Focus stacking for landscapes
May 12, 2021 13:50:37 #
Ednsb
Loc: Santa Barbara
My camera has a built-in function for focus staking which I use for macros and closeup then process in Affinity. I was just reading an article about focus stacking in landscapes and it made me wonder. 'what if I used the in-camera function?" I am thinking of setting the initial focal point at the hyperfocal distance (determined by PhotoPills) then shooting off a series of images. I can't think of a reason it wouldn't work but we are socked into today so I have no way to test it.
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
May 12, 2021 13:52:20 #
Not gonna cost anything to try it. What have you got to lose?
May 12, 2021 14:03:00 #
Ednsb
Loc: Santa Barbara
i will as soon as i can see farther than 1/2 mile. - damn June Gloom in May
May 12, 2021 14:20:40 #
Cany143
Loc: SE Utah
Been focus stacking landscapes for some time now, using cameras that have in-camera capabilities (Fuji X-T2, where its called Focus Bracketing) and with other cameras that do not, but instead require manual (and/or AF spot) focusing techniques. While there might be some potential usefulness in starting the first --or closermost-- of your stack hyperfocally, I think over time you'd find --as I have- that focusing more precisely on the more crucial (as in 'must be spot on in focus') particular planes of near/far distances will net you more usable results. In the field, things move, and they move both rapidly and unexpectedly; speed becomes key between exposures, and pre-selecting your specific focus points and being able to access and expose for them quickly and surely is of absolute necessity. Learning how to assess and deal with field conditions, too, is important; having experience with that will inform you whether two exposures will be all that's allowed, or whether six or eight (or whatever) will be possible.
May 12, 2021 14:33:19 #
May 12, 2021 15:02:10 #
Ednsb wrote:
My camera has a built-in function for focus stakin... (show quote)
You may find that you'll only need 2 - 4 exposures for a landscape stack. It's easy to get into the weeds by overthinking this.
May 12, 2021 15:02:28 #
The camera I use for landscapes allows me to vary the depth of field for any f/stop I choose. So, one exposure does the trick. This avoids issues created by numerous exposures and stacking. I can be in focus from right in front of the camera to infinity or adjust to almost anything in between.
--Bob
--Bob
Ednsb wrote:
My camera has a built-in function for focus stakin... (show quote)
May 12, 2021 15:10:34 #
Alyn McConnaha
Loc: Lebanon, IN
Tomorrow, Tomorrow, I love you Tomorrow--you are always just A DAY AWAY!
ALYN
ALYN
May 13, 2021 05:58:15 #
Jeffcs
Loc: Myrtle Beach South Carolina
Foggy pictures are awesome
Go out and shoot
I’m sure you can find something to focus stack
Go out and shoot
I’m sure you can find something to focus stack
May 13, 2021 06:32:49 #
tcthome
Loc: NJ
Depends, Leaves or flowers with some wind, even light wind. You might be better off focusing in manual & waiting for lulls in the wind to take the shots. If the closest focus point isn't that close or stationary such as rock formations then there should be no reason why it wouldn't work.
May 13, 2021 07:57:57 #
Wanderer2
Loc: Colorado Rocky Mountains
Ednsb wrote:
My camera has a built-in function for focus stakin... (show quote)
Not only can you use focus stacking (or merge) for landscapes but it's much easier than when used in macro photography. As Gene said, 2 - 4 shots are usually sufficient. My landscape camera does not have the feature built in so I set the focus points manually and then process in Affinity Photo, which does focus stacking very well. There are situations where it's impossible to get the complete image in focus otherwise. I still recall my first attempt at focus stacking. It was shooting out a window (open) in our house with a pine tree branch about 5 feet from the window, then a long view to the Teton Range about 25 miles away. I was amazed that everything was razor sharp from the pine needles to the mountain peaks and there was no other way to achieve that. It will be a very useful additon to your landscape photography.
May 13, 2021 08:42:18 #
Thanks for this. I have been wanting to ask why anyone uses focus stacking, rather than just use more depth of field?
May 13, 2021 08:44:18 #
Cany143 wrote:
Been focus stacking landscapes for some time now, ... (show quote)
Morning Cany. I also have the Fuji X-T2, love that camera. I was under the impression that the focus bracketing feature automatically takes the shots at different distances, but does not combine them in camera. The actual stacking has to be done in post. Am I right about that?
May 13, 2021 08:45:56 #
Alyn McConnaha wrote:
Tomorrow, Tomorrow, I love you Tomorrow--you are always just A DAY AWAY!
ALYN
ALYN
There is a snack shop in Boothbay, Maine, with a sign painted on the side, which says "Free Beer Tomorrow"
May 13, 2021 09:12:55 #
rodbarr
Loc: Maryland
I recently received a used Fuji X-T2, my first mirrorless camera. After the reference to X-T2 "Focus bracketing," I studied the manual but could find no reference to "focus bracketing" in the section on bracketing. Was this feature added via a post-production software update?
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