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

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

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Now up to 20 shot stacks and with the 5DIV

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

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

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Leicaflex Loc: Cymru

Coming along nicely.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Thanks, a good thing I like to read since the software takes a while to process 20 frames in a stack. I will get a lot of reading done when I try 40, 60 and 80 shot stacks. Next project, learn the Helicon software - right now I am still using Photo Shop.

Brent Rowlett Loc: Atlanta, GA

If you use an aperture if f-8 to f-11 you should be able to capture perfect focus with no more than 10 images. Anything more than that is a waste of hard drive space and time.

Shoot tethered and let Lightroom control the shots and focal length increments for even shooting.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Thanks for the suggestions: but
1. When getting into macro up close on small subjects the DOF will be in mm and a lot of shots will be needed for something like a large insect.
2. Tethered-I bought the Helicon HB Tube so I don't have to lug around a laptop etc. I want to take pictures not learn how to break down, move and set up a studio faster and more efficiently. Any table top stacking I do I can use tethering. But why bother if the HB Tube will handle it? I will have to run some tests and decide on which to use and/or when to use which technique.

That reminds me. A lady in the senior citizens photo club wanted to see a demo and learn tethering. Have to brush up and prepare a short presentation. Then lug the laptop to the monthly meeting. If I am lucky one of the other members does tethering and will volunteer to help her.

DickC Loc: NE Washington state

Very nice!!!

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Thanks

rdrechsler Loc: Channel Islands Harbor, CA

Boy, that works. Nice job Robert.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Thank you.
will move up to more shots later this week. Was doing gardening and moving my potted plants getting ready for my lawn guy to come wack everything down that the recent rains caused to sprout.