plastic cup to hold the actor, a grid spaced on 5mm centers, a couple of small hinges, 1/8" thick plywood scraps and some paint ... done.
It worked as good as I expected, perhaps a little better. The new camera has a bit wider field of view so some cropping is usually desirable but that's a snap in gimp. Here's a couple of pictures of the new design. The first of the overall, the second of how it looks in use.
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The safest way to load the bug is to remove the cup, add a little bit of water and slide the bug into the cup. The slip the cup into the hole in the platform; assuming I'm taking insects from a stream or lake. For land based insects you of course elliminate the water and you have to insert the bug and work fast. It's possible also to slow down the bugs via other means. |
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Then the camera is rotated into the horizontal position and the macro picture taken. When done, the camera is rotated back to the original position above, the cup removed and the bug returned to it's environment. |
And here are three still pictures taken with it:
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| A stonefly nymph. | Another of the stonefly. | A clinger nymph. |