Share Show your focus-stacked images

[Mike Buckley]

I haven't used anything other than Method B and its default parameters.

 

[daveg]

Try them all on the same stack.

DG

 

[Mike Buckley]

Try them all on the same stack.

Depending on the image content, the three methods might work with varying degrees of success. The manual explains clearly when to consider using one or the others. So far, the images I've captured are a best fit with Method B at least according to my understanding of the information in the manual.

 

[daveg]

Mike,

I have worked out a strategy for the next year or so. I have ordered a Seagate 6tb drive as my primary Photo / music drive and will KEEP my stacking Nef files in a folder which will not be backed up. I will back up the results I.e. the dng files and jpegs.

 

[Pa]

This stack was made with only six images, all focused manually with my 55/3.5 AIS micro on the Z 6. I decided to try all three methods of Helicon Focus to see if I could detect a difference. If you see a difference please point it out as I don't.

Method A​

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Method B​

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Method C​

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[Mike Buckley]

all focused manually

Impressive! It always had to be done manually in the past but I'm such a klutz I never tried it.

I don't see any difference between the three methods. Do you see any differences when you examine all areas of the full-size files at 100%?

 

[Pa]

Do you see any differences when you examine all areas of the full-size files at 100%?

No.

I used focus peaking to do the manual focusing, but it didn't help very much as I had a hard time distinguishing which areas were lit up. Now I realize my dumb mistake: I had the in-focus highlight set to show up yellow, and that's the color of the blossom .

 

[Palouse]

Nicely done—all 3. Look identical to me.

 

[Mike Buckley]

I wonder if using a few more images would have made some areas sharp that are slightly blurred, making me think you didn't quite cover the entire middle of the plant with focused areas. Or maybe the issue was that using the yellow highlight during focus peaking made it too difficult to see that just a couple areas in the middle aren't in focus.

I had the in-focus highlight set to show up yellow, and that's the color of the blossom .

I can't believe you stole my kind of mistake!

 

[daveg]

My kind of mistake tonight is not remembering that last night I turned the ISO up to 6400 to test something and did not reset it. I only noticed in Photoshop (afterwards).

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[Walter Rowe]

This stack was made with only six images, all focused manually with my 55/3.5 AIS micro on the Z 6. I decided to try all three methods of Helicon Focus to see if I could detect a difference. If you see a difference please point it out as I don't.

I can't tell any difference Jim.

 

[Walter Rowe]

I made this picture on the way to work this morning. We had fog and mist all night long leaving these magical little droplets on these little snowdrop flowers.

Nikon Z7 + Nikkor Z 24-70/4 S
ISO 800, 1/50s, f/5.6, 40mm
22 Frames / Step Width 3 / Silent Shutter
Affinity Photo Photo-Merge
Zero adjustments to masks

I missed the front flowers being in focus. I passed this every day so I might stop on the way to work again tomorrow morning. I doubt I will see the water droplets, but the flowers are absolutely beautiful. They surround the base of a tree in front of a rural Episcopal church that has been here since the 1800s.

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[Mike Buckley]

Nice composition and light, Walter.

I doubt I will see the water droplets

Take a very big spray bottle!

 

[Mike Buckley]

@daveg -- Everything is sharply in focus in the bell (I think that's what it is) but the very bottoms of the reflections in the cute animals made of yarn are not quite sharp. Was that your intention?

 

[Walter Rowe]

Nice composition and light, Walter.

Take a very big spray bottle!

Thanks Mike. Good idea!

If I do stop again tomorrow I will use Step Width 1. I noticed while inspecting the individual images that there were areas that were not quite sharp enough. I could tell that focusing stepped just across them leaving them just a tad soft.

 

[Lucky Duck]

From years ago when I had more patience.

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[Mike Buckley]

From years ago when I had more patience.

I'm nothing other than a noobie at this stuff, but at least this early in the learning curve it definitely takes a lot of patience. Wishing you had enough patience to keep making more images, as this one is stunning!

 

[Pa]

Thanks Mike. Good idea!

If I do stop again tomorrow I will use Step Width 1. I noticed while inspecting the individual images that there were areas that were not quite sharp enough. I could tell that focusing stepped just across them leaving them just a tad soft.

If your weather is like ours you will probably have wind and subfreezing temperatures to complicate your picture taking.

 

[Walter Rowe]

If your weather is like ours you will probably have wind and subfreezing temperatures to complicate your picture taking.

You are right Jim. Forecast for 34º overnight and rain, followed by winds tomorrow. Could be a chilly morning. Fortunately this picture should take all of 5 mins to capture so my exposure to the elements will be brief.

 

[Palouse]

You are right Jim. Forecast for 34º overnight and rain, followed by winds tomorrow. Could be a chilly morning. Fortunately this picture should take all of 5 mins to capture so my exposure to the elements will be brief.

Dress warm and take knee pads