For all those who are trying SFD

[rick decker]

I am planning to start a new thread titiled "SFD Show and Tell". It will be for everything related to SFD including images you want to show, questions, comments pro and con and so forth, processing advice and do's and don'ts.

It will run for an indeterminate time and then if interest prevails, start over.

Based upon my experience with SFD and talking to a few others shooting SFD, I believe there is a strong need for a thread like this - something all-inclusive. At this point there is very little (if anything) in the SFD Primer about processing choices and issues.

I know there will be a lot of frustratiions. This thread can help minimize them.

If you like the idea, just give me a thumbs-up on the post.

Thanks

Rick

--
http://www.rickdecker.photography
http://www.silveroaksranch.com
http://www.pbase.com/rickdecker

 

[rick decker]

bump--
http://www.rickdecker.photography
http://www.silveroaksranch.com
http://www.pbase.com/rickdecker

 

[ushere]

i went out today armed with my sturdy manfrotto tripod, etc., having read your primer (thanks), only to be most disappointed....

i shot exactly the same scene (as in my hunter valley thread)

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4152311

there was hardly any wind and i used the 10sec timer, but all the same the end results (i took a few) were all a bit soft. maybe the camera vibration was unduly maginfied on such a wide shot? anyway, i also shot x3f's that were as ever razor sharp.

i think i'll try sfd in the studio next time i'm set up there. i'm not sure i'll bother with it for any outside work.

 

[Scottelly]

Even though I don't even have a Quattro camera yet, I'm definitely interested to read the thread Rick. Thank you for this.

 

[Roger]

I am planning to start a new thread titiled "SFD Show and Tell". It will be for everything related to SFD including images you want to show, questions, comments pro and con and so forth, processing advice and do's and don'ts.

I must have been a sleep but what's SFD???

Roger J.

It will run for an indeterminate time and then if interest prevails, start over.

Based upon my experience with SFD and talking to a few others shooting SFD, I believe there is a strong need for a thread like this - something all-inclusive. At this point there is very little (if anything) in the SFD Primer about processing choices and issues.

I know there will be a lot of frustratiions. This thread can help minimize them.

If you like the idea, just give me a thumbs-up on the post.

Thanks

Rick

--
http://www.rickdecker.photography
http://www.silveroaksranch.com
http://www.pbase.com/rickdecker

 

[danski0224]

Super Fine Detail

Essentially a 7 shot bracket taken with one press of the shutter button, merged in Sigma Photo Pro. It's in the main menu.

 

[TN Args]

i went out today armed with my sturdy manfrotto tripod, etc., having read your primer (thanks), only to be most disappointed....

i shot exactly the same scene (as in my hunter valley thread)

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4152311

there was hardly any wind and i used the 10sec timer, but all the same the end results (i took a few) were all a bit soft.

I don't call my test shot soft (in the sense that you seem to be saying blurred, if the tripod is blamed), so let's explore some other reasons.

• The low contrast of an X3I will be perceived as softer, even if it isn't.
• X3F files are generically oversharpened; try SPP with Sharpness -1.5.
• Noise creates a perception of sharper and more (albeit false) detail, and its absence in X3I will create a perception of less detail, when there isn't.

maybe the camera vibration was unduly maginfied on such a wide shot?

A long lens would magnify it, not a wide lens.

anyway, i also shot x3f's that were as ever razor sharp.

Well IMO that 'blows away' ;-) your shaky camera theory. Well, not entirely, but partly.

i think i'll try sfd in the studio next time i'm set up there. i'm not sure i'll bother with it for any outside work.

Is that because your studio setup has an even sturdier tripod than your outdoor tripod?

 

[Iconoscope]

Try turning off the image stabilizer. OS should not be needed if the camera is tripod mounted and it may introduce image shifts in the SFD sequence.

 

[rick decker]

Thanks Args and Iconoscope

R

 

[ushere]

• The low contrast of an X3I will be perceived as softer, even if it isn't.

hadn't realized that. will try with my next outdoor test run - deleted the last batch.

• X3F files are generically oversharpened; try SPP with Sharpness -1.5.

will do.

• Noise creates a perception of sharper and more (albeit false) detail, and its absence in X3I will create a perception of less detail, when there isn't.

i'm living and learning.

maybe the camera vibration was unduly maginfied on such a wide shot?

A long lens would magnify it, not a wide lens.

i was referring more to the scene rather than the lens.

anyway, i also shot x3f's that were as ever razor sharp.

Well IMO that 'blows away' ;-) your shaky camera theory. Well, not entirely, but partly.

well perhaps, but the shutter does 'clunk' a bit, so on 7 shots it might add to the 'vibration'

i think i'll try sfd in the studio next time i'm set up there. i'm not sure i'll bother with it for any outside work.

