Monday, May 16, 2011

MK Direct Photo e-Box 1419

It occurs to me that I have been talking about the MK Direct Photo e-Box a lot and it has mostly been abstract. This is because I have yet to take a very good picture of the set-up. I still don't have a good picture, but at least this will give you an idea.

MK Direct Photo e-Box 1419

The camera is above the box pointed down through a hole. The specimen lays flat in the box and is illuminated with fluorescent light.

What I like about this system is that it is compact, but more importantly the light is perfect. The inside of the box is reflective ensuring even light across the entire specimen. The light is constant not a strobe, so what you see is what you get - there is no glare from reflections off shiny leaves. And the light is consistent, it doesn't fluctuate from shot to shot which makes post processing fast and easy.

I have no dislikes, but as I mentioned the camera brace that comes with the box is not built for larger cameras. Fortunately there is a table top copystand already in the Herbarium, so I use that to hold the camera. And, as previously illustrated, I need to use a 50mm lens to shoot, which means I will have to cut a larger hole in the  top of the box. This will not be a trivial undertaking given my general lack of dexterity and mechanical incompetence.

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