Focus shift/focus stack question
Feb 6, 2022 21:32:11 #
Greg from Romeoville illinois
Loc: Romeoville illinois
How do you set the camera to take the first photo with the focus ahead of the item you are taking a picture of?
Feb 6, 2022 21:39:18 #
Greg from Romeoville illinois wrote:
How do you set the camera to take the first photo with the focus ahead of the item you are taking a picture of?
I think you better give us more information. What camera? What lens?
One easy thing to do is to change to spot focus and to move the spot to something at the distance you want to focus. But tell us what camera to know for sure what it is capable of doing.
Feb 6, 2022 21:48:03 #
Greg from Romeoville illinois
Loc: Romeoville illinois
z7 and different lenses depending on what is being shot.
Feb 6, 2022 21:49:19 #
Greg from Romeoville illinois wrote:
How do you set the camera to take the first photo with the focus ahead of the item you are taking a picture of?
For Nikon and Fujis, put the camera into manual focus, and set the lens to the closest focus position. Then let the focus stacking (Nikon) or Focus Bracketing run. The algorithm stops when the lens reaches infinity.
The focus stacking images I have done correctly have always been on a tripod and never higher than 24" off the ground.
The att image was on a Nikon D850 with the 28-300 lens. The stacking process started in Lightroom, then moves to Photoshop where the real work begins. This Death Valley image is my highest selling stock photograph on Adobe Stock.
Feb 6, 2022 21:58:42 #
rgrenaderphoto wrote:
For Nikon and Fujis, put the camera into manual fo... (show quote)
Superb example. May I ask roughly how many shots were stacked for this one?
Feb 6, 2022 23:57:36 #
Grahame wrote:
Superb example. May I ask roughly how many shots were stacked for this one?
There were 25 images in the stack. And I just checked metadata, I used the Nikkor 16-35 for the shot.
Feb 7, 2022 00:08:24 #
rgrenaderphoto wrote:
There were 25 images in the stack. And I just checked metadata, I used the Nikkor 16-35 for the shot.
Many thanks for the info.
I've played with the focus shift on my Z series with macro around 1:1 with great results. At some time I intend to have a go with land/sea scapes so gathering knowledge.
Feb 7, 2022 09:57:45 #
Greg from Romeoville illinois wrote:
How do you set the camera to take the first photo with the focus ahead of the item you are taking a picture of?
Manually focus on the closest point you want to be in sharp focus. You may have to expands LCD image to check focus. I do not trust auto focus when I want really sharp focus.
Feb 7, 2022 12:55:23 #
Greg from Romeoville illinois
Loc: Romeoville illinois
BobHartung wrote:
Manually focus on the closest point you want to be in sharp focus. You may have to expands LCD image to check focus. I do not trust auto focus when I want really sharp focus.
That is the problem that I see. The most critical point should be the closest point on any subject and to be able to focus on that point using auto focus would be pure luck.
Feb 7, 2022 15:27:54 #
For focus shift shots on my D850, I use a tripod, I auto focus on the nearest point of interest, and then magnify maximally in Live View, and manually pull the focus toward the camera until that nearest point of interest is very clearly out of focus. This means I don't really need the first image in the set, but I generally stuff it into HeliconFocus anyway.
Feb 7, 2022 15:50:33 #
Greg from Romeoville illinois wrote:
That is the problem that I see. The most critical point should be the closest point on any subject and to be able to focus on that point using auto focus would be pure luck.
You will need to conduct a few test - trial and error. Once you have it, then you will really have it!
Feb 7, 2022 19:48:43 #
cactuspic
Loc: Dallas, TX
Greg, before I answer, I have a few questions that will help me address the specific problem you are facing.
Is the camera choosing a different point of focus to start the stacked than you chose?
How are you advancing focus? By manually turning the lens's focus ring? By using a program such as an internal focus bracketing program, or a device such as Camranger. Is focus controlled by the shutter button or do you back button focus. Is the lens set to autofucus or manual.
Irwin
Is the camera choosing a different point of focus to start the stacked than you chose?
How are you advancing focus? By manually turning the lens's focus ring? By using a program such as an internal focus bracketing program, or a device such as Camranger. Is focus controlled by the shutter button or do you back button focus. Is the lens set to autofucus or manual.
Irwin
Feb 7, 2022 20:04:54 #
cactuspic
Loc: Dallas, TX
Greg, so that I can more specifically address you concerns, I have several questions. Is the camera choosing a different focus point for the first image than you chose? Are you using the in camera focus bracketing from the Z7's menu? What problems have you encountered?
Irwin
Irwin
Feb 8, 2022 18:41:39 #
Greg from Romeoville illinois
Loc: Romeoville illinois
cactuspic wrote:
Greg, so that I can more specifically address you concerns, I have several questions. Is the camera choosing a different focus point for the first image than you chose? Are you using the in camera focus bracketing from the Z7's menu? What problems have you encountered?
Irwin
Irwin
I have not had an issue yet. Just trying to figure if I should use manual focus or auto when using the camera stacking abilities.
Feb 8, 2022 19:59:12 #
Greg from Romeoville illinois wrote:
I have not had an issue yet. Just trying to figure if I should use manual focus or auto when using the camera stacking abilities.
Greg, if you Z works like my D850, you absolutely must have the lens and camera set to auto focus, as it is that autofocus mechanism that is used to advance the focus for each successive exposure.
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