Is that because your studio setup has an even sturdier tripod than your outdoor tripod?

most certainly - a satchler and an old but very serviceable wooden miller. the studio floor is concrete and there's no chance of wind. it also has controlled lighting etc.,

i'll give it a go with an art work since that's what i really bought it for. as it is, with x3f's one can see remarkable detail in fine brush strokes even on a large 3m x 1.5m canvas - so i'm not too sure how much better sdf would be?

anyway, enjoying the curve...

 

[mick 560]

hi, i am trying fsd to photograph some artwork of mine that is approx 32 by 20 inches on canvas, i bought a sigma quattro sd camera with an art lens but did not get good results, think the lens needs callibrating, anyway i bought a sigma wide angle lens which might work better, i saw the fsd in the quattro manual and have tried it but the problem i have is that i cannot get raw files from my camera onto sigma photo pro.

 

[rick decker]

On your home page (thumbs), do you have your "View" tab options set to show X3I files?

Do you have a copy of my SFD Primer. If not PM me your email and I will send you one. It is well worth it. It will save you a lot of heart aches.

Rick

 

[xpatUSA]

hi, i am trying fsd

[sarcasm deleted] sorry mick

--
i keeps my licks in my head so no one else can play em

 

[xpatUSA]

i went out today armed with my sturdy manfrotto tripod, etc., having read your primer (thanks), only to be most disappointed....

i shot exactly the same scene (as in my hunter valley thread)

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4152311

there was hardly any wind and i used the 10sec timer, but all the same the end results (i took a few) were all a bit soft. maybe the camera vibration was unduly maginfied on such a wide shot? anyway, i also shot x3f's that were as ever razor sharp.

i think i'll try sfd in the studio next time i'm set up there. i'm not sure i'll bother with it for any outside work.

Les, you might get better results by aligning your images in a program like 'hugin' and then fusing them. really the x3i system is a greatly simplified version of what apps like TuFuse Pro or Hugin have been doing for years . .

pardon me for including clarifying caps in this post . . ;-)

--
i keeps my licks in my head so no one else can play em

 

[ushere]

of course, you're forgiven, expat... especially so since your replies are so helpful.

Interestingly enough i did some comparisons shots on a clients work and gave him the tiff's from both and asked for his thoughts. i know he's one of my most fastidious artists, and his work is extremely detailed. he couldn't find fault (or difference) with either. perhaps on a grandiose landscape, or something similar, the sfd would produce a noticeable difference, but for my purposes, i think xf3 will suffice.

i am yet to try dng vs sfd - though i have shot a couple of jobs in dng at the clients' request.

@mick560 - which lens on the camera? what pc? how are you transferring files?

 

[amdamdeath]

On this occasion I used the SFD mode because the scene had a high dynamic range. In the grotto it was very dark, with the free eye hardly any details of the walls could be seen.

 

[rick decker]

Interesting shot. I am wondering about the vegetatio in the background. Could you post one shot that shows the background in best exposure. I would like to see how it compares.

Regardless, it is a visually appealing image.

 

[amdamdeath]

I'm afraid I don't have the X3I file any more. They are just too big to store all of them.

I'm posting the original size, so you can examine the background vegetation more closely. Due to the very high dynamic range the bracketing SFD provided was too little I guess.








Another one where I used the SFD mode. Otherwise the sky would be blown out.

 

[SigmaChrome]

Looks like SFD was an excellent choice in that situation.

 

[Alan71410]

I guess Sigma do call it Super Fine Detail for a reason, and while they do point out the DR capabilities, I've found that what it does best is what it is called. For one thing it enables one to get away from SPP's ham-fisted NR, with its characteristic "sandy" edges and plastic detail rendition.

Left to its own devices with all exposures and an accurately exposed mid-exposure, SFD not only retains the very finest of detail but eliminates noise without trashing detail or the need to apply any additional NR. Unless the subject matter is moving distinctly (like a car, animal or person), that doesn't seem to affect it much, either.

The following initial thumb shows the whole shot, followed by 100% sections of the "correct" exposure first, processed in SPP without any NR at all, and "crispy" set to mid-point, sharpening at default 0, so with as little interference from SPP as possible.

The second 100% section is SFD, processed at SPP's suggested settings, all frames included. The pair were roughly matched with small curves adjustments in Photoshop afterwards (the SFD version being too flat in comparison to the single frame rendition).

Viewed full-size, the difference is exceptional, and the rippling water posed no problem for SFD. Bracket was either side of a mid-point exposure of 1/60 sec, 100 ISO, shot using an ancient Mir-1 2,8/35 lens on an sdQ-H.


Whole frame


Single frame 3XF, 100% section


SFD of 3XI, 100% section

This is just my experience of SFD, by the way.

--
Alan