Capture by A photoblog

Read Post

Capture: Getting closer

230 Responses

First ←Older Page 1 2 3 4 5 10 Newer→ Last

  • Bruce Buckman,

    Attachment

    How do you do the focus stacking? Is there special software to do you just do it in Photoshop by masking out bits of various layers?

    I’ve used my nifty 50 + tubes as my macro setup for years but never really tried the whole focus stacking thing, mainly cause I handhold and don’ use a tripod so don’t have images that will stack.

    I loves my nifty 50.

    Since Jan 2012 • 96 posts Report Reply

  • Jos,

    Yes the 50mm 1:8 is wonderful. I have done 2-3 shot focus stacks hand held, best method is to gently move in/or out and do a burst mode shot if you can, or else just fire off a bunch carefully. If you use Adobe Bridge you can select the files and go to tools/photoshop/load into layers. Then in PS you select all the layers, go to edit/align layers with all boxes ticked, once done you will need to crop to get rid of the edges that don't line up. then go to edit/merge layers and choose blend etc. Done.

    Whakatane • Since Jan 2012 • 877 posts Report Reply

  • Hebe,

    Attachment

    Cor! Thanks for the detail Jos. The photos are great to peer at. My family think I'm mad going round the garden taking pictures of tiny things, with outbreaks of swearing. The tripod does seem essential--mine keeps slipping cos the camera is too heavy (cue swears as I catch it). I've recently discovered the essential-ness of a separate flash, so saving up for that too. The Raynox macro filter I bought dirt cheap on Trademe needs both those things to resolve the problems I've had. The results so far are technically rubbish -- but I'm enjoying them.

    This is a tiny drip on the centre of a nasturtium leaf, converted to black and white and one of the few photos I have retrieved from a software meltdown.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

  • David Hood,

    My point and shoot trusty old canon s3 (I think I'm going to really miss this camera when it dies) does have the virtue of a minimum focal distance of zero, so I can put it in macro mode and literally shove the lens against something.

    Dunedin • Since May 2007 • 1445 posts Report Reply

  • David Hood,

    Attachment

    Here is one where I actually was a little too close, but it does show what happens at length 0.

    Dunedin • Since May 2007 • 1445 posts Report Reply

  • Martin Connelly,

    Thanks for that - really informative

    New Zealand • Since Jun 2012 • 28 posts Report Reply

  • Bruce Buckman, in reply to Jos,

    Attachment

    Right I'm going to try that focus stacking. I bought an old FD Pentax bellows with a slide adapter and old Pentax FD 55mm lens to go with to use for digitizing old slides. But of course without the slide adapter it's a macro setup. I'm not sure what level of magnification it gives me at its most extreme (it was designed for full frame film) but it's pretty zoomed. This is actually a small seashell (less than diameter of a 10 cent piece).

    Since Jan 2012 • 96 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __,

    Wow, Jos, just wow!!

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • JacksonP,

    Attachment Attachment Attachment

    So thrilled to have this here. Thanks Jos.

    Been hunting for other worlds, but all I found so far is this rusty nail.

    ETA: Decided it was a bit dry.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2011 • 2450 posts Report Reply

  • Jos,

    Attachment Attachment Attachment

    Thanks Lilith!
    That shell is nice as Bruce. And your rusty nail looks drinkable Jac.

    I found a slater, never knew they looked so cool, and another stink bug was posing for me.

    Whakatane • Since Jan 2012 • 877 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __, in reply to JacksonP,

    this rusty nail

    You can actually see the tetanus! ;-)

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Jos, in reply to Lilith __,

    You can feel his disease, come together...

    Whakatane • Since Jan 2012 • 877 posts Report Reply

  • David Hood,

    Related to zooming in on little things, I thought this looked like it might be interesting when there was news about it a few weeks ago
    http://boingboing.net/2014/03/10/bioengineer-builds-50-cent-pap.html

    Dunedin • Since May 2007 • 1445 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Jos,

    feel his disease, come together…

    Did I hear someone say Phil's Disease?

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Jos, in reply to David Hood,

    Very cool, I think I heard bits of an interview on nat. radio, but wasn't too sure what it was about. Seriuos new world thinking!

    Whakatane • Since Jan 2012 • 877 posts Report Reply

  • Nora Leggs,

    Attachment

    Lilith got the words right.... Wow .... they're such beautiful pictures Jos, you forget they were taken with technical trickery and patience.

    Compact macro. A more limited thing. Though sometimes getting you closer than you really wanted to get. Did I need to know about the fly's insides?

    Auckland • Since Dec 2011 • 2700 posts Report Reply

  • Jos,

    Attachment Attachment

    O for olive, close up on the side of an olive oil bottle, the flash was behind the bottle for this.
    and where Antipodes water comes from, close up of the lettering on a cold bottle

    Whakatane • Since Jan 2012 • 877 posts Report Reply

  • JacksonP,

    Attachment

    The full monty dandelion. I made a hoodie for my flash, and shot this at f 22.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2011 • 2450 posts Report Reply

  • JacksonP, in reply to Nora Leggs,

    Though sometimes getting you closer than you really wanted to get.

    That's probably close enough! Nice.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2011 • 2450 posts Report Reply

  • Hebe,

    Cooool,. Armadillo slaters are truly odd.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

  • Hebe, in reply to Nora Leggs,

    That's horridly fascinating Nora.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

  • Bruce Buckman,

    Attachment

    Alright here's my first attempt at focus stacking. This is an Oystercatcher's feather, stacked from 12 shots.

    I've got lots of pictures of spiders from when I was doing lots of macros a few years back, but out of sensitivity to folks who get freaked by super zoomed spiders in your face, I won't post them.

    Since Jan 2012 • 96 posts Report Reply

  • Jos, in reply to Bruce Buckman,

    That worked pretty well Bruce, good man, and go on, show us your spiders...

    Whakatane • Since Jan 2012 • 877 posts Report Reply

  • Bruce Buckman, in reply to Jos,

    Attachment

    Well I do love a good spider. Especially jumpy spiders. This image, with the blood red of the windowsill, feels kind of Spanish to me - a bit Hemingway Death in the Afternoon, matador versus bull or in this case spider versus fly.

    Since Jan 2012 • 96 posts Report Reply

  • Bruce Buckman,

    Attachment

    Here's another feather, this time using the Canon 50mm f1.8 + extension tubes. Stacked from 14 shots.

    Since Jan 2012 • 96 posts Report Reply

First ←Older Page 1 2 3 4 5 10 Newer→ Last

Post your response…

Please sign in using your Public Address credentials…

Login

You may also create an account or retrieve your password.