My Gear #33 - Andrew Rock

This is the kit I unpacked after a morning's wander about in a local park

that features a variety of non- and native bushland. I'm looking for bugs

mainly. Some are flighty and you can't get close, and with some you can.

That's why I pack two bodies with different lenses: the 5D Mark 3 has the

180mm f/3.5 L macro; and the 5D mark 2 has the MPE 65mm macro. The 5D3 has

the better autofocus system, so it stands a better chance of locking on to

a more distant, flighty bug. The 65mm has no autofocus so the 5D2 suffers

no disadvantage. The main light source I use is the macro flashes, ringlight

on the 180mm and twinlite on the 65mm. To illuminate backgrounds, or sometimes

as the main light is a 580 EX II, with a small Lumiquest soft box. The Manfrotto

tripod is mainly used to support the 580 Ex II, off camera, and as a base

for the 3 Wimberly plamps of various lengths. The shortest is always preferred

for stability, gripping a twig or whatever, but sometimes the reach of the

longest is needed. The middle one has been modified with an alternate clamp

which does a better job of gripping the small reflector/diffuser in its case

at bottom-right. At left is the double R-strap which enables me to carry

two full-frame, gripped bodies with big lenses for hours. It has pockets

attached that carry the 2 packs of spare AAs for the speedlites. The lenses

both have Manfrotto RC2 plates on their feet, modified with the BlackRapid

reinforced D-rings to take the weight when hanging on the straps. With

plates, they are ready to mount on the tripod, should I want to shoot that

way, but using flash usually makes hand-held feasible. The 580 is

triggered with PocketWizard minis and a flex, since I'm outdoors and infra-red

is unreliable, but I do need ETTL. A tiny, but powerful Pelican torch is

attached to a wrist-strap that goes on my left hand for hunting bugs, and

helping focus sometimes. A small case for my belt contains sun stuff and

Aerogard. The bag is a big Lowepro that can take the two bodies with the

lenses on. It is only for protection to the site. I leave it in the car.

On top is a Manfrotto bag that fits the tripod and the plamps. The Hoodman

loupe is indispensable, for checking focus! The last item is the Leatherman

tool, for tweaking gear and cutting plants. Not shown, but essential: a

belt-wearable water bottle; hiking boots; and the best knee-pads I can find.

Shots from this shoot:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/strictfunctor/8312802199/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/strictfunctor/8310948018/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/strictfunctor/8309776497/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/strictfunctor/8301887085/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/strictfunctor/8302937568/in/photostream/

Great stuff Andrew - I never got my head around Macro - some nice shots you have shared.

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