I Tried Focus Bracketing with my Mirrorless Camera (And Macro Photography Tips)
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- čas přidán 21. 05. 2024
- I tried Focus Bracketing for the first time, in the field, with my Canon R6. Watch my step by step technique as I shoot Spring close ups (and there's plenty of Macro Photography Tips for sharp focus). But do you think Focus Bracketing & Focus Stacking 'cheating'? Please Share your Thoughts in the Comments below!
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I'm using a Canon R6 with Canon EF 100mm F/2.8 Lens and the Ulanzi & Coman Travel Y Tripod.
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This video was filmed in Leeds, West Yorkshire with a Canon M50 and 15-45mm lens.
Equipment: Canon R6; Canon EF 100mm F/2.8 Lens
Music:
Take Your Time by Dan Lebowitz
Malandragem by Quincas Moreira
Krishna’s Calliope by Jesse Gallagher
Tuath De Dunsany by Jesse Gallagher
I'd love to know your opinions on Focus Bracketing and Stacking - do you think it's 'cheating'. Let me know in the Comments! If you like this 'in the field' tutorial content, check out my video on Long Lens Flower Photography: czcams.com/video/8msgB4kndo4/video.html
Not cheating at all, we all use the tools at our disposal to create better images. If stacking is cheating then by the same token using flash would be as well, for introducing light and freezing the subject. good video thanks
I have no problem with your method of stacking, integrating and producing a fine art image. I too shoot an R6 II (among others) and it is a fine instrument. I am pleased that you call it an image and not a photograph. A photograph is produced with sensitized grains of silver and no digital/computer manipulation. Either form of a picture is acceptable to me if properly labeled. Carry on, sir.
because it was your first time- as you said, don't think your heart was really into it --- but the second Braken fiddlehead is awesome- and yes, it does take practise
Another great tip Paul thanks 👏 Not cheating in my opinion!
A couple of points worth knowing. The Canon R6 mark 2 will composite/stack the images in camera for you, though I still prefer to do that myself on the computer. Secondly it's a shame Canon doesn't let the R6 focus bracket with a flash, so to use flash you have to focus at the closest point then move the camera forward by hand while using burst mode. Thanks for sharing your video.
Focus stacking something i havent tried yet, so thanks for the tips and guidance, i will give it a try soon.
Great video pal.
I think that in camera focus stacking is nice thing to learn and keep in mind just so you may have more options to get the image you may want.
Hi Paul, tried out the focus bracketing on Damselflies, worked a treat ! Thanks for the info on the subject. The only problem is that the TiFF files created by PS are huge - well over 1GB.
Great stuff. Yep.. that's one of the problems! Nothing is ever straight forward.
Hi, Paul,
Thanks for the Nice video! I really recognize the value of these technologies, but I want to say that I prefer a single capture. Perhaps a long exposure to trace the stars, or for the running water... something certainly old enough and less electronic... Well, these issues really affect the philosophy of photography as I see It. Best from South Brazil (in a flood).
I don't think it's cheating. It can be a faff but I think the more you do it the easier it gets. You'll look at a scene, recognise how deep it is and use the right number of steps with the appropriate aperture. Also if you are close to the subject and the background is yards away maybe one shot at f18 would work keeping the background blurry. With the R6 you could use the touchscreen technique. First three at F10 and slightly more open for the fourth and last shot. I think IBIS would take care of any vibration.
Another great video! In my opinion, FS is definitely not cheating. It's a method to control the DoF. I was an early adopter of Zerene Stacker for field macrophotography and now with my Canon R7 and 100mm L lens, it's really made the process easier. I recently bought a VILTROX Sprite 15C LED light. Super light weight and works very well to add a bit of light to reduce the shutter speed in the field. Like other Canon cameras, FS can't be used with flash, but I can live with fill lighting for now! Looking forward to your next video.
I didn't realise you could do that in camera. I don't focus stack very often but have always focused manually with the rear screen, but haven't been overly impressed with the results. Next time I try this I will let my R6 make the adjustments.
Focus stacking is something I enjoy using when needed, both in macro and landscapes.Horses for courses as they say. Cant beat a bit of faffyness..
I did not know it did that got to have a go. But I use DXO there is no photo stacking. Nice one.
Canons own raw software that comes free with the camera will do this for you. Many will dread using it, but it’s the only thing I use it for. Couldn’t see anyone else here had mentioned it.
Us stacking all the time with fungi. Typically small increments. My R7 stacks in camera and produces a jpeg and most the time this is as good or better than my computer software. Makes life much easier. Use to take images manually to stack. In camera is much easier
I agree, use the R7 and RF100-500 handheld for internal focus stack, works great. Best for objects that keep there shape, like a Damselfly in the morning, also good light to have good contrast is important. If there is to much movement or not enough contrast the camera will not make the stack, and that is just fine.🙂
Shout out to the courageous mini spider at 09:51
I don’t consider it cheating, it’s just another tool that you can use. Much like using a 600mm lens to photograph a far away bird, it’s not the same as what you saw with the naked eye from where you’re standing so is that cheating? Of course not, just another tool! :)
Having said that, I don’t think the focus bracketing feature is particularly well implemented on the Canon (and I say this as a die hard Canon user since the mid 90’s). I do an awful lot of macro and have done my fair share of stacked images, from hand held to studio work on a rail using microscope objectives. The built-in system on the Canon is incredibly clunky on the R6 & R7 that I own (it may be better on higher models, I don’t know).
I tend to use diffused flash most of the time while out in the field but the flash won’t fire in electronic shutter mode (which is required for automatic focus bracketing unfortunately). I’ll just stick to doing it manually for now until Canon pull their finger out and release something more useful (like the OM system has).
Thanks for sharing Paul. Great tube. Far to "faffy" for me to be honest, each to their own. Not sure our eyes see images in total focus either. Maybe works for some subjects. As for cheating, just another tool in the photographic toolbox I suppose.
While the focus stacked image was nice, I prefer the single shot images. Of course, this all depends on what the subject matter is and one's preference. Wonderful video. 😎👍
Why are bluebells so difficult to photograph well? The unfurling fronds of ferns is very beautiful.
Focus stacking can be time consuming, frustrating and full of failure. Definitely one of the more challenging techniques in photography. If you go deeper into macro photography Zerene software gives a lot of tools for improving deeper stacks. I often shoot stacks of around 150-200 images.
I thought the camera did the stacking in camera for the final product? I dont have light room so this is not helping me
This one doesn't. Some do, like the R6 Mark ii.
@@PaulMiguelPhotographymy R7 does it in camera. I love playing around with it
I’m sure that many confirmed macro photographers use this technique. But for me, who shoots the occasional macro shot, but birds primarily, it’s just too much hard work. Plus I only use Apple Photo and I dont think that has the facility to merge the images. A great and informative video though.
God cameras make it awkward to focus bracket. I really want a camera with wifi control so I can just write like a python script that connects to the camera, loops while moving the focal point and streams back the images. That would be awesome o.o
I don’t consider it cheating at all. I’ve not tried it yet though.
It doesn't seem like cheating compared to a clamp or cutting twigs off of branches lol. And now that AI is a prominent feature of editing software, who's to say anymore.
Definitely not cheating. Not quick to do. Experimental. In my case my computer slows to a crawl at 5 images or more in raw. I Keep meaning to process the individual images, save them as jpegs then do the focus stack with the smaller files. Rob
You know you can Controle your camera from your phone? That way you don 't have to click the shutter button