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A compact camera does it


A compact camera does it
Photo Information
Copyright: Dietrich Meyer (meyerd) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 518 W: 68 N: 1686] (5316)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-07-05
Categories: Spiders
Camera: Sony Cybershot DSC H10, Zeiss Tessar 40 mm
Exposure: f/4, 1/1250 seconds
Map: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-08-01 4:14
Viewed: 437
Points: 14
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Learning to do macros with a compact camera (bicycling oblige):

I had to learn how to do macros in the field with a compact camera. I used a magnifying lens attached to the Zeiss Tessar objective, low ISO and no-wind conditions. This allows the automatic focusing to be stable (you can't focus manually and by eye). What you see here are presumably Harvest mites (Acari; Trombiculidae; Trombicula (=Neotrombicula) autumnalis Shaw; Herbstgrasmilbe). They are 2mm long and have 8 legs in the adult stage in contrast to the larval stages with 6 legs. What are they doing on this Daisy? My first suspicion was that they waited for a vector or an insect host. But then Trombicula would'nt do that at the adult stage. They presumably suck on plant parts, on those freshly opened flowers on the innermost ring.
horias, cedryk, roges, Argus, cataclysta, flashpoint, jpdenk, red45 has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Dietrich,
Wonderful capture, great colors, sharp...good job!
Congratulation!
Horia

  •      
  • cedryk Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 966 W: 52 N: 1694] (5184)
  • [2009-08-01 4:25]

Hello Dietrich,
A nice and somehow funny shot of these small mites on a flower - nice sharpness and exposure. To tell the truth I have never seen them on flowers - always on earth. Interesting.
Best greetings and TFS!
Michal

  • Great 
  • roges Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 590 W: 0 N: 497] (3004)
  • [2009-08-01 4:33]

Hallo Dietrich,

Eine außergewöhnliche Makro.
Sehr schöne Leistung, herzlichen Glückwunsch.
Schönes Wochenende,
Adrian

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3802 W: 190 N: 11310] (34871)
  • [2009-08-01 4:49]

Hello Neighbour!
Yes a compact digital camera has a lot to offer and I am discovering that all the time!
A fine capture of thses tiny red mites on an Ox-eye Daisy. The technical quality is easily that of an SLR.
I have never seen them on a flower before and I presume there are several small red species.
Thanks Dietrich and have a good weekend,
Ivan

Hi Dietrich
Very interesting educational presentation and great nature observation. Together with informative note a very good presentation
TFS
Krzysztof

ciao Ditrich!
i tuoi occhi funzionano ancora bene per
aver ottenuto una cosi' buona focalizzazione,utilizzando una compatta,di questi piccoli acari rossi sulla margherita...
complimenti sERGIO

Buena observación Dietrich y un bonito juego de colores. ess especies también las he observado aquí en plantas de porte bajo. Un interesante trabajo.
Saludos y buen fin de semana: Josep Ignasi.

Hello Dietrich,

Very interesting image, and a very good one too, nice and sharp with interesting subjects. I've seen Harvest Mites before, but never in large numbers in such a small area like that.

I find that my compact camera can produce excellent results under certain circumstances, but the SLR does that much more consistently and under a wider range of circumstances simply because I have a lot of manual control over everything with the SLR, and I also like being able to produce a wide range of depth of field, something lacking in the compact cameras. Also, my compact camera can't quite achieve the sharpness that the SLR can, nor can it be used at ISO's higher than 100 without producing at least some noticeable noise in the shadows, ISO 400 is awful on the compact, but that's my normal shooting ISO on the SLR, so I try to use the SLR whenever possible.

John

John

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2705 W: 74 N: 8864] (30243)
  • [2009-08-03 3:01]

Hello Dietrich!

Very strange moment, I've never seen such situation before. As Michal wrote mites should be rather on soil or lower plants. Anyway - somehow funny moment - they looks like dancing in circle :-)

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