Trying GFX 100s focus bracketing but focus point doesn’t change

Painter19

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Hello all, I’ve been trying to do focus bracketing with my 100s camera and GF63 lens mainly in the focus bracketing manual mode. I’m following the instructions I’ve found by pressing the Drive button > Bkt > Focus Bkt > Ok, then Menu Ok > Shooting Settings> Focus Bkt Setting > Manual, pressing Ok and selecting 006 frames, 3 Step, 0 interval and pressing Ok. Then using the display/back button to back out of the menus till I’m seeing the live scene in my camera. From there I’ve tried 2 variations: one is to press the shutter button, the other is to press Ok after setting the focus, and then hitting the shutter button . In either case the camera shoots the 6 frames I had set as a maximum, but they all stay focused on the nearest point I originally focused on . The focus point does not change.

I’ll add I’ve been doing this handheld, as I want to test if using focus bracketing handheld with a smaller number of frames is feasible for landscape shooting. I’m wondering if moving my camera a little after choosing my nearest focus point with back button focus is causing a problem? I have tried the above in MF and AF-S, using touch screen and the joystick and back button focus to select the focus point all to no avail.

I’ve been making my efforts in a medium sized room with spaced furniture and other objects.

I also tried focus bracketing auto mode once and it fired off 47 frames, but once again the focus point did not change. It remained on the original near object .

I’m pretty sure there is some small point or procedure that is blocking things. But after numerous tries and attempts to research it I’m at my wits end. I’ll add I’m using the latest firmware: V2.12 with my 100s and V1.10 with my GF63.

Thanks, anyone’s help will be much appreciated.
 
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Hello all, I’ve been trying to do focus bracketing with my 100s camera and GF63 lens mainly in the focus bracketing manual mode. I’m following the instructions I’ve found by pressing the Drive button > Bkt > Focus Bkt > Ok, then Menu Ok > Shooting Settings> Focus Bkt Setting > Manual, pressing Ok and selecting 006 frames, 3 Step, 0 interval and pressing Ok. Then using the display/back button to back out of the menus till I’m seeing the live scene in my camera. From there I’ve tried 2 variations: one is to press the shutter button, the other is to press Ok after setting the focus, and then hitting the shutter button . In either case the camera shoots the 6 frames I had set as a maximum, but they all stay focused on the nearest point I originally focused on . The focus point does not change.

I’ll add I’ve been doing this handheld, as I want to test if using focus bracketing handheld with a smaller number of frames is feasible for landscape shooting. I’m wondering if moving my camera a little after choosing my nearest focus point with back button focus is causing a problem? I have tried the above in MF and AF-S, using touch screen and the joystick and back button focus to select the focus point all to no avail.

I’ve been making my efforts in a medium sized room with spaced furniture and other objects.

I also tried focus bracketing auto mode once and it fired off 47 frames, but once again the focus point did not change. It remained on the original near object .

I’m pretty sure there is some small point or procedure that is blocking things. But after numerous tries and attempts to research it I’m at my wits end. I’ll add I’m using the latest firmware: V2.12 with my 100s and V1.10 with my GF63.

Thanks, anyone’s help will be much appreciated.
First, to get a proper stack a tripod is necessary. For landscape shots I set up the cam and manually (you can AF) focus on items near to far, usually 5 to 10 images, the last at infinity. Then I process the images to taste then load those into my stacking software.

For some reason the automated modes in the setup menu were a mystery until a few months ago when I viewed the following YouTube video. He does not use a GFX cam but the method is exactly the same for all Fujifilm X cams. Followed the presenter's suggestions and began getting decent results. Without going into great detail have a look, experiment, and report back.

Fujifilm Focus Bracketing

I used the auto function on the following image posted a few weeks ago:

50+image auto stack

50+image auto stack

The following "test" image was a result of a 4 image stack taken on a tripod all manual. 2 images 1 each Focused on the planes, then one mid-way to the mountains in the background, then finally the mountains in the distance.



4 image manual stack

4 image manual stack

--
Bob aka BobsYourUncle
DPR Co-MOD - Fuji X and Medium Format Forums
 
Thanks for your reply and photos. Unfortunately, although the focus bracketing method is the same in general for the Fuji cameras mentioned in the video and the GFX 100s there are differences in some details and i think it’s in the details I’m getting hung up.

Additionally I realize it’s best to use a tripod when focus bracketing , but I really value the ability to hand hold my camera . That’s why I’d like to explore Focus Bracketing Manual Mode with my 100s. That is of course an automated mode like Focus Bracketing Auto Mode, but one sets the maximum number of frames and the distance between frames factor manually. The reason I want to use that method is to keep the sequence of frames shorter to increase the chances of acceptable alignment handholding.

I went into detail about the steps of the process I’ve been using in the hopes that someone can spot where I’m going wrong.
 
Thanks for your reply and photos. Unfortunately, although the focus bracketing method is the same in general for the Fuji cameras mentioned in the video and the GFX 100s there are differences in some details and i think it’s in the details I’m getting hung up.

Additionally I realize it’s best to use a tripod when focus bracketing , but I really value the ability to hand hold my camera . That’s why I’d like to explore Focus Bracketing Manual Mode with my 100s. That is of course an automated mode like Focus Bracketing Auto Mode, but one sets the maximum number of frames and the distance between frames factor manually. The reason I want to use that method is to keep the sequence of frames shorter to increase the chances of acceptable alignment handholding.

I went into detail about the steps of the process I’ve been using in the hopes that someone can spot where I’m going wrong.
The steps you describe is what I initially did when experimenting a couple of years ago that resulted in the exact same unsuccessful result. That is why I suggested what I normally do. In fact I just checked my GFX and it still behaves similarly. I will be curious to hear from anyone who has done this with a certain measure of success.
 
