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Focus stacking
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May 6, 2017 07:39:53   #
Architect1776 Loc: In my mind
 
Jack68 wrote:
Hi all,
I wonder if all you cleaver guys on this forum can solve a problem I am having with focus stacking?. One of the topics at the photographic club was on focus stacking. It was very interesting, and I wanted to give it a try. So I set up a bowl of fruit and made several shots as per instructions given by the presenter at the club. The stacking worked well, but the sharpness from front to back was soft and only the centre was sharp.
The method I used was Manuel mode focus and exposure. By focusing on the front of the bowl and then moving the lens forward slightly for a total of 8 shots.
What am I doing wrong?.
Go for it guys, Thanks.
Hi all, br I wonder if all you cleaver guys on thi... (show quote)


Did you physically move the lens? If so that changes the perspective and makes a difficult way to stack. If you left the lens/camera stationary and adjusted focus which you most likely did.
If adjusting focus only the lens might have an exaggerated focus breathing issue which the image changes size as focus changes.
I would say with the good comments here practice is the best path and add more photos to the stack etc. PS as stated a stady tripod is quite necessary.

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May 6, 2017 07:58:41   #
soli Loc: London, UK.
 
I use Photoshop for my stacking and find it OK.

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May 6, 2017 07:58:51   #
soli Loc: London, UK.
 
I use Photoshop for my stacking and find it OK.

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May 6, 2017 08:05:16   #
WayneT Loc: Paris, TN
 
I don't use manual focus Jack I use ControlMyNikon (ControlMyCanon is also available) or Helicon also offers an electronic focus control for you camera but at a little higher price. There is no guessing I can set the focal distance and number of shots then just take the shot, the software does the rest. I am also using Photoshop to stack right now but plan to move to Zerene or Helicon as I get better. ControlMyNikon (or Canon) does a lot more than focus stacking and I think it's well worth the price.

http://www.controlmynikon.com/

http://www.heliconsoft.com/

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May 6, 2017 10:09:04   #
K7DJJ Loc: Spring Hill, FL
 
I do not move the camera, I just focus at various depths with good results. I can post an example if you want one.

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May 6, 2017 10:22:54   #
jackm1943 Loc: Omaha, Nebraska
 
Jack68 wrote:
Hi WayneT,
I am using Photoshop, I don't thing it's a software problem, but the focusing method I am using.

I have found Photoshop (CC2017) to be unuseably terrible with focus stacking. I switched to Zerene which is a hundred times better. They have a free trial download, I would suggest you download it and process the same images with it and see if it is better. And retouching, if needed, is much more simple than Photoshop.

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May 6, 2017 11:17:30   #
Chris981 Loc: Pacific Palisades
 
I think that you "moved the lens forward" is maybe causing the problem? I never move the lens just the focus points and very careful not to bump the tripod. My$.02

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May 6, 2017 12:51:52   #
JohnKlingel
 
The bowl may need more shots. For a 9 inch bowl I used 20 shots. When you first start using a lens for minor changes in focus, they often are sticky and loosen over time. Keep trying and experimenting. I start with one shot at front with everything out of focus and slowly move back until everything is out of focus. When you stack the out of focus shots won't be used but you know you got everything. The lens I was using for my bowl was a Nikon 70 to 200 and f8 which is the sweet spot for that lens. DOF was roughly .5 inches.

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May 6, 2017 13:26:12   #
Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.
 
Jack68 wrote:
Hi all,
I wonder if all you cleaver guys on this forum can solve a problem I am having with focus stacking?. One of the topics at the photographic club was on focus stacking. It was very interesting, and I wanted to give it a try. So I set up a bowl of fruit and made several shots as per instructions given by the presenter at the club. The stacking worked well, but the sharpness from front to back was soft and only the centre was sharp.
The method I used was Manuel mode focus and exposure. By focusing on the front of the bowl and then moving the lens forward slightly for a total of 8 shots.
What am I doing wrong?.
Go for it guys, Thanks.
Hi all, br I wonder if all you cleaver guys on thi... (show quote)


A question from left fiel, did you disable auto focus? If not when you manually focus then trip the shutter your camera will re-focus.

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May 6, 2017 14:44:49   #
lowkick Loc: Connecticut
 
Jack68 wrote:
Hi all,
By focusing on the front of the bowl and then moving the lens forward slightly for a total of 8 shots.
What am I doing wrong?.
Go for it guys, Thanks.


Are you using a bellows? How are you moving the lens forward for each shot? Try keeping your lens in the same place, but focus from the very front of the shot and gradually focus deeper into the scene, shot by shot.

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May 6, 2017 15:48:22   #
Jack68 Loc: Sydney Australia
 
Thanks Gene51, your details are most welcome. I have made a copy to keep.

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May 6, 2017 15:53:38   #
Valenta Loc: Top of NZ
 
Tried checking the camera diopter?

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May 6, 2017 19:34:47   #
Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)
 
Jack68 wrote:
Thanks Gene51, your details are most welcome. I have made a copy to keep.


You're welcome!

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May 6, 2017 19:54:26   #
via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP
 
Jack68 wrote:
Hi all,
I wonder if all you cleaver guys on this forum can solve a problem I am having with focus stacking?. One of the topics at the photographic club was on focus stacking. It was very interesting, and I wanted to give it a try. So I set up a bowl of fruit and made several shots as per instructions given by the presenter at the club. The stacking worked well, but the sharpness from front to back was soft and only the centre was sharp.
The method I used was Manuel mode focus and exposure. By focusing on the front of the bowl and then moving the lens forward slightly for a total of 8 shots.
What am I doing wrong?.
Go for it guys, Thanks.
Hi all, br I wonder if all you cleaver guys on thi... (show quote)


Hi, you said moving the lens forward? Did you mean moving the exposure point for each shot? Focus stacking requires that you move your focus point, usually from front to back, not your lens. Helicon Focus stacking software makes putting the image together a snap, although I know some people do the deed in Photoshop.

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May 6, 2017 20:11:08   #
Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA
 
What I do is set the camera on a tripod and use the 10 second shutter delay to take all the pics hands free and not move the camera at all. I focus the camaera manually on each item in the stack. So that everything in the stack is in sharp focus in one of the pics. Photoshop does the rest. I shoot full manual, and the only thng that changes from shot to shot is what is in focus. Attached is a stack of sand taken through a microscope. Due to the extremely shallow depth of field in a microscope objective, no two grains could be seen in focus at the same time.


(Download)

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