First time focus-stacking
Jul 13, 2019 14:18:57 #
I found this cool looking moth today (beautiful wood nymph) so I decided to try some focus stacking, which I've never done. This is how it turned out...not sure if I even did it right. Any advice is appreciated! I'd like to do it more in the future if I can learn to do it correctly! If I completely screwed it up, you can let me know! The breeze has kicked up and the poor little guy is being blown around so I think his modeling day is about over. Thanks for any comments and criticisms!
Nikon D7200
Tamron 90mm macro
Shutter speed: 200
Aperture: 6.3
ISO: 800
No flash
11 shots
Nikon D7200
Tamron 90mm macro
Shutter speed: 200
Aperture: 6.3
ISO: 800
No flash
11 shots
Jul 13, 2019 14:24:44 #
Jul 13, 2019 14:58:33 #
Jul 13, 2019 16:28:24 #
You definitely got it. 👍 Only quibble is there is a bit of fabric that is prematurely blurry near the back of the moth. That is easily fixed.
Jul 14, 2019 09:47:14 #
Jul 14, 2019 10:28:44 #
Ava'sPapa "Focus Stacking" is a computer manipulation of a series of images to create a single composite image which extends the depth of field limitation of the sensor used thus can create an "enhanced" 3D image...
By far the most important use of this technique is in the field of medicine where three dimensional models of soft tissues are created to aid the diagnose of disease or injury... This is known as 3D MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) generated 3-dimensional model of the area of interest being scanned. Here MRI scans the body in an axial plane (ie. cutting the body into slices from front to back). These images are 2-dimensional. MRI images are usually presented in slices from top to bottom however, using sophisticated computer rendering (Image Stacking), these 2-dimensional slices can be joined together to produce a 3-dimensional model of the area of interest being scanned.
The same technique is currently being used in photography where a series of individual images are "Stacked" together to overcome the depth of field limitations of the optics being used (by overlapping single images)... Albeit it's benefits pale in light of the huge advances 3D MRI has provided medical practitioners in expanding their abilities to treat and heal those in need... I have colleagues who work in a clinical setting and rest assured 3D MRI is a precious gift beyond words...
There is another digital manipulation technique known of "Image Stitching" which is the process of combining multiple photographic images with overlapping fields of view to produce a segmented panorama or high-resolution image.
Ava'sPapa this endeavor is arduous and the learning curve is high... There is little if any recompense for images generated thus it is primarily the realm of hobbyist and typically not commercial photographers (there are exceptions but they are in a minority)...
Best Advice? If you are looking to generate a revenue stream then look to portraiture... this has been and currently is the cash cow for commercial photographers... All the best on your journey Ava'sPapa
By far the most important use of this technique is in the field of medicine where three dimensional models of soft tissues are created to aid the diagnose of disease or injury... This is known as 3D MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) generated 3-dimensional model of the area of interest being scanned. Here MRI scans the body in an axial plane (ie. cutting the body into slices from front to back). These images are 2-dimensional. MRI images are usually presented in slices from top to bottom however, using sophisticated computer rendering (Image Stacking), these 2-dimensional slices can be joined together to produce a 3-dimensional model of the area of interest being scanned.
The same technique is currently being used in photography where a series of individual images are "Stacked" together to overcome the depth of field limitations of the optics being used (by overlapping single images)... Albeit it's benefits pale in light of the huge advances 3D MRI has provided medical practitioners in expanding their abilities to treat and heal those in need... I have colleagues who work in a clinical setting and rest assured 3D MRI is a precious gift beyond words...
There is another digital manipulation technique known of "Image Stitching" which is the process of combining multiple photographic images with overlapping fields of view to produce a segmented panorama or high-resolution image.
Ava'sPapa this endeavor is arduous and the learning curve is high... There is little if any recompense for images generated thus it is primarily the realm of hobbyist and typically not commercial photographers (there are exceptions but they are in a minority)...
Best Advice? If you are looking to generate a revenue stream then look to portraiture... this has been and currently is the cash cow for commercial photographers... All the best on your journey Ava'sPapa
Jul 14, 2019 14:32:35 #
Ava'sPapa wrote:
What is focus stacking? I've seen it mentioned quite often lately.
Thomas902 covered most of it but left off two uses of stacking - noise reduction and elimination of unwanted moving objects.
Noise reduction: Noise is random so several otherwise identical images stacked will cancel out most or if you are lucky all of the noise. It only works with certain types of images where you don't have to worry about movement. A rapid sequence of night sky shots, esp with a tracking telescope - to get absolutely black skys they will often stack 100s of frames. This greatly cuts down on the pixel level editing to get rid of all the noise.
Elimination of objects: The demo I watched was a view from the observation platform of a New York skyscraper. Single frames had people with cameras etc. So since the buildings don't move (and he could just pick which frame's sky he wanted) the photographer left his camera on the tripod and snapped images when the people were in different locations. Then made each frame a layer, erased the people in each layer and than stacked the images. The result was a view looking over the city with no people on the platform. Ever wonder how some street scenes have no cars when you know that is a busy street - that is often how it was done. Unless they got the city to close off the street for a while
Jul 14, 2019 18:14:58 #
Ava'sPapa wrote:
FAQ: Focus Stacking in Macro-PhotographyWhat is focus stacking? I've seen it mentioned quite often lately.
Page 1: http://www.dpreview.com/articles/5717972844/focus-stacking-in-macro-photography
Page 2: http://www.dpreview.com/articles/5717972844/focus-stacking-in-macro-photography/2
FAQ: Focus-Stacking: When to use Rails vs Lens Focusing Ring
http://zerenesystems.com/cms/stacker/docs/troubleshooting/ringversusrail
Jul 14, 2019 18:30:19 #
Jul 14, 2019 18:52:35 #
I will add another method, Helicon's FB Tube (Zerene's rival-so they didn't mention it). With an app on your phone you set the little internal processor in the FB Tube and it changes the focus according to the lens's depth of field-and you can choose to either focus from near to far or far to near. If you add one of the electronic remote shutter releases you can set it for the number of exposures you want, other wise the FB tube will keep going unless you are using single shot instead of burst. On single shot you have to trigger each frame and keep count, slower than letting the tube's processor do it.
The FB Tube is about $209 with shipping(2 weeks+), $259 for express shipping(5-7days). The company is in Ukraine.
Several of us here on UHH have and use the FB Tube. Unfortunately for some it is only made for Canon and Nikon.
The FB Tube is about $209 with shipping(2 weeks+), $259 for express shipping(5-7days). The company is in Ukraine.
Several of us here on UHH have and use the FB Tube. Unfortunately for some it is only made for Canon and Nikon.
Jul 14, 2019 21:51:56 #
aschweik...first off nice job on your focus stacking and secondly I apologize for taking up so much of your space here. Thomas902, robertjeri and nikonian 72, thanks so much for your explanations.
Jul 15, 2019 03:59:41 #
Ava'sPapa wrote:
Ask away! That is why we started this forum. I apologize for taking up so much of your space here. Thomas902, robertjeri and Nikonian72, thanks so much for your explanations.
Jul 15, 2019 07:15:30 #
Ava's Papa: No problem at all. I'm learning from your question, also!
Thanks, everyone! At least I know I'm off on the right foot.
Thanks, everyone! At least I know I'm off on the right foot.
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