Hello all, I’ve been trying to do focus bracketing with my 100s camera and GF63 lens mainly in the focus bracketing manual mode. I’m following the instructions I’ve found by pressing the Drive button > Bkt > Focus Bkt > Ok, then Menu Ok > Shooting Settings> Focus Bkt Setting > Manual, pressing Ok and selecting 006 frames, 3 Step, 0 interval and pressing Ok. Then using the display/back button to back out of the menus till I’m seeing the live scene in my camera. From there I’ve tried 2 variations: one is to press the shutter button, the other is to press Ok after setting the focus, and then hitting the shutter button . In either case the camera shoots the 6 frames I had set as a maximum, but they all stay focused on the nearest point I originally focused on . The focus point does not change.

I’ll add I’ve been doing this handheld, as I want to test if using focus bracketing handheld with a smaller number of frames is feasible for landscape shooting. I’m wondering if moving my camera a little after choosing my nearest focus point with back button focus is causing a problem? I have tried the above in MF and AF-S, using touch screen and the joystick and back button focus to select the focus point all to no avail.

I’ve been making my efforts in a medium sized room with spaced furniture and other objects.

I also tried focus bracketing auto mode once and it fired off 47 frames, but once again the focus point did not change. It remained on the original near object .

I’m pretty sure there is some small point or procedure that is blocking things. But after numerous tries and attempts to research it I’m at my wits end. I’ll add I’m using the latest firmware: V2.12 with my 100s and V1.10 with my GF63.

Thanks, anyone’s help will be much appreciated.
Without going into extreme detail the common problem is in setting the A and B focus points. This is best done using manual or back button focus. Watch your A and B indicators on screen. After setting A press ok and then set focus for B. At this point do not press ok or you’ll go back to A. After setting B just press the shutter button fully to start the exposures.



Use a tripod! :)
 
Hello all, I’ve been trying to do focus bracketing with my 100s camera and GF63 lens mainly in the focus bracketing manual mode. I’m following the instructions I’ve found by pressing the Drive button > Bkt > Focus Bkt > Ok, then Menu Ok > Shooting Settings> Focus Bkt Setting > Manual, pressing Ok and selecting 006 frames, 3 Step, 0 interval and pressing Ok. Then using the display/back button to back out of the menus till I’m seeing the live scene in my camera. From there I’ve tried 2 variations: one is to press the shutter button, the other is to press Ok after setting the focus, and then hitting the shutter button . In either case the camera shoots the 6 frames I had set as a maximum, but they all stay focused on the nearest point I originally focused on . The focus point does not change.

I’ll add I’ve been doing this handheld, as I want to test if using focus bracketing handheld with a smaller number of frames is feasible for landscape shooting. I’m wondering if moving my camera a little after choosing my nearest focus point with back button focus is causing a problem? I have tried the above in MF and AF-S, using touch screen and the joystick and back button focus to select the focus point all to no avail.

I’ve been making my efforts in a medium sized room with spaced furniture and other objects.

I also tried focus bracketing auto mode once and it fired off 47 frames, but once again the focus point did not change. It remained on the original near object .

I’m pretty sure there is some small point or procedure that is blocking things. But after numerous tries and attempts to research it I’m at my wits end. I’ll add I’m using the latest firmware: V2.12 with my 100s and V1.10 with my GF63.

Thanks, anyone’s help will be much appreciated.
Without going into extreme detail the common problem is in setting the A and B focus points. This is best done using manual or back button focus. Watch your A and B indicators on screen. After setting A press ok and then set focus for B. At this point do not press ok or you’ll go back to A. After setting B just press the shutter button fully to start the exposures.

Use a tripod! :)
Thanks Mike, I believe I exactly followed the steps you describe above in setting the A and B points , including hitting Ok after setting A and not hitting OK but just hitting the shutter button after setting B, and still the focus point did not change. I will test it again with a tripod just to be sure.

That said I am mainly interested in Focus Bracketing Manual Mode (not to be confused with shooting separate frames each manually focused) as it will allow me to limit the number of frames giving me a better chance of being able to hand hold while bracketing successfully. I realize it’s surer, and the recommended approach to use a tripod when Bracketing. I value the ability to hand hold quite a bit, though. That’s why I’m not much interested in Focus Bracketing Auto Mode at this point. I would like to test Focus Bracketing Manual Mode though as to whether I can hold my camera steady enough +/or the PS aligning and blending softwares are forgiving enough to give me results I find acceptable when bracketing. To test that I need to get Focus Bracketing Manual to work in my GFX 100s.
 
Hello all, I’ve been trying to do focus bracketing with my 100s camera and GF63 lens mainly in the focus bracketing manual mode. I’m following the instructions I’ve found by pressing the Drive button > Bkt > Focus Bkt > Ok, then Menu Ok > Shooting Settings> Focus Bkt Setting > Manual, pressing Ok and selecting 006 frames, 3 Step, 0 interval and pressing Ok. Then using the display/back button to back out of the menus till I’m seeing the live scene in my camera. From there I’ve tried 2 variations: one is to press the shutter button, the other is to press Ok after setting the focus, and then hitting the shutter button . In either case the camera shoots the 6 frames I had set as a maximum, but they all stay focused on the nearest point I originally focused on . The focus point does not change.

I’ll add I’ve been doing this handheld, as I want to test if using focus bracketing handheld with a smaller number of frames is feasible for landscape shooting. I’m wondering if moving my camera a little after choosing my nearest focus point with back button focus is causing a problem? I have tried the above in MF and AF-S, using touch screen and the joystick and back button focus to select the focus point all to no avail.

