Pringles-macro :)

MXM · June 24th, 2006, 12:33 PM

Ok, so I finally finished eating my pringles and made this: http://www.photocritic.org/2005/macr...y-on-a-budget/

And it works! First some pics of the setup.

I basicly copied the design on that page, so I made holes in camera cover cap and in can's bottom plate and glued those two together with epoxy.

http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/9496/setup19ol.jpg

18-70 lens fits perfectly inside the can. I didn't even use anything to prevent light from entering, it's perfectly dark inside (tested on 15 sec exposure and everything is dark).

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/5093/setup43if.jpg

Whole setup images/smilies/smile.gif

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/9801/setup34ub.jpg

Zoom is on maximum (70mm) and focus ring on minimum to get as close to object as possible. I can control aperture by pressing the small lever with my finger, so it's either closed or open. I open it when focusing (it's reaally hard to find object, and DOF is non existant).

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/6963/setup56yf.jpg

You can see a ball from a pen in the viewfinder there. Not a photoshop, btw, optics just work in a funny way images/smilies/smile.gif

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/2523/setup66zq.jpg

And now the photos. I photoshopped them a bit, mostly to correct the color balance (it was very red). Also some dirt made it on the photos it seems. I hope not inside the camera images/smilies/sad.gif

Gotta check that...

One of first photos. I don't have a flash, so I used a lamp, iso800 and 2 seconds exposure.

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/3228/dsc11495gc.jpg

Diameter of the insulation is about 1mm, the wires are about 1/3 of that as you can see.

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/8011/dsc11500xg.jpg

Wires again. DOF is not as bad with closed aperture, but when I open it is basicly a thin layer. Like in a microscope.

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/4270/dsc11520yi.jpg

Part of the 20c euro-coin.

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/2573/dsc11595gn.jpg

This one I tried with LED flashlight. It's less powerfull than a lamp, but gives much better color balance.

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/9366/dsc11651gk.jpg

What I need now is a proper flash, and some matt black paint to spray inside the can, because now it's very reflective inside:

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/7461/setup29up.jpg

Also the objects are never perfectly in focus, even though they appear to be in the viewfinder. I think it can be caused even by shutter vibration. As I close the aperture, lower the ISO and increase the exposure, focus becomes a bit better. I think I can solve this with proper, fast flash.

Overall I'm pretty happy with results, considering it didn't cost me anything images/smilies/smile.gif

More photos to come sometimes, right now I'm just playing with it.

Buba · June 24th, 2006, 12:55 PM

Awesome!

llpc60 · June 24th, 2006, 01:07 PM

very cool! can you explain this part "I can control aperture by pressing the small lever with my finger, so it's either closed or open. I open it when focusing (it's reaally hard to find object, and DOF is non existant). " ???

did you try shutter lock to get the vibration down? nice pics images/smilies/biggrin.gif

MXM · June 24th, 2006, 01:18 PM

Aperture on Nikkor lenses is controlled mechanically with small lever on a spring. It's big enough, so I can push it with my finger. By default it's closed, when I push it, it opens to allow more light in and allow me to find an object. I can't see anything with aperture closed.

And.. mmm.. I don't even know what's a shutter lock..

And btw, I just realized that.. I get much bigger magnification on WIDE, not on TELE! So I still have a lot to go images/smilies/smile.gif

llpc60 · June 24th, 2006, 01:25 PM

Sorry sorry, I meant to say 'mirror' lock. its used reduce the vibration of the mirror opening/closing while snaping a pic.

i just might have to try this mod images/smilies/biggrin.gif

MXM · June 24th, 2006, 01:51 PM

Some more playing around:

That's a tip of 3mm screwdriver with a drop of water on it (I expected a cooler effect, but nevermind). You can see my flashlight in reflection images/smilies/smile.gif

http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/9782/dsc11733sq.jpg

LED. Not turned on obviously.

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/9127/dsc11838ld.jpg

A green matchstick I found in the house images/smilies/smile.gif

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/1160/dsc11867gd.jpg

Tried putting lense in 18mm... Damn. Focusing is close to impossible.
Here's a corner of that same screwdriver

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/551/dsc11911na.jpg

That's my hair

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/4576/dsc11980vw.jpg

None of these are crops btw.

