Early Macro

Back in the late 1970's & 1980's my main macro gear for out in the field was extension tube and with a 50mm lens they gave aa 1:1 magnification.

All these photos were taken without flash on a crop frame Nikon DSLR

At that time i could get down to ground level easier than today and this make so much difference.

Always from the same level not from high above as it tends to make the insect/ flower look smaller.

These again were taken on slide Kodachrome 200 ASA which was a pretty good film for those days.

No chance to review your photo, you had to wait two weeks for them to come back from Kodak and hope they didn't scratch them

Fungi

                                                                             Ladybird

                                                                   Water droplets after a shower

                                                                              Scorpion fly

                                      Moth showing narrow depth of field at F5.6

                                                                           Spider with prey

                                                                          Water Droplet

                                                                         Grasshopper

                                                          Small Copper Butterfly

                                        Spider on a web, you need still conditions 

                                                                        Wood Louse

The only problem with extension tubes, do you work with all 3 tubes giving 1:1 or mess about having to take the lens off the reduce the number of tubes. This allows dirt to get on the sensor. Much better later when I could afford a Macro Lens.