I’ve been making my efforts in a medium sized room with spaced furniture and other objects.

I also tried focus bracketing auto mode once and it fired off 47 frames, but once again the focus point did not change. It remained on the original near object .

I’m pretty sure there is some small point or procedure that is blocking things. But after numerous tries and attempts to research it I’m at my wits end. I’ll add I’m using the latest firmware: V2.12 with my 100s and V1.10 with my GF63.

Thanks, anyone’s help will be much appreciated.
Without going into extreme detail the common problem is in setting the A and B focus points. This is best done using manual or back button focus. Watch your A and B indicators on screen. After setting A press ok and then set focus for B. At this point do not press ok or you’ll go back to A. After setting B just press the shutter button fully to start the exposures.

Use a tripod! :)
Thanks Mike, I believe I exactly followed the steps you describe above in setting the A and B points , including hitting Ok after setting A and not hitting OK but just hitting the shutter button after setting B, and still the focus point did not change. I will test it again with a tripod just to be sure.

That said I am mainly interested in Focus Bracketing Manual Mode (not to be confused with shooting separate frames each manually focused) as it will allow me to limit the number of frames giving me a better chance of being able to hand hold while bracketing successfully. I realize it’s surer, and the recommended approach to use a tripod when Bracketing. I value the ability to hand hold quite a bit, though. That’s why I’m not much interested in Focus Bracketing Auto Mode at this point. I would like to test Focus Bracketing Manual Mode though as to whether I can hold my camera steady enough +/or the PS aligning and blending softwares are forgiving enough to give me results I find acceptable when bracketing. To test that I need to get Focus Bracketing Manual to work in my GFX 100s.
I think I understand. Setting the start and endpoint only applies to using the camera’s auto function. Using the manual setting you only focus on the starting point and it’s up to you to select a step size and enough frames to reach your end focus point. 3 frames isn’t going to get you very far.
 
Hello all, I’ve been trying to do focus bracketing with my 100s camera and GF63 lens mainly in the focus bracketing manual mode. I’m following the instructions I’ve found by pressing the Drive button > Bkt > Focus Bkt > Ok, then Menu Ok > Shooting Settings> Focus Bkt Setting > Manual, pressing Ok and selecting 006 frames, 3 Step, 0 interval and pressing Ok. Then using the display/back button to back out of the menus till I’m seeing the live scene in my camera. From there I’ve tried 2 variations: one is to press the shutter button, the other is to press Ok after setting the focus, and then hitting the shutter button . In either case the camera shoots the 6 frames I had set as a maximum, but they all stay focused on the nearest point I originally focused on . The focus point does not change.

I’ll add I’ve been doing this handheld, as I want to test if using focus bracketing handheld with a smaller number of frames is feasible for landscape shooting. I’m wondering if moving my camera a little after choosing my nearest focus point with back button focus is causing a problem? I have tried the above in MF and AF-S, using touch screen and the joystick and back button focus to select the focus point all to no avail.

I’ve been making my efforts in a medium sized room with spaced furniture and other objects.

I also tried focus bracketing auto mode once and it fired off 47 frames, but once again the focus point did not change. It remained on the original near object .

I’m pretty sure there is some small point or procedure that is blocking things. But after numerous tries and attempts to research it I’m at my wits end. I’ll add I’m using the latest firmware: V2.12 with my 100s and V1.10 with my GF63.

Thanks, anyone’s help will be much appreciated.
Six frames with a step size of 3 is going to move the sensor by 36 micrometers. Is that enough for you to get the amount of focus movement you want?
 
Hello all, I’ve been trying to do focus bracketing with my 100s camera and GF63 lens mainly in the focus bracketing manual mode. I’m following the instructions I’ve found by pressing the Drive button > Bkt > Focus Bkt > Ok, then Menu Ok > Shooting Settings> Focus Bkt Setting > Manual, pressing Ok and selecting 006 frames, 3 Step, 0 interval and pressing Ok. Then using the display/back button to back out of the menus till I’m seeing the live scene in my camera. From there I’ve tried 2 variations: one is to press the shutter button, the other is to press Ok after setting the focus, and then hitting the shutter button . In either case the camera shoots the 6 frames I had set as a maximum, but they all stay focused on the nearest point I originally focused on . The focus point does not change.

I’ll add I’ve been doing this handheld, as I want to test if using focus bracketing handheld with a smaller number of frames is feasible for landscape shooting. I’m wondering if moving my camera a little after choosing my nearest focus point with back button focus is causing a problem? I have tried the above in MF and AF-S, using touch screen and the joystick and back button focus to select the focus point all to no avail.

I’ve been making my efforts in a medium sized room with spaced furniture and other objects.

I also tried focus bracketing auto mode once and it fired off 47 frames, but once again the focus point did not change. It remained on the original near object .

I’m pretty sure there is some small point or procedure that is blocking things. But after numerous tries and attempts to research it I’m at my wits end. I’ll add I’m using the latest firmware: V2.12 with my 100s and V1.10 with my GF63.

Thanks, anyone’s help will be much appreciated.
Without going into extreme detail the common problem is in setting the A and B focus points. This is best done using manual or back button focus. Watch your A and B indicators on screen. After setting A press ok and then set focus for B. At this point do not press ok or you’ll go back to A. After setting B just press the shutter button fully to start the exposures.

Use a tripod! :)
Thanks Mike, I believe I exactly followed the steps you describe above in setting the A and B points , including hitting Ok after setting A and not hitting OK but just hitting the shutter button after setting B, and still the focus point did not change. I will test it again with a tripod just to be sure.

