Canon Macro Photography with Cygnustech Diffuser, R6 Mark II & RF 100mm Macro Lens

[@JonnyPink65]

Beautiful photos! Really love jumping spiders and you have such beautiful areas to shoot. Love seeing all the views as well. Thank you for sharing ❤❤❤

[@PhilThach]

Thank you, JP!

[@rgdodson]

Awesome! OK...now I want to do some Macro photography.

[@PhilThach]

Excellent! 👍

[@LisaMayo-s9x]

Love the jumpers! Your tufted jumper looked like a female Putnam's Jumping Spider and the one after that with the green coloring looked like a female Emerald Jumping Spider. I use the Canon R7 with the Canon 100mm macro and a Godox V860iii flash (1/8 power). I also use the Cygnustech. I tried the AK Diffuser and a cheap soft box diffuser, but neither was as good as the Cygnustech. I've had some jumpers run at me, too, once they got comfortable around me, and I had to back up or they would have run right over me, haha. Hope you're feeling better.

[@PhilThach]

That is great information, thank you!

[@PamHaynes-oo3ck]

Happy Saturday 🤗. Very interesting shots. Thank Phil

[@PhilThach]

Thank you, Pam!

[@AmateurPhotographer12]

My first hobby was macro photography, now it’s bird photography! and little bit of astronomy, and landscape photography. Very nice video! And nice set up!

[@PhilThach]

Thank you!

[@forced_perspective]

Always wanted that diffuser. Didnt know we could order it from staye side. It seems to work amazing even on the shinier subjects theres no specular highlights. Thanks for sharing

[@PhilThach]

@@forced_perspective yep, you can get it here. It takes a while though. Thanks for watching!

[@ilesmic]

I like the flash and diffuser reflections in the jumping spider eyes,-- Gives it the eye glint LOL

[@PhilThach]

Me too! 👍

[@Chrispitchwildlife]

That flash is good! Small and powerfull. And you can incline it slightly more downward. (Something that you have to check sometimes for maximum light) I love those jumping spiders. Especially the one with straight black hairs. 😀👍

[@PhilThach]

Thank you, Chris!

[@billmartin1010]

Good stuff, Phil! You're the one who really got me started in macro photography. I love these videos.

[@PhilThach]

Thank you, Bill!

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Great macro shots Phil. New diffuser seems to work well. Thanks for the video 👍

[@PhilThach]

Thank you, Adrian!

[@PhotoGearFun]

Thanks for the video Phil! I love macro and I tend to shoot at f/13 to f/16 even though I know there is diffraction I'll take more DoF and a little less sharp shots. You made some great shots. Thanks for all of the different types of photography on your channel you keep it interesting for sure. Cheers.

[@PhilThach]

Thank you! Sometimes I use your more DOF with defraction strategy but on this day I went the other way.

[@PhotoGearFun]

@@PhilThach that's the beauty of photography there are no hard and fast rules. We can experiment and change things up at any time.

[@k26kv31]

Neat, I want to get some Praying Mantis pictures this fall when they are out like crazy.

[@PhilThach]

Thanks!

[@AlSo-Fotografie]

I use this on my R5/ Godox V1+ Meike Extension for 2 years now on and i love it. Still worth the shipping costs to europe :)

[@PhilThach]

It’s a nice diffuser for sure. 👍

[@lbeetech]

I've missed your macro photography. Thx!

[@PhilThach]

Thank you! I hope to do more soon.

[@NECPER]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing.

[@PhilThach]

Thank you!

[@kiwi2xs]

Nice shots, I have an R5 and the same diffuser and flash, I use 1/200 f5.6 and the flash power about 25-40% with the ISO usually at 125 have shot up to 600 but very rarely. Would be looking at your flash settings as it works well with the defuser

[@rick_805]

Great macro shots!

[@PhilThach]

Thank you!

[@jeffolson4731]

I really like the Jumping Spiders. Are the insects attracted to the blue rail or is it just easier to see them on it?

[@PhilThach]

Thank you! I’m really not sure about why they are in the blue rail but I love the looks of the shots there.

[@rdphoto2]

Nice video Phil. Good to see the macro setup and shots you got. Was you in manual with Auto ISO?

[@PhilThach]

Thank you, Ron! No, I used full manual for everything including ISO and flash power settings.

[@ses4vols]

Great macro shots! I really liked the bumble bee. The Roly-poly shot is interesting too. How is the in focus plane curved in that shot?

[@PhilThach]

@@ses4vols thank you! I’m not sure about the plane of focus. I didn’t notice a curve to it. Maybe it’s because the surface is uneven.

[@Kellysher]

I shoot the R5 with 100-500. I can get macro type shots with the amazing min. focus distance. I’d love to see a video doing a deep dive into true macro photography basics and gear. I always think that will be my next type of photography to pursue. I could afford that gear(I think), and I do enjoy seeing the critters and details in the tiny world around us! I guess I’m curious why macro photography is hard? My gosh, I love the shots of jumping spiders. I’ve got to see if we have those in Ohio and where to find them. Beautiful work!