EDIT: And DAMN! No mirror lockup on D50 images/smilies/sad.gif

hanasand · June 24th, 2006, 02:09 PM

You have dandruff images/smilies/lol.gif

No but seriously, that was cool..

Redliner · June 24th, 2006, 03:52 PM

Wow, very cool! images/smilies/smile.gif

Keep the photos coming!

BlaRo · June 24th, 2006, 04:44 PM

Totally wicked. I gotta try that!

*goes out to buy a can of Pringles*

Overheat · June 24th, 2006, 08:01 PM

does the flavour affect focus?

47 · June 24th, 2006, 08:51 PM

^^

grat pics man, really cool!! keep it up images/smilies/thumbsup.gif

man, the things you can do with a pringles can images/smilies/tongue.gif

bitrix · June 24th, 2006, 09:04 PM

Damn that's awesome! I've just finished eating a can of pringles and I see this thread.. Heh, now I've got something to do, on this damned hung-over saturday evening. images/smilies/smile.gif

jensked · June 25th, 2006, 12:32 PM

That blows my mind.

MXM · June 25th, 2006, 01:04 PM

Thank you, thank you images/smilies/smile.gif

A few more before I'm bored with my new toy and put it on the shelf:

That's a 0.5mm graphite. Not a very good picture but illustrates the DOF with open aperture. As lighting I used sun redirected to the tip of the graphite by complicated setup of mirrors and lenses images/smilies/smile.gif

http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/1496/dsc12285sf.jpg

Another one of my favourite object so far images/smilies/smile.gif

This time on maximum magnification that I managed (a bit more is possible, but very hard to focus).

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/1062/dsc12217kx.jpg

That's salt. It was inside inside the glass can. That's a crop btw, corners of the pic were too dark, so I cut them off.

http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/8049/dsc12412xl.jpg

Edge of 2 Euro coin (2mm). Width of one groove is about 0.3mm. Best focused photo so far, you can see un-edited original by clicking the image (1.5mb)

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/6033/dsc1239small8sl.jpg

hanasand · June 25th, 2006, 01:04 PM

How does it feel now that your mind is blown? Seriously, that has to hurt somehow..

whoster · June 26th, 2006, 06:34 AM

hot damn diggety holy carp.

i should try this.

BerserkerCatSplat · June 26th, 2006, 04:26 PM

I suddenly have an intense craving for chips...

MXM · June 26th, 2006, 04:46 PM

I really want a lens with manual aperture though. With aperture open there's no DOF, with closed there's no light and no focus. Keeping it in between with a finger is not ideal solution...
Maybe I should check some old second hand ones. Doesn't even have to be for Nikon (but preferably).

BerserkerCatSplat · June 28th, 2006, 05:54 AM

I just read the original Pringles article, and I think you've done something awesome - you've actually mounted the lens backwards instead of forwards like he did, which gives you the ability to go extremely, extremely close! Cool!

MXM · June 28th, 2006, 12:11 PM

Really? Then I didn't read that article carefully enough images/smilies/smile.gif

EDIT: Oh wait, he did it backwards too. Look:

http://www.photocritic.org/articles/macro-on-the-cheap-pics/IMG_1685.jpg

That's a lenscap where he made a hole, so it must be backwards.

June 24th, 2006, 12:33 PM	#1
MXM old porsches do run! Joined: Jun 9th, 2004 Last Online: Yesterday Location: Finland Age: 26 Posts: 2,651 Car: Porsche 944 LFS Status: Rep Power: 31	Pringles-macro :) Ok, so I finally finished eating my pringles and made this: http://www.photocritic.org/2005/macr...y-on-a-budget/ And it works! First some pics of the setup. I basicly copied the design on that page, so I made holes in camera cover cap and in can's bottom plate and glued those two together with epoxy. 18-70 lens fits perfectly inside the can. I didn't even use anything to prevent light from entering, it's perfectly dark inside (tested on 15 sec exposure and everything is dark). Whole setup Zoom is on maximum (70mm) and focus ring on minimum to get as close to object as possible. I can control aperture by pressing the small lever with my finger, so it's either closed or open. I open it when focusing (it's reaally hard to find object, and DOF is non existant). You can see a ball from a pen in the viewfinder there. Not a photoshop, btw, optics just work in a funny way And now the photos. I photoshopped them a bit, mostly to correct the color balance (it was very red). Also some dirt made it on the photos it seems. I hope not inside the camera Gotta check that... One of first photos. I don't have a flash, so I used a lamp, iso800 and 2 seconds exposure. Diameter of the insulation is about 1mm, the wires are about 1/3 of that as you can see. Wires again. DOF is not as bad with closed aperture, but when I open it is basicly a thin layer. Like in a microscope. Part of the 20c euro-coin. This one I tried with LED flashlight. It's less powerfull than a lamp, but gives much better color balance. What I need now is a proper flash, and some matt black paint to spray inside the can, because now it's very reflective inside: Also the objects are never perfectly in focus, even though they appear to be in the viewfinder. I think it can be caused even by shutter vibration. As I close the aperture, lower the ISO and increase the exposure, focus becomes a bit better. I think I can solve this with proper, fast flash. Overall I'm pretty happy with results, considering it didn't cost me anything More photos to come sometimes, right now I'm just playing with it.