That said I am mainly interested in Focus Bracketing Manual Mode (not to be confused with shooting separate frames each manually focused) as it will allow me to limit the number of frames giving me a better chance of being able to hand hold while bracketing successfully. I realize it’s surer, and the recommended approach to use a tripod when Bracketing. I value the ability to hand hold quite a bit, though. That’s why I’m not much interested in Focus Bracketing Auto Mode at this point. I would like to test Focus Bracketing Manual Mode though as to whether I can hold my camera steady enough +/or the PS aligning and blending softwares are forgiving enough to give me results I find acceptable when bracketing. To test that I need to get Focus Bracketing Manual to work in my GFX 100s.
I think I understand. Setting the start and endpoint only applies to using the camera’s auto function. Using the manual setting you only focus on the starting point and it’s up to you to select a step size and enough frames to reach your end focus point. 3 frames isn’t going to get you very far.
Yes, that’s correct about setting just the near focus for the Focus Bracketing Manual Mode. Using it for hand held landscape I was thinking of setting the max (you set the max , but it will take less if the software determines that’s sufficient) at 6 or 7 frames with at a step size of 3, and a 0 interval and seeing how that goes - if I can get that darn focus point to change, that is !
 
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Hello all, I’ve been trying to do focus bracketing with my 100s camera and GF63 lens mainly in the focus bracketing manual mode. I’m following the instructions I’ve found by pressing the Drive button > Bkt > Focus Bkt > Ok, then Menu Ok > Shooting Settings> Focus Bkt Setting > Manual, pressing Ok and selecting 006 frames, 3 Step, 0 interval and pressing Ok. Then using the display/back button to back out of the menus till I’m seeing the live scene in my camera. From there I’ve tried 2 variations: one is to press the shutter button, the other is to press Ok after setting the focus, and then hitting the shutter button . In either case the camera shoots the 6 frames I had set as a maximum, but they all stay focused on the nearest point I originally focused on . The focus point does not change.

I’ll add I’ve been doing this handheld, as I want to test if using focus bracketing handheld with a smaller number of frames is feasible for landscape shooting. I’m wondering if moving my camera a little after choosing my nearest focus point with back button focus is causing a problem? I have tried the above in MF and AF-S, using touch screen and the joystick and back button focus to select the focus point all to no avail.

I’ve been making my efforts in a medium sized room with spaced furniture and other objects.

I also tried focus bracketing auto mode once and it fired off 47 frames, but once again the focus point did not change. It remained on the original near object .

I’m pretty sure there is some small point or procedure that is blocking things. But after numerous tries and attempts to research it I’m at my wits end. I’ll add I’m using the latest firmware: V2.12 with my 100s and V1.10 with my GF63.

Thanks, anyone’s help will be much appreciated.
Six frames with a step size of 3 is going to move the sensor by 36 micrometers. Is that enough for you to get the amount of focus movement you want
Huh !? Thanks, Jim. I was relying on what I understood from this video beginning at 5:34 . The author suggests a 10 to 15 frame max , with a step size of 3 for his landscape scene as I recall . If I’m shooting a landscape with some near, but not super close objects - like 8-10 ft away extending to a horizon miles away.what settings in the GFX Focus BKT Manual Mode would you suggest?
 
Hello all, I’ve been trying to do focus bracketing with my 100s camera and GF63 lens mainly in the focus bracketing manual mode. I’m following the instructions I’ve found by pressing the Drive button > Bkt > Focus Bkt > Ok, then Menu Ok > Shooting Settings> Focus Bkt Setting > Manual, pressing Ok and selecting 006 frames, 3 Step, 0 interval and pressing Ok. Then using the display/back button to back out of the menus till I’m seeing the live scene in my camera. From there I’ve tried 2 variations: one is to press the shutter button, the other is to press Ok after setting the focus, and then hitting the shutter button . In either case the camera shoots the 6 frames I had set as a maximum, but they all stay focused on the nearest point I originally focused on . The focus point does not change.

I’ll add I’ve been doing this handheld, as I want to test if using focus bracketing handheld with a smaller number of frames is feasible for landscape shooting. I’m wondering if moving my camera a little after choosing my nearest focus point with back button focus is causing a problem? I have tried the above in MF and AF-S, using touch screen and the joystick and back button focus to select the focus point all to no avail.

I’ve been making my efforts in a medium sized room with spaced furniture and other objects.

I also tried focus bracketing auto mode once and it fired off 47 frames, but once again the focus point did not change. It remained on the original near object .

I’m pretty sure there is some small point or procedure that is blocking things. But after numerous tries and attempts to research it I’m at my wits end. I’ll add I’m using the latest firmware: V2.12 with my 100s and V1.10 with my GF63.

Thanks, anyone’s help will be much appreciated.
Six frames with a step size of 3 is going to move the sensor by 36 micrometers. Is that enough for you to get the amount of focus movement you want
Huh !? Thanks, Jim. I was relying on what I understood from this video beginning at 5:34 . The author suggests a 10 to 15 frame max , with a step size of 3 for his landscape scene as I recall . If I’m shooting a landscape with some near, but not super close objects - like 8-10 ft away extending to a horizon miles away.what settings in the GFX Focus BKT Manual Mode would you suggest?
Rather than being formulaic about it, I suggest you first understand how the system works.

 
Hello all, I’ve been trying to do focus bracketing with my 100s camera and GF63 lens mainly in the focus bracketing manual mode. I’m following the instructions I’ve found by pressing the Drive button > Bkt > Focus Bkt > Ok, then Menu Ok > Shooting Settings> Focus Bkt Setting > Manual, pressing Ok and selecting 006 frames, 3 Step, 0 interval and pressing Ok. Then using the display/back button to back out of the menus till I’m seeing the live scene in my camera. From there I’ve tried 2 variations: one is to press the shutter button, the other is to press Ok after setting the focus, and then hitting the shutter button . In either case the camera shoots the 6 frames I had set as a maximum, but they all stay focused on the nearest point I originally focused on . The focus point does not change.

