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In-camera focus bracketing: usable past 1x magnification?

Started Mar 21, 2022 | Questions thread
oneofone25
oneofone25 Senior Member • Posts: 1,586
Re: In-camera focus bracketing: usable past 1x magnification?

16GreenBeans wrote:

Hey all,

As someone interested in trying out macro photography around the 2x-5x level, from what I understand, focus bracketing seems pretty vital to ensuring a sharp, detailed photo.

As focus bracketing manually using a rail seems rather time consuming, I was wondering, would using an in-camera method of automatic bracketing be precise enough at such a high level of magnification? Say the kind found in newer fujifilm and olympus mirrorless bodies?

My thinking is that powerful focus stacking software like helicon or zerene, or even a focus stacking feature in a photo editing program like affinity photo, would be able to compensate for any major issues with sharpness and accuracy. For those with experience, does this hold true?

Also, this might be a stupid question, but has anyone had experience reverse mounting an enlarging lens onto the olympus 60mm macro? I found a good deal on a Schnieder componon 28mm f4 and am wondering if it possible to mount it while using the 60mm lens normally, as this would allow me to use the in-camera bracketing and stacking features.

Cheers!

GB.

You need to check out my posts in the Olympus forums...

I use the Raynox macro filters on the Olympus 60mm macro lens, as well as coming up with a way to use the 2x teleconverter, the MC-20, with the macro lens.  Using the MC-20 teleconverter with a kenko 16mm extension tube, connecting to the Olympus 60mm macro lens gives me about 2.3x magnification when lens is set to 1:1, and focus bracketing works splendidly at f4.5 and anywhere from 1/10 to 3/10 for focus bracketing mode.

here are some shots I have taken over the last 6 months using this setup, in combination with one of three different Raynox macro filters - the Raynox 250, the 202 or the 505.  Using the 505 with this setup, i get 9x magnification and regularly stack images of sand grains that are 0.2mm to 0.3mm wide.

the right eye of a stink bug

under 1mm field of view, focus stack of more than 175 images if memory serves me right, using the 202

two grains of sand, the top one being a garnet at 0.2mm in width - used the 505, about 200 images stacked

dew drops hanging in a spider web, using the Raynox 250 (all of these I am using the 2x teleconverter for as well), focus stack of 75 images

scales on a mosquito shoulder, used the 505 for 9x magnification and stacking high resolution images by hooking up the camera to my computer and manually moving the focus

 oneofone25's gear list:oneofone25's gear list
OM-1 Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm F2.8 Macro Samyang 16mm F2 +1 more
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