June 24th, 2006, 12:55 PM	#2
Buba Wants Rick Astley's Babies Joined: Nov 12th, 2004 Last Online: Yesterday Location: Regensburg, Bavaria Age: 27 Posts: 5,996 Car: Golf LFS Status: Rep Power: 38	Awesome! __________________ [18:11] MXM: it means buba is better than you now [18:12] sam-l: In what way? [18:12] Slycer: longer penis

June 24th, 2006, 01:51 PM	#6
MXM old porsches do run! Joined: Jun 9th, 2004 Last Online: Yesterday Location: Finland Age: 26 Posts: 2,651 Car: Porsche 944 LFS Status: Rep Power: 31	Some more playing around: That's a tip of 3mm screwdriver with a drop of water on it (I expected a cooler effect, but nevermind). You can see my flashlight in reflection LED. Not turned on obviously. A green matchstick I found in the house Tried putting lense in 18mm... Damn. Focusing is close to impossible. Here's a corner of that same screwdriver That's my hair None of these are crops btw. EDIT: And DAMN! No mirror lockup on D50

June 24th, 2006, 02:09 PM	#7
hanasand Despot Joined: Sep 27th, 2004 Last Online: November 30th, 2008 Location: Stavanger, Norway Age: 22 Posts: 1,300 Rep Power: 0	You have dandruff No but seriously, that was cool.. __________________ "Maybe, maybe not. Maybe fuck yourself. http://www.majestet.com

June 24th, 2006, 03:52 PM	#8
Redliner Joined: May 19th, 2005 Last Online: November 29th, 2008 Location: Canoas, Brazil Age: 29 Posts: 3,484 Car: Fiat Palio 1.6 16v Rep Power: 37	Wow, very cool! Keep the photos coming! __________________ Yes, it tells us that you participate in the mass cultural delusion that the sun's apparent position relative to arbitrarily defined constellations at the time of your birth somehow affects your personality.

June 24th, 2006, 01:07 PM	#3
llpc60 Banned Joined: Jun 1st, 2006 Last Online: September 2nd, 2008 Location: LAND OF THE FREE (AHAHAHA) Posts: 1,018 Car: 93-NA . Mariner Blue Rep Power: 0	very cool! can you explain this part "I can control aperture by pressing the small lever with my finger, so it's either closed or open. I open it when focusing (it's reaally hard to find object, and DOF is non existant). " ??? did you try shutter lock to get the vibration down? nice pics

June 24th, 2006, 01:18 PM	#4
MXM old porsches do run! Joined: Jun 9th, 2004 Last Online: Yesterday Location: Finland Age: 26 Posts: 2,651 Car: Porsche 944 LFS Status: Rep Power: 31	Aperture on Nikkor lenses is controlled mechanically with small lever on a spring. It's big enough, so I can push it with my finger. By default it's closed, when I push it, it opens to allow more light in and allow me to find an object. I can't see anything with aperture closed. And.. mmm.. I don't even know what's a shutter lock.. And btw, I just realized that.. I get much bigger magnification on WIDE, not on TELE! So I still have a lot to go

June 24th, 2006, 01:25 PM	#5
llpc60 Banned Joined: Jun 1st, 2006 Last Online: September 2nd, 2008 Location: LAND OF THE FREE (AHAHAHA) Posts: 1,018 Car: 93-NA . Mariner Blue Rep Power: 0	Sorry sorry, I meant to say 'mirror' lock. its used reduce the vibration of the mirror opening/closing while snaping a pic. i just might have to try this mod

