Moose Loc: North Carolina

Nikonian, thanks for links to the macro articles. I'm downloading them now.

tkhphotography Loc: Gresham, Or, not Seattle

wow, thanks a lot, Nikonian72

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

Thanks again for the links. I will read them. I found my lost ladybug. She was walking across the floor in the same bathroom! This time I put her in paper cup with another cup trapping her within. I then chilled her in the refrigerator for a few hours while I got my camera and flashes ready. I used three powerful flashes. One was a Ray Flash (Ring Light). This one was shot at f/32. My plan was to use focus stacking. The problem that she started to move her legs making each picture a little different. I'm still no where as good as the big boys but I'm trying. What am I doing wrong?! This is NOT focused stacked. After I Photographed her I opened the door and set her free.

Image1 Loc: Delaware

Thanks for the Link to the books. Great information.
Image1

tad1937 Loc: Daytona Beach, Fl

I can't see anything wrong, I think you did a great job. Maybe the couple of flecks on the white could have been removed but thats very minor

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

That's very generous of you Tad. Thank you. I'm blown away by what others are doing with focus stacking. I'm mystified on how they can do it with anything alive.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

Your thumbnail looks okay, but too small to scrutinize. Re-post and check box marked "(store original)".

Your star is an Asian Ladybird beetle (Harmonia axyridis).

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

I have yet to see true focus stacking on a living insect. Most are dead and posed, especially when stack count is more than 10 images. Table-top macro stands with motorized micro-stages can get quite complicated. Insects are brought to the stacking set-up, as opposed to hand-held field photography.

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

Douglass,
Here is my re-posting. Not much better really. The bug seems to need a bath, there is a lot of stuff stuck to her. Maybe this is because I had her her trapped in a tiny cup in the refrigerator, in a futile attempt to slow her Metabolism down so I could use focus stacking on her. I had to turn on a bright light above her so I could see to focus. The stimulus or heat from the light woke her up and she started to move.

I think I see some condensation on her because I chilled her then moved her into a warmer room.

Another problem with focus stacking is that lens moves in and out when the focus changes, changing the viewing perspective. I'm not sure if the auto align can correct for that?

Thank you for so generously sharing your knowledge. It was because of you that I ended up buying a "Ray Flash" and enjoy it very much. There are many other things I want to try but I'm waiting until I get my hands on a Nex-7 and start using a bunch of old Konica lens and reversing rings.

This photo was taken with my full frame 24.7 MP Sony A900 using my 100mm macro and extension tubes. The Nex-7 will have the same resolution but on an APS-C imaging array. It also has better focusing aids.

I don't expect to be able to buy the Nex-7 until January after they recover from the flooding at their manufacturing plant. Then you will see a flurry of activity from me.

Dave

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

Here is an isolation of your ladybird beetle. Not too shabby. Decent focus and DOF.

As with any skill worth learning: practice, practice, practice!

tad1937 Loc: Daytona Beach, Fl

Is focus stacking kin to HDR??

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

Focus stacking involves taking several sequential, identical macro-photographs, with only a slight change in focus between each photo.

Then a special program combines all photographs, keeping only the sharp section of each photograph. The final merged image should be in complete focus, front to back.

dirtpusher Loc: tulsa oklahoma

downloaded an been readin an readin zactly what been lookin for..... thx

dirtpusher Loc: tulsa oklahoma

never seen lady bugs eyes before now

joec Loc: Central Texas, USA

Nikonian72's definition is correct. To answer your question directly, they are kin in that they both involve merging multiple images--one for additional dynamic range (in highlights and shadows) and the other for additional depth of field (area of sharpness) than would be possible in a single image taken from the camera / lens combination.

Joe