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EM1 Focus Stacking

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Gonzie

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I saw a video that demonstrated the focus stacking ability that was added to the EM1 with Firmware, and I believe it may be available in the EM5 MKII. I know this is typically used for macro work to provide additional DOF, but is it possible to go in the opposite direction and use it to provide additional background blur in portraits as well?

One of the complaints you hear about often about MFT is that the smaller sensor will not isolate the subject as much as a APS-C or FF sensor. Olympus is using sensor shift to overcome the resolution gap in certain situations and was wondering if focus stacking can help reduce DOF. Long shot, but figure no harm in asking if it has been tried or even possible.
 
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Focus stacking increases depth of field, not decrease it.

In camera focus stacking is only available in the E-M1.
 
I think it would be possible to decrease DOF, but you would need the stacking software that works in reverse, so to speak - keeping in focus only parts that are in focus on all stacked images.
 
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What you're looking for can be done with the Brenizer method of multiple image stitching, but I don't know of any camera that does it automatically. Here is a tutorial on it...

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www.digitalcameraworld.com
 
Gonzie said:
I saw a video that demonstrated the focus stacking ability that was added to the EM1 with Firmware, and I believe it may be available in the EM5 MKII. I know this is typically used for macro work to provide additional DOF, but is it possible to go in the opposite direction and use it to provide additional background blur in portraits as well?

One of the complaints you hear about often about MFT is that the smaller sensor will not isolate the subject as much as a APS-C or FF sensor. Olympus is using sensor shift to overcome the resolution gap in certain situations and was wondering if focus stacking can help reduce DOF. Long shot, but figure no harm in asking if it has been tried or even possible.
Click to expand...
There used to be a package called "Bokeh" that would simulate the OOF look of different lenses. It worked ok, but honestly, you can do better just by moving people around a little bit and standing in different places. Also, if you look at portraits instead of head shots, you'll see that often more DoF is used, rather than less, as the context that the subject is in matters.
 
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