June 24th, 2006, 08:01 PM	#10
Overheat Joined: Sep 7th, 2004 Last Online: September 30th, 2008 Location: Bradford, UK Posts: 5,735 Rep Power: 25	does the flavour affect focus? __________________

June 24th, 2006, 08:51 PM	#11
47 Joined: Mar 6th, 2006 Last Online: November 30th, 2008 Location: CRO Age: 24 Posts: 875 Car: Punto 1.1 '96, Kawa ER6n Rep Power: 13	^^ grat pics man, really cool!! keep it up man, the things you can do with a pringles can __________________ 47 - tuning by Medtronic

June 24th, 2006, 09:04 PM	#12
bitrix Joined: Jun 1st, 2005 Last Online: September 28th, 2007 Location: DK Posts: 104 Rep Power: 0	Damn that's awesome! I've just finished eating a can of pringles and I see this thread.. Heh, now I've got something to do, on this damned hung-over saturday evening. __________________ Also known as Høgh

June 25th, 2006, 12:32 PM	#13
jensked Joined: Mar 31st, 2005 Last Online: November 28th, 2008 Location: Flanders, Belgium Age: 25 Posts: 3,987 Car: RIP Opel Astra -> 2006 Toyota Corolla Wagon Rep Power: 40	That blows my mind. __________________

June 25th, 2006, 01:04 PM	#14
MXM old porsches do run! Joined: Jun 9th, 2004 Last Online: Yesterday Location: Finland Age: 26 Posts: 2,651 Car: Porsche 944 LFS Status: Rep Power: 31	Thank you, thank you A few more before I'm bored with my new toy and put it on the shelf: That's a 0.5mm graphite. Not a very good picture but illustrates the DOF with open aperture. As lighting I used sun redirected to the tip of the graphite by complicated setup of mirrors and lenses Another one of my favourite object so far This time on maximum magnification that I managed (a bit more is possible, but very hard to focus). That's salt. It was inside inside the glass can. That's a crop btw, corners of the pic were too dark, so I cut them off. Edge of 2 Euro coin (2mm). Width of one groove is about 0.3mm. Best focused photo so far, you can see un-edited original by clicking the image (1.5mb)

June 26th, 2006, 06:34 AM	#16
whoster Joined: Jun 7th, 2005 Last Online: October 28th, 2008 Location: toyota city, CA Posts: 785 Car: Lexus GS400 Rep Power: 16	hot damn diggety holy carp. i should try this. __________________ Lexus GS400 Nikon D70s Flickr blog.

June 26th, 2006, 04:26 PM	#17
BerserkerCatSplat Hormone Induced Joined: Jun 21st, 2005 Last Online: 05:55 AM Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 5,784 Car: Pimpmobile Rep Power: 68	I suddenly have an intense craving for chips... __________________ OSPhoto

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June 26th, 2006, 04:46 PM	#18
MXM old porsches do run! Joined: Jun 9th, 2004 Last Online: Yesterday Location: Finland Age: 26 Posts: 2,651 Car: Porsche 944 LFS Status: Rep Power: 31	I really want a lens with manual aperture though. With aperture open there's no DOF, with closed there's no light and no focus. Keeping it in between with a finger is not ideal solution... Maybe I should check some old second hand ones. Doesn't even have to be for Nikon (but preferably).

June 28th, 2006, 05:54 AM	#19
BerserkerCatSplat Hormone Induced Joined: Jun 21st, 2005 Last Online: 05:55 AM Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 5,784 Car: Pimpmobile Rep Power: 68	I just read the original Pringles article, and I think you've done something awesome - you've actually mounted the lens backwards instead of forwards like he did, which gives you the ability to go extremely, extremely close! Cool! __________________ OSPhoto

June 28th, 2006, 12:11 PM	#20
MXM old porsches do run! Joined: Jun 9th, 2004 Last Online: Yesterday Location: Finland Age: 26 Posts: 2,651 Car: Porsche 944 LFS Status: Rep Power: 31	Really? Then I didn't read that article carefully enough EDIT: Oh wait, he did it backwards too. Look: That's a lenscap where he made a hole, so it must be backwards.