Flowers 2011 (Photoclubalpha Flora)

[longvale]

Hi Birma.. Thanks for your enouraging remarks. The separate stack shots were all taken at f5.6. I don't think a single shot at f32 would have given me the required overall depth although in a pre focus stacking era, working at such small apertures was it seemed the only option. That is why I kitted myself with a macro lens and ringflash only to be disappointed at a still less than perfect depth of field especially in the above kind of photo. I must admit I've only just lately become aware of the diffraction handicap through reading about it. I stumbled upon focus stacking by chance, again only relatively recently. I was thumbing through a book on wildflowers illustrated by photos of flowers that were in sharp focus from front to back. The Author alluded to the fact that he had used a "certain software" to accomplish this so I set about Googling the identity of the method he was using.
Focus stacking is of course only for strictly still life, there musn't be any movement of the subject in between takes, but if successful then the issue of having to use small apertures and diffraction does not arise.

[Greg Beetham]

Pretty blue Agapanthus and pink Hydrangea in your 'botanical garden' Yildiz.
Interesting oof effect gio67.
I thought you would be looking at magnification differences changing the focus on a macro lens to get focus stacks longvale, but it seems to have worked out well, I like the white background as well, worked well with a red flower, might not work too well with a white one tho ha ha.
Greg

[Birma]

Hi Birma.. Thanks for your enouraging remarks. The separate stack shots were all taken at f5.6. I don't think a single shot at f32 would have given me the required overall depth although in a pre focus stacking era, working at such small apertures was it seemed the only option. That is why I kitted myself with a macro lens and ringflash only to be disappointed at a still less than perfect depth of field especially in the above kind of photo. I must admit I've only just lately become aware of the diffraction handicap through reading about it. I stumbled upon focus stacking by chance, again only relatively recently. I was thumbing through a book on wildflowers illustrated by photos of flowers that were in sharp focus from front to back. The Author alluded to the fact that he had used a "certain software" to accomplish this so I set about Googling the identity of the method he was using.
Focus stacking is of course only for strictly still life, there musn't be any movement of the subject in between takes, but if successful then the issue of having to use small apertures and diffraction does not arise.

Hi Longvale - ah - I understand now, I mis-read your original post. I look forward to seeing your further experiments .

[longvale]

Thanks Birma and Greg for taking time out to comment. Very encouraging. Greg I think you're right about the magnification issue. The reason then it worked on this occasion is probably due to the miniscule focussing adjustments and only having three shots to stack. I've been having a longing look at the Cognysis stacking kit
http://www.cognisys-inc.com/stackshot/s ... 62cdf7c46e
in which the camera and lens are racked automatically in motorized increments through the subject which is the correct way.
I wondered why the Combine ZP software couldn't complete another stack in which I tried to photograph just the stamen using several shots and re-focussing in between?

[Greg Beetham]

That cognisys system looks very handy indeed longvale; it seems like it solves quite a few difficulties, especially when dealing with very tiny objects and speeds up the stack taking process for sure. Although there is always the perennial problem of getting the dang camera tripod assembly into the right position and orientation (up, down, left, right, back, forth and tilt) for the planar withdrawal through the centre of the object before it moves, takes off, jumps, breeze springs up at just the wrong moment, starts to rain etc. but that’s all part of the challenge I guess, we wouldn’t want it to be tooo easy now would we.
Greg

[wwind_chan_200]

Here's a rose I shot a week or two ago whilst introducing a friend to some flash photography. Even though it's not the best shot, I have a soft spot for it.

ISO200 - F1.4 - 1/2000 - Sony 50/1.4

[Greg Beetham]

The flower is cool and the bokeh is great, I'm not totally keen on the overhanging stems tho.
Greg

[KevinBarrett]

Duckweed!

[Dr. Harout]

Nice, I like it, Kevin.

[Birma]

Interesting fauna shot KB . Could have also fitted in the colour theme thread.

[Greg Beetham]

Clever KB, I was having trouble with scale, I couldn't figure out how big the duckweed was, I finall settled for very small...was I right?
Greg

[KevinBarrett]

Clever KB, I was having trouble with scale, I couldn't figure out how big the duckweed was, I finall settled for very small...was I right?
Greg

Thank you! Very, very small, yes.

Interesting fauna shot KB . Could have also fitted in the colour theme thread.

I already had a duckweed-based panorama in there...didn't want to spam the place with duckweed (though that is duckweed's MO).

Nice, I like it, Kevin.

Thanks, Doc!

[CharlieWebster]

the Pen-F 42/1.2 at f/8. Pen half-frame lenses cover the nex aps-c sensor fully, and are great compact performers. This lens only weighs 270 grams, making it the lightest 1.2 lens for aps-c

Here is the garden where the flowers live:

[Birma]

Nice flowers and a cool looking house Charlie.

[KevinBarrett]

What a beautiful place!