– I got the set-up to take moth pics on my back porch (like they were using at Bracken cave that night). I got the extension tubes you suggested and they work great. At home I can sit in one of my deck chairs and put a spotlight between my legs and shine it on the moth for lighting.
Someone mentioned a ring light that goes around the lens that provides light. I have the Canon EOS R7. Would that work on my camera and if so which would you recommend? If I am at an event like that night at Bracken I will need a light source attached to my camera in some capacity.
My Answer: So glad that you like the extension tubes. They are a wonder to have!!
You can use the flashlight to illuminate the moths. You can use a flash like the Canon EL-5 ($329).
There’s also the Macro Ring Light MR-14EX II ($589) that fits on the front of the lens. This gives a more uniform light since the light is coming from the front of the lens versus the top of the camera. (See example below)
Godox has a ring light, also. It runs $289. I’ve never used it but the Godox flashes seem to be pretty compatible with Canon cameras.
There’s also the two light systems. Godox has the MF12-K2 Macro Flash Kit for $249. There are two tiny flashes on the font of the lens. This allows you to angle the individual flashes for more natural lighting. Canon has a similar system, Macro Twin Lite MT-26EX-RT but it runs $1079.
So there’s flashlight illumination method. The ring light or the two macro flash kits. Each has its positives and negatives.
I hope that helps. Post questions or experiences with these products below.
Moths photographed by John Tveten using a basic ring flash. The Book of Texas Moths from Texas A&M University Press by Gary Clark and Kathy Adams Clark with photographs by John Tveten.
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