Helicon FB Tube experiments: Well I bought it last year but just got around to starting to learn how to use it. I was going to photograph a Steam Punk event at the Railway Museum but...

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Well I bought it last year but just got around to starting to learn how to use it. I was going to photograph a Steam Punk event at the Railway Museum but woke up with a very uneasy gut. If I had to stay near a bathroom it was going to be at home and I decided now was a good time to learn the HB Tube.
I started with my 80D body because my Tamron 180 macro was on that body.

#1 My first try was right here in my office chair in front of the computer, a stack of Ketchup packets I keep for "just in case" when I eat at the desk. Hand held and more or less came out awful due to low light(ISO 6400, the top I have Auto ISO set for) shadows from my lamp etc. Cropped it way down. But is came out, sorta. A 9 stack since I dropped out the frame that had nothing in focus.
80D, Tamron 180 macro, 1/400 @ f/8, ISO 6400 indoors, hand held Yes I should have lowered the SS but forgot I had been using the 80D for birds at the feeders.

#2 Out in the yard with a tripod, Star of Bethlehem blooms (and a very small insect on the front center bloom). Only a five stack because 5 of the ten frames had nothing in focus.
80D, Tamron 180 macro, 1/400 @ f/6.3, ISO 400 on tripod with a Manfrotto geared head I bought for focus stacking and other macro work

Now the paperwork suggests using 20, 40, 60 or 80 frame stacks. The closer to true macro the more frames because of the shallow depth of field. I only took my experiments up to 20 today since these flowers/plants are too big for true macro so I am backed off a bit from the subject. For 3, 4 & 5 I also switched to my 5DIV and Canon 100 mm macro.

#3 5DIV, 100 mm f/2.8 macro, 1/160 @ f/8.0, ISO 640 in part shade on a sunny day, tripod 20 stack

#4 same another 20 stack but a different cluster and a bit further away

#5 same as 3 & 4 but ISO 800 and plants in a different pot (I have three pots of these plants that now have several bulbs in each and I need to re-pot them into individual pots.) This shoot is from even further away and is a different pot with a scraggly lantana in the background. Plus the side of the large terra cotta pot that is the base for a birdbath, moss, stains and all.

Andy Warhol did Campbell Soup cans, I can do IN n Out Burger Heinz Ketchup packs

(Download)

Yes, there is a bug there, and bigger than life size in this image

(Download)

Now up to 20 shot stacks and with the 5DIV

(Download)

Some Sunshine from the right side, I really need to clean that big pot

(Download)

Further away and multiple pots in the tiny jungle, needs some tiny dinos.

(Download)

DOOK Loc: Maclean, Australia

A very interesting exercise, Jerry. Thanks for sharing your results, which are quite impressive.

Swamp-Cork Loc: Lanexa, Virginia

Beautiful set, Robert --nice work!

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

DOOK wrote:

A very interesting exercise, Jerry. Thanks for sharing your results, which are quite impressive.

Thank you very much. I will work on this more in the near future. Today is dentist day.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Swamp-Cork wrote:

Beautiful set, Robert --nice work!

Thank you

suci Loc: Texas

Excellent work, especially with the tripod.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

suci wrote:

Excellent work, especially with the tripod.

Thanks a lot, more work ahead esp getting into real macro work.

Dixiegirl Loc: Alabama gulf coast

DOOK wrote:

A very interesting exercise, Jerry. Thanks for sharing your results, which are quite impressive.

I agree with Earl that your results are quite impressive, Jerry, and I spotted the tiny bug, which morphed into a very big bug on the double download. Also love your beautiful Star of Bethlehem and hope your tummy woes are over!

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Dixiegirl wrote:

I agree with Earl that your results are quite impressive, Jerry, and I spotted the tiny bug, which morphed into a very big bug on the double download. Also love your beautiful Star of Bethlehem and hope your tummy woes are over!

Thanks very much. Feeling better. Main problem is one of my meds has that as a sometime side effect so if a mild bug gets me it is magnified.

CLF Loc: Raleigh, NC

robertjerl wrote:

Well I bought it last year but just got around to starting to learn how to use it. I was going to photograph a Steam Punk event at the Railway Museum but woke up with a very uneasy gut. If I had to stay near a bathroom it was going to be at home and I decided now was a good time to learn the HB Tube.
I started with my 80D body because my Tamron 180 macro was on that body.

#1 My first try was right here in my office chair in front of the computer, a stack of Ketchup packets I keep for "just in case" when I eat at the desk. Hand held and more or less came out awful due to low light(ISO 6400, the top I have Auto ISO set for) shadows from my lamp etc. Cropped it way down. But is came out, sorta. A 9 stack since I dropped out the frame that had nothing in focus.
80D, Tamron 180 macro, 1/400 @ f/8, ISO 6400 indoors, hand held Yes I should have lowered the SS but forgot I had been using the 80D for birds at the feeders.

#2 Out in the yard with a tripod, Star of Bethlehem blooms (and a very small insect on the front center bloom). Only a five stack because 5 of the ten frames had nothing in focus.
80D, Tamron 180 macro, 1/400 @ f/6.3, ISO 400 on tripod with a Manfrotto geared head I bought for focus stacking and other macro work

Now the paperwork suggests using 20, 40, 60 or 80 frame stacks. The closer to true macro the more frames because of the shallow depth of field. I only took my experiments up to 20 today since these flowers/plants are too big for true macro so I am backed off a bit from the subject. For 3, 4 & 5 I also switched to my 5DIV and Canon 100 mm macro.

#3 5DIV, 100 mm f/2.8 macro, 1/160 @ f/8.0, ISO 640 in part shade on a sunny day, tripod 20 stack

#4 same another 20 stack but a different cluster and a bit further away

#5 same as 3 & 4 but ISO 800 and plants in a different pot (I have three pots of these plants that now have several bulbs in each and I need to re-pot them into individual pots.) This shoot is from even further away and is a different pot with a scraggly lantana in the background. Plus the side of the large terra cotta pot that is the base for a birdbath, moss, stains and all.

Well I bought it last year but just got around to ... (show quote)

Jerry, a fantastic set of photos taken close to a needed room, if needed.

Oh, I did see the itsy bitsy bug.

Greg

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

CLF wrote:

Jerry, a fantastic set of photos taken close to a needed room, if needed.

Oh, I did see the itsy bitsy bug.

Greg

Thanks very much.

Azboy

I still like the 4th photo Robert. Nicely done.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Azboy wrote:

I still like the 4th photo Robert. Nicely done.

Thank You

Muddyvalley Loc: McMinnville, Oregon

Looking good!

I just got my FB tube a few weeks ago. It promises to be useful for hand held bursts outdoors, but I also haven't gotten beyond a few tests indoors.
For indoors, I'd go with the built in software in the camera, or Helicon remote.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Muddyvalley wrote:

Looking good!

I just got my FB tube a few weeks ago. It promises to be useful for hand held bursts outdoors, but I also haven't gotten beyond a few tests indoors.
For indoors, I'd go with the built in software in the camera, or Helicon remote.

Thank You