Macro Question (Page 2): I would like to recommend something that compliments the macro process and everything that has previously been mentioned here, especially where the journey...

gessman Loc: Colorado

I would like to recommend something that compliments the macro process and everything that has previously been mentioned here, especially where the journey takes us after we arrive at the 'focus stacking' level. To focus stack, as you may or may not know, you may need to be tripod and focus rail mounted. I have recently incorporated an aid into my equipment collection that allows me to focus on different parts of my subject without touching either my subject or my camera so I can then stack the images without fear of moving my camera and hence disturbing the relationship between the two in terms of distance, position, etc. I want to share it with you here.

You can completely control your camera with your smart phone or a tablet computer such as an iPad. I happen to have Canon gear and use an Android 7" pad computer with an application I downloaded that cost me $7.99. I have an extensive summary of this at http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-39381-1.html which got little attention when I submitted it to the general membership in uhh. Perhaps you folks who are interested in macro, focus stacking, and more precision control over this process would care to refer to that thread for a more detailed description than I will give you here. Perhaps some of you have discovered this already or have a method you prefer. If so, great, if not, you might want to look into it for your macro work you have total control over such as with stationary subjects as opposed to moving ones. To refocus your camera for focus stacking, all you need to do is touch your iPad, or Android unit where you want your camera focused next and it happens without you disturbing your setup. To vary your aperture or shutter speed, or achieve longer exposures, etc., it is simple without ever touching your camera. I hope some of you find this information useful. It adds a level of precision you won't likely get otherwise and the expense is fairly minimal based on the necessity to have an improved outcome.

Clicker2014 Loc: Canada

gessman wrote:

I would like to recommend something that compliments the macro process and everything that has previously been mentioned here, especially where the journey takes us after we arrive at the 'focus stacking' level. To focus stack, as you may or may not know, you may need to be tripod and focus rail mounted. I have recently incorporated an aid into my equipment collection that allows me to focus on different parts of my subject without touching either my subject or my camera so I can then stack the images without fear of moving my camera and hence disturbing the relationship between the two in terms of distance, position, etc. I want to share it with you here.

You can completely control your camera with your smart phone or a tablet computer such as an iPad. I happen to have Canon gear and use an Android 7" pad computer with an application I downloaded that cost me $7.99. I have an extensive summary of this at http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-39381-1.html which got little attention when I submitted it to the general membership in uhh. Perhaps you folks who are interested in macro, focus stacking, and more precision control over this process would care to refer to that thread for a more detailed description than I will give you here. Perhaps some of you have discovered this already or have a method you prefer. If so, great, if not, you might want to look into it for your macro work you have total control over such as with stationary subjects as opposed to moving ones. To refocus your camera for focus stacking, all you need to do is touch your iPad, or Android unit where you want your camera focused next and it happens without you disturbing your setup. To vary your aperture or shutter speed, or achieve longer exposures, etc., it is simple without ever touching your camera. I hope some of you find this information useful. It adds a level of precision you won't likely get otherwise and the expense is fairly minimal based on the necessity to have an improved outcome.

I would like to recommend something that complimen... (show quote)

Sounds pretty interesting! Have to read it a couple of times to absorb (an age thing)...but certainly will take a look! Greatly appreciated!

gessman Loc: Colorado

Clicker2014 wrote:

Sounds pretty interesting! Have to read it a couple of times to absorb (an age thing)...but certainly will take a look! Greatly appreciated!

Believe me, at 75 I fully understand. I find myself reading stuff several times but the good thing is - I'm eventually still absorbing a fair amount of it so I'm pretty psyched for me, and you. Go for it. It'll work out good and I'm betting you won't look back. That's not all this process is good for. It allows for either manual or automatic bracketing for hdr and has many other beneficial features. The application starts, stops video and permits focusing. It will allow you to do everything to your camera except zoom the lens, dangit! You will be amazed at the control you have without touching your camera.

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

Thanks!

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

Thank you!

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

Thanks for your advice. Kenko tubes will be on my shopping list.
I suspect when you're talking on camera flash you would be referring to a ring light? This would make sense although I shot these early morning & the light wasn't too bad.

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

This is quite a set-up you have. Thanks for your input!

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

This is quite a set-up you have. Thanks for your input!

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

raymondh wrote:

Thanks for your advice. Kenko tubes will be on my shopping list. I suspect when you're talking on camera flash you would be referring to a ring light? This would make sense although I shot these early morning & the light wasn't too bad.

Please use the Quote Reply tab (as I did here), so we all know to whom your comment & question is directed.

Here are several macro set-ups with hotshoe-mounted macro illumination:
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-32754-1.html

gdwsr Loc: Northern California

Thanks for the link, I am looking at something like that (controller) for my Sony65. I am shooting with an older Canon bellows and have to get serious about focus stacking.

