DOF for landscapes

OK, It's been a while since I used Helicon focus but this thread has encouraged me to try it again The three examples show different usages and confirm to me that for certain kinds of subject and with a bit more practice, I will be able to get really great images, images that easily compete with medium format cameras up to a 40" print size.

I shot all these with the Zeiss 21mm F2.8, a lens I am in the process of reviewing. This lens has fantastic sharpness wide open and gorgeous micro contrast, but it is problematic on the D800/e due to field curvature and some mid-field weakness.

All shots are clickable to 100% (jpegs at 92% quality) and I suggest that unless you have a retina screen, that a 50% screen view simulates a 40" print quite well.

The first shot is a combination of two images focussed at exactly the same distance but one is at f5.6 and the other is at F16. Helicon then combines the wonderful central micro contrast with at F5.6 with the much better edge and corner sharpness at F16, and selects the best it can in the intermediate zones. Aperture bracketing is easier than focus bracketing, because it is easier not to move the camera between shots.

The next shot shows a focus bracket at F5.6, needed because my centre-column-free tripod means that a shot like this can only be taken at the steepest angle that omits the tripod feet. Four shots were needed, though were I to repeat it I would have done an F16 shot at near and far focus too, in order to get the corners absolutely perfect.

Finally, a more traditional shot, used to greatly increase DOF in a deep field. 14 shots were combined! That's because the nearest part of the image is really very near and even at F5.6, DOF at such close range is very narrow. Careful observers will note a slightly odd patch at very top right and a couple of small movement artefacts but otherwise, this is a shot that would be impossible conventionally with this much resolution.

What fun!

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