On Thu, 21 Sep 2000 21:59:00 GMT, info@ecuaventura.com wrote:

>I need to get information regarding equipment for filming insects, from 2
>mm up to 50 mm long. This is for television productions about insects in
>the rainforests. Does anybody have experience with such a job ? Any
>recomendations ? In the other side, we are looking for potential sources
>for finance and cooperation. Is there any company / individual that will
>help us with potential buyers for the film ? The film is composed of a
>series of short documentaries for television (It is a serie) being made
>in the ecuadorian tropical forests by a team of expert scientists dealing
>with the higher biological diversity in the world... which is probably
>one of the most threatened in the world, as well.

With Mini-DV video camcorders and 10-12X zooms
(VX-1000/2000/TRV-900) I've had good luck adding
Nikon and Sigma achromats to the front of the
lens. This has the advantage of giving the most
magnification at the zoom long end (opposite what
tubes would do), and with the weaker values, also
infinity-focus ability at the short end (single
clip high-magnification-to-overall-location-shots
capability). For larger-diameter lenses, Fuji and
Canon make 72mm achromats (step-down rings can be
OK with these - often there is no resulting
vignette). The results can be VERY sharp... (even
with a field size of about 4x5mm). Good luck!