I’ll add I’ve been doing this handheld, as I want to test if using focus bracketing handheld with a smaller number of frames is feasible for landscape shooting. I’m wondering if moving my camera a little after choosing my nearest focus point with back button focus is causing a problem? I have tried the above in MF and AF-S, using touch screen and the joystick and back button focus to select the focus point all to no avail.

I’ve been making my efforts in a medium sized room with spaced furniture and other objects.

I also tried focus bracketing auto mode once and it fired off 47 frames, but once again the focus point did not change. It remained on the original near object .

I’m pretty sure there is some small point or procedure that is blocking things. But after numerous tries and attempts to research it I’m at my wits end. I’ll add I’m using the latest firmware: V2.12 with my 100s and V1.10 with my GF63.

Thanks, anyone’s help will be much appreciated.
Six frames with a step size of 3 is going to move the sensor by 36 micrometers. Is that enough for you to get the amount of focus movement you want
Huh !? Thanks, Jim. I was relying on what I understood from this video beginning at 5:34 . The author suggests a 10 to 15 frame max , with a step size of 3 for his landscape scene as I recall . If I’m shooting a landscape with some near, but not super close objects - like 8-10 ft away extending to a horizon miles away.what settings in the GFX Focus BKT Manual Mode would you suggest?
Rather than being formulaic about it, I suggest you first understand how the system works.

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/20...pIr0K-r2sTxuiee6sAgvSPsaONCgy3AYvZP7cMXWexpJd
Thanks, Jim. I will study the link.
 
jim .. that's another brilliant explanation of focus bracketing and quite understandable .. it's very easy to do with a good tripod .. 10 sec delay .. and the settings you have alluded to including (imho) a sweet spot f/stop .. and very carefully identified near focal point .. and don't forget a couple of extra infinity shots just to be sure ..😂
 
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Hello all, I’ve been trying to do focus bracketing with my 100s camera and GF63 lens mainly in the focus bracketing manual mode. I’m following the instructions I’ve found by pressing the Drive button > Bkt > Focus Bkt > Ok, then Menu Ok > Shooting Settings> Focus Bkt Setting > Manual, pressing Ok and selecting 006 frames, 3 Step, 0 interval and pressing Ok. Then using the display/back button to back out of the menus till I’m seeing the live scene in my camera. From there I’ve tried 2 variations: one is to press the shutter button, the other is to press Ok after setting the focus, and then hitting the shutter button . In either case the camera shoots the 6 frames I had set as a maximum, but they all stay focused on the nearest point I originally focused on . The focus point does not change.

I’ll add I’ve been doing this handheld, as I want to test if using focus bracketing handheld with a smaller number of frames is feasible for landscape shooting. I’m wondering if moving my camera a little after choosing my nearest focus point with back button focus is causing a problem? I have tried the above in MF and AF-S, using touch screen and the joystick and back button focus to select the focus point all to no avail.

I’ve been making my efforts in a medium sized room with spaced furniture and other objects.

I also tried focus bracketing auto mode once and it fired off 47 frames, but once again the focus point did not change. It remained on the original near object .

I’m pretty sure there is some small point or procedure that is blocking things. But after numerous tries and attempts to research it I’m at my wits end. I’ll add I’m using the latest firmware: V2.12 with my 100s and V1.10 with my GF63.

Thanks, anyone’s help will be much appreciated.
Six frames with a step size of 3 is going to move the sensor by 36 micrometers. Is that enough for you to get the amount of focus movement you want
Huh !? Thanks, Jim. I was relying on what I understood from this video beginning at 5:34 . The author suggests a 10 to 15 frame max , with a step size of 3 for his landscape scene as I recall . If I’m shooting a landscape with some near, but not super close objects - like 8-10 ft away extending to a horizon miles away.what settings in the GFX Focus BKT Manual Mode would you suggest?
Rather than being formulaic about it, I suggest you first understand how the system works.

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/20...pIr0K-r2sTxuiee6sAgvSPsaONCgy3AYvZP7cMXWexpJd
Thanks, Jim. I will study the link.
Hi again Jim and Everyone, - I reread your paper again today, Jim, and more of it got through to me . I agree with Les , it is a brilliant presentation. It’s very good of you to try and make such topics understandable to non technical folks like myself. I plan to look at it again in the coming days. . With the help of your paper in the GFX Focus Bracketing Manual Mode I changed my settings to 15 frames max, Step 6, and stayed with 0 interval. I also changed my aperture to f11. I hand held the camera focused on the the legs of the stool 4-5 ft away and pressed the shutter. The camera shot the full 15 frames, and Voila ! - the focus moved ! The room was dim and I was at f11, so I used ISO 1600. Here is the flattened stacked mage as a reduced pixel dimension png uncropped. Not sure it will be visible but there is an unsharp border pretty much around the image and an un sharp band paralleling the top edge a bit down from it. Otherwise, I’m pretty happy with how it worked and plan to continue trying to hand hold while using the Fuji Focus BKT Manual mode, mainly for landscape, for awhile, and see how it goes. image attached:

6ce47212e7a840d2b8d0339001ee737b.jpg.png
 
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Hello all, I’ve been trying to do focus bracketing with my 100s camera and GF63 lens mainly in the focus bracketing manual mode. I’m following the instructions I’ve found by pressing the Drive button > Bkt > Focus Bkt > Ok, then Menu Ok > Shooting Settings> Focus Bkt Setting > Manual, pressing Ok and selecting 006 frames, 3 Step, 0 interval and pressing Ok. Then using the display/back button to back out of the menus till I’m seeing the live scene in my camera. From there I’ve tried 2 variations: one is to press the shutter button, the other is to press Ok after setting the focus, and then hitting the shutter button . In either case the camera shoots the 6 frames I had set as a maximum, but they all stay focused on the nearest point I originally focused on . The focus point does not change.

