First shot using focus stacking

A700, Sigma 105 macro, 5600HSD flash, TTL with Demb reflector. Manual mode f11 @ 1/250. BEGONIA cluster is more or less a 25mm diameter sphere. 12 shots every 2mm with focus rail. Software is CombineZP Do-Stack (on auto pilot -- there are many choices). I think I am hooked on this process. I have so many macro shots with way too shallow DOF.



Here is the setup. Focus rail is 1/2 of $40 eBay/China unit. The other 1/2 became my panorama head



Bert

Very nice technique...
--
Bill
Capturing memories, one at a time.

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Indeed very interesting procedure, delivering a good image here.

Is the program EXIF-based, or image based, or depending on one or more user choices?

Bart
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x700 - 7xi - 7 - 7D - A700... two more 7s to go...

I certainly do not fully appreciate what CombineZP does but here is my impression. First it does an image alignment which would imply it is at least partly image based. It then offers about 5 ways to combine the "focused slices". My first set of images (before the focus rail) were pretty sloppy and CombineZP struggled and created different takes based on its 5 algorithms. It did a good job but each result was different. Presumably one picks the the most pleasing result. In the case of the above example, the 12 "slices" were precisely 2mm apart and CombineZP 5 results were pretty much identical. I suspect that 6 slices would have been adequate for this flower. It requires that the subject be pretty still (probably not wind-blown flowers). We each have our photo interests and I intend to use it on my macros of small 3D objects. My next attempt is going to be a small flower (~ 5mm D). Here is a good site on CombineZP.
http://www.hadleyweb.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/CZP/News.htm
Hope this helps
Bert

Focus rail....never even considered that. I was trying for different point of focus finding my results were, eh, indifferent. I'm trying to do it within CS 4.

I think I'll check out that eBay China connection you found. Thanks for the point in the right direction.

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-paul

I admire the diligence and the result is very pleasing. I assume you were helped by a lack of wind. An interesting comparison might be to shoot with a wide-angle lens (substantially increased DOF and, typically, a closer focusing distance) and then crop if necessary (it probably will be if a single bloom is the subject). I've used the technique on small clusters of flowers (used a 35mm lens) and was happy with the result.
--
http://rogerrex.zenfolio.com/

As you get more DOF with WA lenses, you also introduce unwanted (to me) distortion which would be annoying to warp out.

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-paul

RogerRex said:

I assume you were helped by a lack of wind.

Click to expand...

Roger you got that right. The Begonia is my wife's potted plant. I carried it inside and took the shots with flash. Maybe this was cheating but it was fun.
Bert

RogerRex said:

An interesting comparison might be to
shoot with a wide-angle lens (substantially increased DOF and,
typically, a closer focusing distance) and then crop if necessary (it
probably will be if a single bloom is the subject).

Click to expand...

Roger, I am not convinced that using a shorter FL to increase DOF is a winning idea. For a given image size on the sensor, the shorter FL will require a much shorter sensor-to-subject distance which would negate the DOF gain. Furthermore, I could achieve the effect you suggest by simply increasing the sensor-to-subject distance and then cropping as you suggest (I have run tests on this and your suggestion works -- by only half filling the 12MP sensor with the flower and then cropping, one ends up with 3MP photo with increased DOF. This 3MP is perfectly fine for monitor or HDTV viewing and small prints). I am certainly open to enlightening discussion of this concept. There are other issues with using short FL lenses for macro. Most prefer the 100mm class or even 180mm. Mine is 105mm
Bert

BertIverson said:

... (I have run tests on this and your suggestion
works -- by only half filling the 12MP sensor with the flower and
then cropping, one ends up with 3MP photo with increased DOF. This
3MP is perfectly fine for monitor or HDTV viewing and small prints).

Click to expand...

Bert,

I have not run any tests nor am I an optics expert. I happened to be shooting one day, didn't have the 100 macro along, had always been bothered by the DOF problem when shooting flowers, happened upon a cluster of azaleas more or less on the same plane, and thought the 35 would do the job because I might get the whole flower(s) in focus for the effect I wanted. It worked. Which, of course, means it worked for one situation and probably suffers the limitations you mentioned. Like all such things in photography there are trade-offs.

Roger

FWIW, here is the rail I bought. It seems fine.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=250310898211
Bert

thx for the link.

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-paul