982 replies to this topic

[CoolColJ]

Astonishing how different some Australian Polyrhachis species look compared to Asian Polyrhachis

 

 

Most of them do look like typical Polyrhachis, but the one above does blur the lines, as they barely have the spikes, and they are sized more like Camponotus, and just about look like one sometimes

 

Polyrchais vermiculosa colony a friend sent me, unfortunately I cannot see a queen among them, always hard with Polys

quite small at around 5-6mm

 

click to enlarge

[CoolColJ]

Camponotus humilior, is a lot more polymorphic than I thought
with different sized majors and minors.
Largest major vs smaller major in this wild captured colony

Yeah that red dirt is that fine in particles...

click to enlarge

Edited by CoolColJ, July 14 2018 - 12:38 AM.

[Major]

Wow. This whole thread is beautiful. How badly I want to be able to create photos like these. Could people tell me exactly what camera, extension tube, lens, flash, etc that you use? I know that CoolColJ uses a Panasonic G85, Nurbs uses a phone+ macro. But what about everyone else.

After seeing how expensive cameras were I decided to save up to get the Panasonic G85. (I’m a fan of your photos CooloColJ) If there are any other cameras of that quality for the same price (Max $1000, preferably less) please let me know. Also if you don’t mind also tell me what extensions, lenses, and other equipment you use?

I love photography quite a bit, so any replies would help me greatly. Yes, it will take me time to save up, but this is something that I love. I also want an actual camera, not a phone and clip on macro.

(I’m currently using an iPhone X camera for my journal, how do you make a DIY macro for it? Without a magnifying glass. I need something temporary.)

Thanks

Edited by The_NY_Major, July 18 2018 - 1:16 PM.

[AntsAreUs]

Some of my recent catches:

 

[CoolColJ]

Wow. This whole thread is beautiful. How badly I want to be able to create photos like these. Could people tell me exactly what camera, extension tube, lens, flash, etc that you use? I know that CoolColJ uses a Panasonic G85, Nurbs uses a phone+ macro. But what about everyone else.

After seeing how expensive cameras were I decided to save up to get the Panasonic G85. (I’m a fan of your photos CooloColJ) If there are any other cameras of that quality for the same price (Max $1000, preferably less) please let me know. Also if you don’t mind also tell me what extensions, lenses, and other equipment you use?

I love photography quite a bit, so any replies would help me greatly. Yes, it will take me time to save up, but this is something that I love. I also want an actual camera, not a phone and clip on macro.

(I’m currently using an iPhone X camera for my journal, how do you make a DIY macro for it? Without a magnifying glass. I need something temporary.)

Thanks

 

There are older versions of the G85, such as G7 and smaller models like the GX85 that have the same image quality just about and cheaper.

And Olympus models like the EM series

Once you have the lens you can bolt them onto many other camera bodies of the same sensor system, and get more or less the same result.

Only the workflow and quirks are different, and the handling, weight size etc

[AntsMaryland]

How to you keep everything in focus using a macro lens?

 

Also, with lighting, how do you make sure it doesn't reflect if your taking photos of ants in test tubes?

[CoolColJ]

How to you keep everything in focus using a macro lens?

 

Also, with lighting, how do you make sure it doesn't reflect if your taking photos of ants in test tubes?

 

You can't, unless you image stack, which is just about impossible if ants move

 

But generally, a smaller aperture size increase the depth of field so more things are in focus around your focus point.

But this also decreases image quality from diffusion, so it's  balancing act.

And the more you magnify, the smaller your effective aperture size is.

This only applies to a camera that allows you to change these things

 

shooting so everything is in the same plane will mitigate this, like from directly above

 

Lightning, well you just have to experiment, you will find certain angles and distances will minimise reflections, but it's always there to some extent, hence test tubes are a pain.

[AntsMaryland]

 

How to you keep everything in focus using a macro lens?

 

Also, with lighting, how do you make sure it doesn't reflect if your taking photos of ants in test tubes?

 

You can't, unless you image stack, which is just about impossible if ants move

 

But generally, a smaller aperture size increase the depth of field so more things are in focus around your focus point.

But this also decreases image quality from diffusion, so it's  balancing act.

And the more you magnify, the smaller your effective aperture size is.

This only applies to a camera that allows you to change these things

 

shooting so everything is in the same plane will mitigate this, like from directly above

 

Lightning, well you just have to experiment, you will find certain angles and distances will minimise reflections, but it's always there to some extent, hence test tubes are a pain.

 

Thanks. That's a lot of help.

 

I have a lot to learn...

[Major]

As I am a just starting, I think I will go with a cheaper, less professional camera. Olympus Tough TG-5. Any good extensions and lenses for this?

[CoolColJ]

As I am a just starting, I think I will go with a cheaper, less professional camera. Olympus Tough TG-5. Any good extensions and lenses for this?

Compact cams like that have fixed lens, so you can't swap it.

if you want cheap, get a second hand camera

[Major]

Thanks CoolColJ. I don't think I will buy a second hand camera though.

[Skwiggledork]

 

My first Tetramorium immigrans queen is getting close to having workers.

[CoolColJ]

She was cleaning the first nanitic before I went to bed, and she cleaning the second this morning.
As always newly eclosed nanitics are always cute

So once the pupa turn brown they eclose within a day, even faster than my various Pheidole.
Nanitics are also 1mm larger than the Pheidole ones, but still tiny at 3mm or so

Nanitics look like Iridomyrmex bicknelli ones.
Third one should eclose this afternoon, and maybe the fourth one tomorrow

click to enlarge





Pheidole cf antipodum queen - 15mm

[Major]

She was cleaning the first nanitic before I went to bed, and she cleaning the second this morning.As always newly eclosed nanitics are always cute :)So once the pupa turn brown they eclose within a day, even faster than my various Pheidole.Nanitics are also 1mm larger than the Pheidole ones, but still tiny at 3mm or soNanitics look like Iridomyrmex bicknelli ones.Third one should eclose this afternoon, and maybe the fourth one tomorrowclick to enlargehttps://i.imgur.com/...UUp.jpgPheidolecf antipodum queen - 15mmhttps://i.imgur.com/SHM5brE.jpghttps://i.imgur.com/OH4VeZf.jpg

How do you light your pics?

[CoolColJ]

How do you light your pics?

flash, external flash unit sitting on the hot shoe angled down towards the front of the lens with a ball mount
When your shooting with small apertures, and fast shutter speeds, natural light is not enough


not unlike these setups, but there are so many ways to do it depending on the shape of camera, lens length and flash size etc.
I used to use a toilet roll to focus the flash light down to the front of the lens, when I had a longer lens and used the inbuilt flash.
Otherwise the lens will create a shadow

Edited by CoolColJ, July 21 2018 - 10:08 PM.

[Major]

Ok thanks!

[AnthonyP163]

Got some pictures of Camponotus today.

 

 

 

[CoolColJ]

First time my Strobe ants (Opisthopsis Rufithorax) have eaten an insect since I had the queen at the end of February...

 

click to enlarge

taken outside the outworld so blurrier

[CatsnAnts]

Camponotus castaneus, here’s a pic of right after I dug them up:



Camponotus subbarbatus, my very first queen:



Crematogaster cf. cerasi:



I just use and iPhone 6 with a flashlight lens taped over the camera, it gets the job done.

[CoolColJ]

I put my dead Pheidole antipodum queen beside one of my dead Camponotus suffusus queen bodies, and her thorax and gaster are just about dead even in length and almost in size.

Only the suffusus has a larger head.

15mm vs 18mm of one of the largest Camponotus species we have here

Has to be the largest Pheidole in the world...

Click to enlarge