Actually, as someone who has been doing macro and micro photography since around 1973, I would like to add that a tripod is not necessary, as long as you do create flash rig, and are capable of seeing through the lens or have an option for Live View (or mirrorless body) while approaching a subject. The manual aperture may well make things a little difficult, but I have been shooting with the MP-E 65 successfully handheld photographs of tiny flowers outdoors and a simple and cheap flash rig. A ring flash or ring lights should do the trick as well.
Essentially, with such a rig mounted, plus an additional grip so you can hold the camera plus lens and rig with two hands (I hold mine a bit like an underwater camera with an extra grip, onto which I have mounted the flash), it is easy enough to take sharp pictures without having to set up a tripod. However, for focus stacking you'd still need a tripod, obviously, and ideally a micro focusing rail.
Anyway, what you need to do is set the magnification beforehand, and then get closer to your subject until you get to the focus area as determined by your view finder or live screen, then move the camera in fluent movements backwards and forwards slowly, until you reach a spot where focus is where you want it, and trigger the camera. I do so with a (wireless) remote control, which I hold in one of my hands (which also holds the camera
). Works quite well for me, to be very honest, but then, I am relatively steady.
purple_flower.jpg (Size: 424.94 KB / Downloads: 13)
Enlargement: about 7X (MP-E 65 at 5x plus 1.4x extender). This is a smoke bush flower, about 2 mm in diameter or so.
Essentially, with such a rig mounted, plus an additional grip so you can hold the camera plus lens and rig with two hands (I hold mine a bit like an underwater camera with an extra grip, onto which I have mounted the flash), it is easy enough to take sharp pictures without having to set up a tripod. However, for focus stacking you'd still need a tripod, obviously, and ideally a micro focusing rail.
Anyway, what you need to do is set the magnification beforehand, and then get closer to your subject until you get to the focus area as determined by your view finder or live screen, then move the camera in fluent movements backwards and forwards slowly, until you reach a spot where focus is where you want it, and trigger the camera. I do so with a (wireless) remote control, which I hold in one of my hands (which also holds the camera
). Works quite well for me, to be very honest, but then, I am relatively steady.
purple_flower.jpg (Size: 424.94 KB / Downloads: 13)
Enlargement: about 7X (MP-E 65 at 5x plus 1.4x extender). This is a smoke bush flower, about 2 mm in diameter or so.
Gear: Canon EOS R with 3 primes and 2 zooms, 4 EF-R adapters, Canon EOS 5 (analog), 9 Canon EF primes, a lone Canon EF zoom, 2 extenders, 2 converters, tubes; Olympus OM-D 1 Mk II & Pen F with 12 primes, 6 zooms, and 3 Metabones EF-MFT adapters ....