[@PhilThach]

Thank you! The 100-500 is a great leans for semi macro work. It's maximum magnification of 0.33x while still having a nice working distance is great for butterflies, skippers and other subjects of that size. When you start working on smaller creatures like ants and jumping spiders, you will need more magnification. The RF 100mm macro lens has a maximum magnification of 1.4x. Unfortunately, in order to get that magnification you have to be VERY close to your subject, just a handful of inches from the front of the lens. So close you can't really use the lens hood. The closer you are, the less depth of field you have and, if you want the image to look good, you must nail perfect focus on the eye of the insect. Remember the depth of field is about 1 mm. Also remember the insect is alive and probably moving. Last but not least, autofocus is all but useless at this magnification. It's difficult. I bought a used macro less from a photographer who was great at semi macro work with her telephoto lens but just could not do it with a full macro lens. All that said, I still think it is worth it but it is always hard.

[@Kellysher]

Thanks for the detailed response. I’ve not done true macro yet, so these comments are very helpful! It does sound hard!

[@billr6983]

What's the working distance on this lens? How close do you have to get to get your shots? Wonderful images, very interesting. Great work!

[@PhilThach]

Thank you! The minimum focus distance is 10.2 inches so the working distance is probably 4 inches or so at maximum (1.4x) magnification

[@davidipema7898]

nice , i want to do some macro myself , ore at leased try it , nice pictures

[@PhilThach]

@@davidipema7898 thank you!

[@leonfisher]

Macro is back! Do you think the Cygnustech is an improvement over your past setup?

[@PhilThach]

I do think it is the best diffuser I’ve used so far.

[@angelogarciajr5356]

These are very cool. I wondered why you did not try photo stacking unless you did not want to manually stack them? I started with the R6 but hated the time it took to stack. I switched to the R7 with 100-500 and the R7 stacks the images for me. I should use a tripod but I like the freedom of free hand but do get some bad images doing it that way. I am hooked on this. I am sending you my black and white jumping spider on my IG. Looks so different than yours being lighter in color. Keep bugging.

[@PhilThach]

Stacking doesn’t work with flash and diffuser work on Canon. Focus bracketing is in electronic shutter mode, flash only works on mechanical shutter. I like your photos! 👍

[@TimChilders]

Love the new diffuser. I’ll have to go do a search for it. Absolutely hate what I’m using at the moment. :)

[@PhilThach]

Thanks! It’s an unusual process ordering it. I got mine at the end of macro season last year and I’m just starting to use it.

[@FordSierraIS]

Great photos! I got ef100 yesterday just started testing on my r5. Love the sharpness. Did you try extension tube with it? At what aperture do you feel the sweetspot is for max sharpness? I did some focus bracketing and looks great at 4.5 first test

[@PhilThach]

I have used extension tubes with my RF 100. They will certainly add to the magnification.

[@FordSierraIS]

​@@PhilThach oh sorry i thought you had the EF version! I just realized my lense has quite a bit of focus shift. I guess autofocus is worthless when stopping down. R5 has no always on DOF , so i have to hold the button and focus manually. Not a big problem considering how cheap i got the lens and how sharp it is though

[@N_v_G]

Nice! Which AF settings do you use in macro? My R6II keeps looking for eyes LOL

[@PhilThach]

@@N_v_G thank you! Single point. Subject to detect. None.

[@N_v_G]

@@PhilThach found it LOL

[@acemanNL]

Armadillidium vulgare 👍

[@PhilThach]

Thank you! I knew someone would know! :)

[@geoffreyconnor4589]

How easy do you find the diffuser is to setup/dismantle? I've heard it can be a bit complicated.

[@PhilThach]

Honestly, it's a pain and it isn't easy to store and carry but it certainly works well in the field.

[@rohitkhetarpal2945]

Been wondering if R6ii is better for macro or R7. Can only get one. Both have in focus stacking that R5 doesn’t and R5 II is too expensive. Looking to get 100mm macro and 100-500mm as 2 lens set up, just not decided on camera. Would appreciate your jnput. Bird, wildlife, sports and macro use. Also deliberating between OM system OM1 as that’s a speciality macro camera and good with wildlife.. but would love your opinion on Canon please :)

[@PhilThach]

R6 Mark II is probably easier to work with my the R7 should have more maximum magnification because of it's higher resolution and smaller sensor.

[@tonyw3250]

I'm not sure why you are having dramas with the flash power, I have the same flash and I tend to shoot at 1/4 to 1/16, but use multiple bursts when focus bracketing, sometimes 20 0r more shots and the flash handles it well

[@PhilThach]

I’m surprised by my issues as well.

[@soak000]

I have the 100mm RF lens and would like to know what size diffuser you got, and whether you would share the product number for me to order one. Thank you.

[@PhilThach]

@@soak000 there’s not really a product number. You just email him and he will ask you about your kens and flash. Look for Cygnus tech on Instagram.

[@soak000]

@@PhilThach Got it, thank you very much.

[@dillonencinia2729]

What settings are you using in Camera?

[@PhilThach]

I use single point focus with subject to track set to “none”. Or full manual focus.

[@dillonencinia2729]

@@PhilThach thanks, I’ve been trying with the R7 but Macro sure can be a pain.

[@pentagramyt417]

Seems to me, you did x1.4 macro shots, and then cropped heavily the photo, as there is no way to achieve the depth of field at f9 which that close ups. Nothing wrong, but I am right? I am thinking about this set up too, but I know x1.4 macro is average for such small insects like ants.