robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Well I went out just before sundown hoping to get some birds at the feeders for a last snack before night. I also decided to take a break from learning my 80D and decided to use my 5DIV.
Only one quick visit by a hummer, no shot. So I spotted this orgy on the milkweed plant. A couple of single frames but too close for great depth of field so I put the flash on ETTL and the shutter on high speed burst. I then did two bursts, one of 32 frames and one of 28. Slightly different angle of view in singles and the two bursts. Only one frame in the 28 shot burst didn't have flash. The others all had good fill flash. Too much movement in the 28 frame burst so lots of ghosts and extra edges. I will try again by picking just some of the frames. But the 32 frame burst came out OK, just had to crop the uneven edges. I had the focus set on the closest distance-backed off the camera so nothing was in focus and as the burst fired I moved the camera in until the far side of the milkweed cluster was in focus.

#1 One of the best single frame shots, but not enough depth of field for plant and all the bugs to be sharp.
5DIV, 100-400L mk II @ 400, 1/200 @ f/8.0, ISO 400 hand held with flash.

#2 32 frame focus stack
5DIV, 100-400L mk II @ 300, 1/200 @ f/5.6, ISO 400 hand held with flash

Best single, needs more DOF

(Download)

32 frame focus stack

(Download)

Bozsik Loc: Orangevale, California

Nice set. Did you take these last Summer/fall? I captured a set similar to this in late August in Wisconsin. Same invertebrates on milkweed. Did you use the FB tube? No mention of it.

I hope you will accept my comment. When taking stacks at this low magnification, you don't need all those images for a stack. You could get by with a dozen or so. Just set your focus steps to a wider depth and use f/11. You will have less chances for extra edges to have to remove in post.

Thanks for sharing your images with us. You are doing great.

(Download)

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

These were taken today. Remember I live in So California we got up to 80 today.
No I didn't use the tube, I still haven't gotten around to learning it.
(If procrastination was in the Olympics I would have a wall of Gold Medals.)
This was hand held by the lean forward while doing a burst with MF at minimum distance. Set the focus, backed off until only the closest leaf's edge was in focus, the backed off an inch or so more, held down the shutter and slowllllllllllllly leaned forward until the far edge went out of the focus field. The burst was 32 frames so used them all.

Leicaflex Loc: Cymru

This is really amazing that you hand held 32 shots for a focus stack!
Well done.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

It was pure dumb luck.
Same thing happened when the first roll of film I ever developed came out perfectly, and it was Kodak color slide film. Didn't pull that one off again for several months and a lot of rolls of film.
Thanks

CLF Loc: Raleigh, NC

Jerry, excellent set and #2 is awesome.

Greg

Bozsik Loc: Orangevale, California

rwilson1942 Loc: Houston, TX

steve L Loc: Waterville Valley, New Hampshire

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Thank you very much.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Sirius_one Loc: S.F. Bay Area

#2 is a superb shot.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Thanks a lot.