@linux_mclinuxface
I had to look that up.

The one in the pic is using an aerator/circulator, so it is a more simple system, kinda like the AeroGardens minus the grow lights.

The Kratky method is very interesting as a low maintenance method. I had a similar variant -- water at the bottom, a permeable barrier, and coir to grow the plant in, with a 20W grow light at the top. Initial watering was at the top, until the sapling grew long enough roots to reach to the permeable barrier. Since I was growing basil in the Texas heat, I needed to replenish water quite often.

There are pots with similar water reservoirs at the bottom, IIRC, which inspired my take.

But I gave up since the energy cost of running grow lights can never compete with that free sun in most parts of the world. But with the explosive growth of renewables, maybe time has come to reexamine this...

"Hydroponics project, Sustainability through engineering. Do not touch"

Diagnosis: Saplings not getting enough light, that's why they're all so spindly.

There will be some valuable lessons learnt here.

@linux_mclinuxface @amd This article might help if you're testing a lens:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/tips-and-solutions/flat-field-lenses-and-why-they-matter-when-shooting-close-ups

But otherwise I usually assume most prime (fixed focus) lenses marked Macro (or Micro for Nikon) are flat field. Reviews/Specs can help. The coin photography community has lots of info on macro lens setups.

Reversing lenses is popular enough that Nikon makes an adapter for that (the BR-2A). But the resulting lens is not flat field. More info:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/tips-and-solutions/macro-on-a-budget-reversing-rings

@linux_mclinuxface @amd FWIW, macro is overloaded: it can mean, 1) the minimum focus distance is short, 2) the lens is designed to have a very flat field of focus, 3) the lens can produce 1:1 images. Many telephotos marked macro are usually only 1. If you're making copies/scanning, 2 is essential, and 3 is nice for some very detailed images. I've never seen 2 and 3 in a telephoto. Also the use of extension tubes (or life size adapters as they're sometimes called) may disable most auto focus functionality.

But for really close macro work, manual focus is almost a given. The AF can drive you crazy. Then the focus throw of the lens will matter.

Fully manual exposure (no metering) is not recommended, it will slow you down. Even with metering and a manual lens, it may matter whether the body requires stop-down metering or whether it can focus/meter with the aperture wide open (bright image) and stop down [i.e. set exposure] automatically to your manual settings.

If you're using a lens like a 50mm macro, you'll need to get really close that you will require something like a ring flash to get enough light. A 100mm macro will provide a good working distance.

@linux_mclinuxface This is cool! I was expecting something that uses an industrial inkjet head like those made by Seiko, but 3D printing the head + electronics, wow!

I'm tired of rebutting long essays full of non-sequiturs by corporate shills on the coming of the AGI. So I'm going to fight fire with fire.

AGI is not happening because computers cannot handle continuous information without turning it into discrete bits.

So there.