Built-In Focus Stacking? I don't use, or feel much need, for most of the automation built into my new DSLR, but this is a feature I'd like to see offered.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

I don't use, or feel much need, for most of the automation built into my new DSLR, but this is a feature I'd like to see offered.

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

RWR wrote:

I don't use, or feel much need, for most of the automation built into my new DSLR, but this is a feature I'd like to see offered.

Pardon my ignorance but is focus stacking the same as bracketing? Unfamilliar with the term

TheDman Loc: USA

how would in-camera software do any better than stand alone software?

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

RWR wrote:

I don't use, or feel much need, for most of the automation built into my new DSLR, but this is a feature I'd like to see offered.

See: Panoramic Mode.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

RWR wrote:

I don't use, or feel much need, for most of the automation built into my new DSLR, but this is a feature I'd like to see offered.

It already exists in some cameras, where the camera takes bracketing shots with slighltly different points of focus and then saves the "combo" of combined focus in a single image.

TheDman Loc: USA

speters wrote:

It already exists in some cameras, where the camera takes bracketing shots with slighltly different points of focus and then saves the "combo" of combined focus in a single image.

it does? how does the camera know where you want to focus?

thg3 Loc: La Quinta, California

boberic wrote:

Pardon my ignorance but is focus stacking the same as bracketing? Unfamilliar with the term

Focus stacking is when you are taking a long shot - a landscape from close to the ground on a dull or low light day so that the depth of field is shorter than the total scene. you would use a tripod and focus in the forground, then refocus just beyond the first DOF and keep retaking the same shot moving the DOF until the entire scene is covered in focus. Then use software to merge all those shot to give you one totally in focus image.

Google: "Focus Stacking Tutorial"...

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

thg3 wrote:

Focus stacking is when you are taking a long shot - a landscape from close to the ground on a dull or low light day so that the depth of field is shorter than the total scene. you would use a tripod and focus in the forground, then refocus just beyond the first DOF and keep retaking the same shot moving the DOF until the entire scene is covered in focus. Then use software to merge all those shot to give you one totally in focus image.

Google: "Focus Stacking Tutorial"...

Thanks for a concise response. It's focus bracketing as opposed to exposure bracketing. I think I got it

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

boberic wrote:

Pardon my ignorance but is focus stacking the same as bracketing? Unfamilliar with the term

http://www.google.com/cse?cx=partner-pub-1415334591037307%3A19ja508cah0&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=Focus+Stacking+Tutorial&sa=Search#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=Focus%20Stacking%20Tutorial&gsc.page=1

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

TheDman wrote:

how would in-camera software do any better than stand alone software?

While the end result would be the same, I'm thinking that doing it in-camera would be quicker and simpler.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

thg3 wrote:

Focus stacking is when you are taking a long shot - a landscape from close to the ground on a dull or low light day so that the depth of field is shorter than the total scene. you would use a tripod and focus in the forground, then refocus just beyond the first DOF and keep retaking the same shot moving the DOF until the entire scene is covered in focus. Then use software to merge all those shot to give you one totally in focus image.

Google: "Focus Stacking Tutorial"...

I'm thinking it would be most useful for macro photography.

Crwiwy Loc: Devon UK

RWR wrote:

While the end result would be the same, I'm thinking that doing it in-camera would be quicker and simpler.

I think all in camera software will be a compromise which can be done better with dedicated software.
You will find that dedicated software would always do the job better than fixed in camera software as it has many controls to ensure the best image.

My camera will do HDR in camera - but I much prefer the control I get with Photomatix.

CombineZP is a free program which works well and it has some half dozen different modes for creating the image.

Giugly01 Loc: Woodstock, NY

RWR wrote:

I'm thinking it would be most useful for macro photography.

:thumbup:

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

If you have Canon, the free Magic Lantern firmware update may have it.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

abc1234 wrote:

If you have Canon, the free Magic Lantern firmware update may have it.

Though I use Nikons, I have no prejudices. I'd like to set it up on a bellows or microscope, press the release and have an image with an extended depth of field. I sort of threw it out there to see what other's opinions were, and the responses have been interesting. Thanks to all.