See you over in the Macro Forum.

gessman wrote:

I would like to recommend something that compliments the macro process and everything that has previously been mentioned here, especially where the journey takes us after we arrive at the 'focus stacking' level. To focus stack, as you may or may not know, you may need to be tripod and focus rail mounted. I have recently incorporated an aid into my equipment collection that allows me to focus on different parts of my subject without touching either my subject or my camera so I can then stack the images without fear of moving my camera and hence disturbing the relationship between the two in terms of distance, position, etc. I want to share it with you here.

You can completely control your camera with your smart phone or a tablet computer such as an iPad. I happen to have Canon gear and use an Android 7" pad computer with an application I downloaded that cost me $7.99. I have an extensive summary of this at http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-39381-1.html which got little attention when I submitted it to the general membership in uhh. Perhaps you folks who are interested in macro, focus stacking, and more precision control over this process would care to refer to that thread for a more detailed description than I will give you here. Perhaps some of you have discovered this already or have a method you prefer. If so, great, if not, you might want to look into it for your macro work you have total control over such as with stationary subjects as opposed to moving ones. To refocus your camera for focus stacking, all you need to do is touch your iPad, or Android unit where you want your camera focused next and it happens without you disturbing your setup. To vary your aperture or shutter speed, or achieve longer exposures, etc., it is simple without ever touching your camera. I hope some of you find this information useful. It adds a level of precision you won't likely get otherwise and the expense is fairly minimal based on the necessity to have an improved outcome.

I would like to recommend something that complimen... (show quote)

gessman Loc: Colorado

gdwsr wrote:

Thanks for the link, I am looking at something like that (controller) for my Sony65. I am shooting with an older Canon bellows and have to get serious about focus stacking.

See you over in the Macro Forum.

gessman wrote:

I would like to recommend something that compliments the macro process and everything that has previously been mentioned here, especially where the journey takes us after we arrive at the 'focus stacking' level. To focus stack, as you may or may not know, you may need to be tripod and focus rail mounted. I have recently incorporated an aid into my equipment collection that allows me to focus on different parts of my subject without touching either my subject or my camera so I can then stack the images without fear of moving my camera and hence disturbing the relationship between the two in terms of distance, position, etc. I want to share it with you here.

You can completely control your camera with your smart phone or a tablet computer such as an iPad. I happen to have Canon gear and use an Android 7" pad computer with an application I downloaded that cost me $7.99. I have an extensive summary of this at http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-39381-1.html which got little attention when I submitted it to the general membership in uhh. Perhaps you folks who are interested in macro, focus stacking, and more precision control over this process would care to refer to that thread for a more detailed description than I will give you here. Perhaps some of you have discovered this already or have a method you prefer. If so, great, if not, you might want to look into it for your macro work you have total control over such as with stationary subjects as opposed to moving ones. To refocus your camera for focus stacking, all you need to do is touch your iPad, or Android unit where you want your camera focused next and it happens without you disturbing your setup. To vary your aperture or shutter speed, or achieve longer exposures, etc., it is simple without ever touching your camera. I hope some of you find this information useful. It adds a level of precision you won't likely get otherwise and the expense is fairly minimal based on the necessity to have an improved outcome.

I would like to recommend something that complimen... (show quote)

Thanks for the link, I am looking at something li... (show quote)

You bet, any time. Until recently I had been using a Canon FD mount bellows, adapted, to my 5D2 but just recently bought an EOS mount. I have 3 set of tubes but that bellows is so much nicer - $39.00, less than half the cost of a set of Kenko tubes and, as you know, it's variable as opposed to tubes. You can therefore get much more incrementally precise width between your lens and camera for a much more controlled experience.

Another thing I failed to mention, which is probably more than obvious to all of you - a person can get a set of 3 bracketed exposures at each focus point you choose for stacking, make hdr out of those three exposures, move to the next region and repeat as many focus points as you choose, making hdr for each, and then stitch them all together 4 wide and 3 high, or more, for a mighty fine large format like image, all without the expense of a medium/large format digital camera, with all the benefits of, but not the expense of, a $50-$100k digital camera. The real beauty of being able to tap on the screen of the tablet is that you can tap as many times and in as many parts of the screen as you desire without being overly specific in terms of overlap and without ever touching the camera. Amazing!!! It's a great time to be into photography. The old guys that pioneered this stuff for us should be flippin' over in there graves about now.

gessman Loc: Colorado

By the way Raymondh, your spider shots are quite nice and don't need a lot of improving.

gessman Loc: Colorado

To follow up on my last post, needless to say, stacking and stitching a bunch of hdr images will put a pretty honkin' big computer into 'chug' mode. If you don't have a recent computer, you might want to sneak up on it by dividing the process and using fewer files at first to see how your computer reacts to that kind of job. I'm sure any computer will eventually do the job but the question becomes how long you want to leave it alone and let it work.

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

gessman wrote:

By the way Raymondh, your spider shots are quite nice and don't need a lot of improving.

Many thanks for the kind words & the Link.

naturelover Loc: San Francisco

I'm new here. What is a macro focusing rail?

Clicker2014 wrote:

quote=raymondh These were handheld. I let my daug... (show quote)