will47 Loc: Indianapolis, IN

If I am using BBF and I wanted to use the camera for say, focus stacking, would I, or should I take it out of BBF in the instance.

rwilson1942 Loc: Houston, TX

No reason to do so. BBF is just an alternate way of using auto focus.
I have BBF set on all three of my bodies and do focus stacking on a regular basis with one of them.
I use manual focus to set up the first shot of a focus stack group and then use my focusing rail to move the camera in to the subject.

bleirer

If it is automated in camera focus stacking then it relies upon the autofocus system, so I'd think you would have to hold your thumb down which could shake the shot. If focusing on your own shouldn't matter. Wouldn't take long to test it.

User ID

At least with Olympus it never occurred to me to cancel the BBF and it just went into stacking without a hitch. Consider that the camera is actually in MF when sitting idle in BBF configuration.

So it doesn’t need to be in any AF mode to stack. I start with magnified MF to get the near point focused and then I enable stacking, and the shutter button starts the stack. Thus no AF is involved. I focus manually and then the camera runs its stepped series of focus changes without any automatic rechecking for in-focus at each step.

I’m reading menu prompts when I do that, so the above is from memory and could have a minor detail out of place, but the general idea is intact.

bleirer

I just tried it on my canon RP which has in camera stacking. Seemed to work fine with no autofocus engaged, with a plus as userid said that you can manual focus that first frame.

rwilson1942 Loc: Houston, TX

Bleirer is correct, if you are using in-camera focus stacking.
I didn't think of that since none of my cameras have that feature.

bleirer

Turned out i was wrong, but thanks!

martinfisherphoto Loc: Lake Placid Florida

Let's say I'm focus stacking a landscape scene and have the camera on a tripod. I always use a Single point on my camera to focus with, so I would adjust my single point to focus on the Foreground, using the BBF and take a shot, then move the focus point to the mid ground and focus Using the BBF and take a shot, then move focus point to the background, use the BBF and take another shot. Now if I'm doing macro, I always leave my camera in manual focus and either move my camera forward with each shot, or adjust the focus forward just a little using the focus ring and then take another shoot. With macro I'm stacking a lot more images and I'm looking at all the fine detail from one focus point to the next because at 2:1 or greater the DOF is so thin. With landscapes and using a regular lens or wide angle the DOF is greater and I can easily take a three to Five shots for the whole scene. Remember most cameras you can view the landscapes or macro thru the back screen. You can also enlarge to make sure you can see how far your DOF is and to make sure that you are over lapping your stack. With my camera that has "In Camera focus stacking" you set the number of shots you want, set the focus at the starting point and take one shot and the camera continue thru the rest for you. You can start the first shot with the BBF, just make sure you start at the right point of focus. Tons of YouTube videos out there......

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

Will, focus stacking is taking several photos and adjusting the focus slightly between each. For landscapes your good to go, for close ups, you would be focusing in manual. So, no. I see no reason to take the camera off BBF.

chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA

...correct. When I did a stack, after getting everything set up in-camera and out, I pushed the back button and let 'er rip. Worked great on my Z6, no need for manual focus.

bleirer

Did you hold the back button throughout the exposures or just focus once and release the back button before shooting?

chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA

...once and go. Image turned-out great. Not a regular feature for me, but it works so well...try it!

bleirer

I might have to change my method. I had been autofocusing on my hand a little in front of the subject to make sure I didn't undershoot that first image. This way I can autofocus the subject then just manually back off a touch.