I’ll add I’ve been doing this handheld, as I want to test if using focus bracketing handheld with a smaller number of frames is feasible for landscape shooting. I’m wondering if moving my camera a little after choosing my nearest focus point with back button focus is causing a problem? I have tried the above in MF and AF-S, using touch screen and the joystick and back button focus to select the focus point all to no avail.

I’ve been making my efforts in a medium sized room with spaced furniture and other objects.

I also tried focus bracketing auto mode once and it fired off 47 frames, but once again the focus point did not change. It remained on the original near object .

I’m pretty sure there is some small point or procedure that is blocking things. But after numerous tries and attempts to research it I’m at my wits end. I’ll add I’m using the latest firmware: V2.12 with my 100s and V1.10 with my GF63.

Thanks, anyone’s help will be much appreciated.
Six frames with a step size of 3 is going to move the sensor by 36 micrometers. Is that enough for you to get the amount of focus movement you want
Huh !? Thanks, Jim. I was relying on what I understood from this video beginning at 5:34 . The author suggests a 10 to 15 frame max , with a step size of 3 for his landscape scene as I recall . If I’m shooting a landscape with some near, but not super close objects - like 8-10 ft away extending to a horizon miles away.what settings in the GFX Focus BKT Manual Mode would you suggest?
Rather than being formulaic about it, I suggest you first understand how the system works.

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/20...pIr0K-r2sTxuiee6sAgvSPsaONCgy3AYvZP7cMXWexpJd
Thanks, Jim. I will study the link.
Hi again Jim and Everyone, - I reread your paper again today, Jim, and more of it got through to me . I agree with Les , it is a brilliant presentation. It’s very good of you to try and make such topics understandable to non technical folks like myself. I plan to look at it again in the coming days. . With the help of your paper in the GFX Focus Bracketing Manual Mode I changed my settings to 15 frames max, Step 6, and stayed with 0 interval. I also changed my aperture to f11. I hand held the camera focused on the the legs of the stool 4-5 ft away and pressed the shutter. The camera shot the full 15 frames, and Voila ! - the focus moved ! The room was dim and I was at f11, so I used ISO 1600. Here is the flattened stacked mage as a reduced pixel dimension png uncropped. Not sure it will be visible but there is an unsharp border pretty much around the image and an un sharp band paralleling the top edge a bit down from it. Otherwise, I’m pretty happy with how it worked and plan to continue trying to hand hold while using the Fuji Focus BKT Manual mode, mainly for landscape, for awhile, and see how it goes. image attached:

6ce47212e7a840d2b8d0339001ee737b.jpg.png
Been doing some more experimenting . I shot a few sequences for focus stacks today on a tripod @f11 with my 100s + GF 63 again using GFX Focus Bracketing Manual Mode 15 frames max, step 6, 0 interval . I also used a 10-sec. shutter delay, The stacked flattened results were good, but there was still an unsharp band in a little from the edges of the frame and paralleling it just as there had been with my stacked image from a sequence of handheld shots for Focus Bracketing, Here are crops from 2 stacks the first is handheld in dimmer light so iso 1600, the second is iso 250, shot on a tripod. Both are shot at f11, FBKT Manual Mode same settings as listed above. The band is obvious where it crosses the blue masking tape near the top edge of the frame on both crops. I’m wondering what’s causing the unsharp band. I googled and Google AI suggested lens field curvature. It also suggested smaller steps, or cropping as remedies. I’m wondering what the cause is ? Here are the crops. Only the top edge is the edge of the frame of the full frame stacked image:

Crop from focus stack from handheld shots iso 1600 .
Crop from focus stack from handheld shots iso 1600 .

Crop from focus stack from shots taken on a tripod. iso 250
Crop from focus stack from shots taken on a tripod. iso 250
 
Last edited:
Hello all, I’ve been trying to do focus bracketing with my 100s camera and GF63 lens mainly in the focus bracketing manual mode. I’m following the instructions I’ve found by pressing the Drive button > Bkt > Focus Bkt > Ok, then Menu Ok > Shooting Settings> Focus Bkt Setting > Manual, pressing Ok and selecting 006 frames, 3 Step, 0 interval and pressing Ok. Then using the display/back button to back out of the menus till I’m seeing the live scene in my camera. From there I’ve tried 2 variations: one is to press the shutter button, the other is to press Ok after setting the focus, and then hitting the shutter button . In either case the camera shoots the 6 frames I had set as a maximum, but they all stay focused on the nearest point I originally focused on . The focus point does not change.

I’ll add I’ve been doing this handheld, as I want to test if using focus bracketing handheld with a smaller number of frames is feasible for landscape shooting. I’m wondering if moving my camera a little after choosing my nearest focus point with back button focus is causing a problem? I have tried the above in MF and AF-S, using touch screen and the joystick and back button focus to select the focus point all to no avail.

I’ve been making my efforts in a medium sized room with spaced furniture and other objects.

I also tried focus bracketing auto mode once and it fired off 47 frames, but once again the focus point did not change. It remained on the original near object .

I’m pretty sure there is some small point or procedure that is blocking things. But after numerous tries and attempts to research it I’m at my wits end. I’ll add I’m using the latest firmware: V2.12 with my 100s and V1.10 with my GF63.

Thanks, anyone’s help will be much appreciated.
Six frames with a step size of 3 is going to move the sensor by 36 micrometers. Is that enough for you to get the amount of focus movement you want
Huh !? Thanks, Jim. I was relying on what I understood from this video beginning at 5:34 . The author suggests a 10 to 15 frame max , with a step size of 3 for his landscape scene as I recall . If I’m shooting a landscape with some near, but not super close objects - like 8-10 ft away extending to a horizon miles away.what settings in the GFX Focus BKT Manual Mode would you suggest?
Rather than being formulaic about it, I suggest you first understand how the system works.

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/20...pIr0K-r2sTxuiee6sAgvSPsaONCgy3AYvZP7cMXWexpJd
Thanks, Jim. I will study the link.
Hi again Jim and Everyone, - I reread your paper again today, Jim, and more of it got through to me . I agree with Les , it is a brilliant presentation. It’s very good of you to try and make such topics understandable to non technical folks like myself. I plan to look at it again in the coming days. . With the help of your paper in the GFX Focus Bracketing Manual Mode I changed my settings to 15 frames max, Step 6, and stayed with 0 interval. I also changed my aperture to f11. I hand held the camera focused on the the legs of the stool 4-5 ft away and pressed the shutter. The camera shot the full 15 frames, and Voila ! - the focus moved ! The room was dim and I was at f11, so I used ISO 1600. Here is the flattened stacked mage as a reduced pixel dimension png uncropped. Not sure it will be visible but there is an unsharp border pretty much around the image and an un sharp band paralleling the top edge a bit down from it. Otherwise, I’m pretty happy with how it worked and plan to continue trying to hand hold while using the Fuji Focus BKT Manual mode, mainly for landscape, for awhile, and see how it goes. image attached:

6ce47212e7a840d2b8d0339001ee737b.jpg.png
Been doing some more experimenting . I shot a few sequences for focus stacks today on a tripod @f11 with my 100s + GF 63 again using GFX Focus Bracketing Manual Mode 15 frames max, step 6, 0 interval . I also used a 10-sec. shutter delay, The stacked flattened results were good, but there was still an unsharp band in a little from the edges of the frame and paralleling it just as there had been with my stacked image from a sequence of handheld shots for Focus Bracketing, Here are crops from 2 stacks the first is handheld in dimmer light so iso 1600, the second is iso 250, shot on a tripod. Both are shot at f11, FBKT Manual Mode same settings as listed above. The band is obvious where it crosses the blue masking tape near the top edge of the frame on both crops. I’m wondering what’s causing the unsharp band. I googled and Google AI suggested lens field curvature. It also suggested smaller steps, or cropping as remedies. I’m wondering what the cause is ? Here are the crops. Only the top edge is the edge of the frame of the full frame stacked image:

Crop from focus stack from handheld shots iso 1600 .
Crop from focus stack from handheld shots iso 1600 .

Crop from focus stack from shots taken on a tripod. iso 250
Crop from focus stack from shots taken on a tripod. iso 250
It’s very possible that the anomaly is caused by focus breathing of the lens.

--
... Mike, formerly known as Rod. :)
... https://www.flickr.com/photos/198581502@N02/
 
Hello all, I’ve been trying to do focus bracketing with my 100s camera and GF63 lens mainly in the focus bracketing manual mode. I’m following the instructions I’ve found by pressing the Drive button > Bkt > Focus Bkt > Ok, then Menu Ok > Shooting Settings> Focus Bkt Setting > Manual, pressing Ok and selecting 006 frames, 3 Step, 0 interval and pressing Ok. Then using the display/back button to back out of the menus till I’m seeing the live scene in my camera. From there I’ve tried 2 variations: one is to press the shutter button, the other is to press Ok after setting the focus, and then hitting the shutter button . In either case the camera shoots the 6 frames I had set as a maximum, but they all stay focused on the nearest point I originally focused on . The focus point does not change.

I’ll add I’ve been doing this handheld, as I want to test if using focus bracketing handheld with a smaller number of frames is feasible for landscape shooting. I’m wondering if moving my camera a little after choosing my nearest focus point with back button focus is causing a problem? I have tried the above in MF and AF-S, using touch screen and the joystick and back button focus to select the focus point all to no avail.

I’ve been making my efforts in a medium sized room with spaced furniture and other objects.

I also tried focus bracketing auto mode once and it fired off 47 frames, but once again the focus point did not change. It remained on the original near object .

I’m pretty sure there is some small point or procedure that is blocking things. But after numerous tries and attempts to research it I’m at my wits end. I’ll add I’m using the latest firmware: V2.12 with my 100s and V1.10 with my GF63.

Thanks, anyone’s help will be much appreciated.
Six frames with a step size of 3 is going to move the sensor by 36 micrometers. Is that enough for you to get the amount of focus movement you want
Huh !? Thanks, Jim. I was relying on what I understood from this video beginning at 5:34 . The author suggests a 10 to 15 frame max , with a step size of 3 for his landscape scene as I recall . If I’m shooting a landscape with some near, but not super close objects - like 8-10 ft away extending to a horizon miles away.what settings in the GFX Focus BKT Manual Mode would you suggest?
Rather than being formulaic about it, I suggest you first understand how the system works.

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/20...pIr0K-r2sTxuiee6sAgvSPsaONCgy3AYvZP7cMXWexpJd
Thanks, Jim. I will study the link.
Hi again Jim and Everyone, - I reread your paper again today, Jim, and more of it got through to me . I agree with Les , it is a brilliant presentation. It’s very good of you to try and make such topics understandable to non technical folks like myself. I plan to look at it again in the coming days. . With the help of your paper in the GFX Focus Bracketing Manual Mode I changed my settings to 15 frames max, Step 6, and stayed with 0 interval. I also changed my aperture to f11. I hand held the camera focused on the the legs of the stool 4-5 ft away and pressed the shutter. The camera shot the full 15 frames, and Voila ! - the focus moved ! The room was dim and I was at f11, so I used ISO 1600. Here is the flattened stacked mage as a reduced pixel dimension png uncropped. Not sure it will be visible but there is an unsharp border pretty much around the image and an un sharp band paralleling the top edge a bit down from it. Otherwise, I’m pretty happy with how it worked and plan to continue trying to hand hold while using the Fuji Focus BKT Manual mode, mainly for landscape, for awhile, and see how it goes. image attached:

6ce47212e7a840d2b8d0339001ee737b.jpg.png
Been doing some more experimenting . I shot a few sequences for focus stacks today on a tripod @f11 with my 100s + GF 63 again using GFX Focus Bracketing Manual Mode 15 frames max, step 6, 0 interval . I also used a 10-sec. shutter delay, The stacked flattened results were good, but there was still an unsharp band in a little from the edges of the frame and paralleling it just as there had been with my stacked image from a sequence of handheld shots for Focus Bracketing, Here are crops from 2 stacks the first is handheld in dimmer light so iso 1600, the second is iso 250, shot on a tripod. Both are shot at f11, FBKT Manual Mode same settings as listed above. The band is obvious where it crosses the blue masking tape near the top edge of the frame on both crops. I’m wondering what’s causing the unsharp band. I googled and Google AI suggested lens field curvature. It also suggested smaller steps, or cropping as remedies. I’m wondering what the cause is ? Here are the crops. Only the top edge is the edge of the frame of the full frame stacked image:

Crop from focus stack from handheld shots iso 1600 .
Crop from focus stack from handheld shots iso 1600 .

Crop from focus stack from shots taken on a tripod. iso 250
Crop from focus stack from shots taken on a tripod. iso 250
It’s very possible that the anomaly is caused by focus breathing of the lens.
Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll try and look into that. I’m thinking to try my GF 45-100 for a stack tomorrow at around 63mm to see what happens . I’ll post the results here.
 
Rather than being formulaic about it, I suggest you first understand how the system works.

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/20...pIr0K-r2sTxuiee6sAgvSPsaONCgy3AYvZP7cMXWexpJd
Thanks, Jim. I will study the link.
Hi again Jim and Everyone, - I reread your paper again today, Jim, and more of it got through to me . I agree with Les , it is a brilliant presentation. It’s very good of you to try and make such topics understandable to non technical folks like myself. I plan to look at it again in the coming days. . With the help of your paper in the GFX Focus Bracketing Manual Mode I changed my settings to 15 frames max, Step 6, and stayed with 0 interval. I also changed my aperture to f11. I hand held the camera focused on the the legs of the stool 4-5 ft away and pressed the shutter. The camera shot the full 15 frames, and Voila ! - the focus moved ! The room was dim and I was at f11, so I used ISO 1600. Here is the flattened stacked mage as a reduced pixel dimension png uncropped. Not sure it will be visible but there is an unsharp border pretty much around the image and an un sharp band paralleling the top edge a bit down from it. Otherwise, I’m pretty happy with how it worked and plan to continue trying to hand hold while using the Fuji Focus BKT Manual mode, mainly for landscape, for awhile, and see how it goes. image attached:

6ce47212e7a840d2b8d0339001ee737b.jpg.png
Been doing some more experimenting . I shot a few sequences for focus stacks today on a tripod @f11 with my 100s + GF 63 again using GFX Focus Bracketing Manual Mode 15 frames max, step 6, 0 interval . I also used a 10-sec. shutter delay, The stacked flattened results were good, but there was still an unsharp band in a little from the edges of the frame and paralleling it just as there had been with my stacked image from a sequence of handheld shots for Focus Bracketing, Here are crops from 2 stacks the first is handheld in dimmer light so iso 1600, the second is iso 250, shot on a tripod. Both are shot at f11, FBKT Manual Mode same settings as listed above. The band is obvious where it crosses the blue masking tape near the top edge of the frame on both crops. I’m wondering what’s causing the unsharp band. I googled and Google AI suggested lens field curvature. It also suggested smaller steps, or cropping as remedies. I’m wondering what the cause is ? Here are the crops. Only the top edge is the edge of the frame of the full frame stacked image:

Crop from focus stack from handheld shots iso 1600 .
Crop from focus stack from handheld shots iso 1600 .

Crop from focus stack from shots taken on a tripod. iso 250
Crop from focus stack from shots taken on a tripod. iso 250
It’s very possible that the anomaly is caused by focus breathing of the lens.
Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll try and look into that. I’m thinking to try my GF 45-100 for a stack tomorrow at around 63mm to see what happens . I’ll post the results here.
Tested my GF 45-100 lens @ around 65mm with my 100s shooting for focus stacking on a tripod today. All the shots were at f11. Two of the stacks were made with the camera’s FBKT Manual Mode both with a step size of 6, and zero interval. One of those was with a 15 frame max, the other with 25 frames max ( camera shot all 25 frames). The third stack was made using FBKT Auto Mode zero interval. The camera shot 23 frames in this case. There was still a narrow unsharp band around the image in all three 45-100 stacks but it was more narrow and closer to the actual edge of the frame than the unsharp band in the 63 stacks shot on a tripod using FBKT Manual Mode in previous days. The 45-100@ 65mm FBKT Auto Mode also had at least one fairly large internal area that was left unsharp, but where it was sharp it was very sharp. Comparing all the stacks so far my handheld shot gf63 stacks compare pretty well to those shot on a tripod. That’s subjective of course I’ll post images with captions if anyone requests them. Think I’ll try some more handheld for stacks shooting probably FBKT Manual tomorrow this time with the GF 45-100.
 

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