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Fun with MF images - ARCHIVED - FOR VIEWING ONLY

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Don Libby

Well-known member
Sandy brought me this flower as I was finishing up in the studio this afternoon; she found it laying on the ground in our neighbors yard. Image is the result of 3-stacked images processed in C1Pro and CS5. DF/P65+ Mamiya 120 mm f/11 1/125 ISO100 and my new Metz flash by way of Ken and Guy.



Don
 
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dick

New member

Stacking refers to shooting the same image several times using the same setting for each except changing the focal point ever so slightly. I've taken up to 11 images when processed together show a finish image where everything is in sharp focus. The technique is sometimes called stacking. Stacking can be done with any camera that allows the photographer to manually manipulate the focusing ring of the lens. Likewise you can mount the camera on a focusing rail and move the entire camera.
You can also re-focus by moving the subject or the rear standard of a view camera, e.g. with a stackshot powered rail... or use a decent versatile professional camera with depth-of-field stacking ability built in, when one comes on the market.
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
You can also re-focus by moving the subject or the rear standard of a view camera, e.g. with a stackshot powered rail... or use a decent versatile professional camera with depth-of-field stacking ability built in, when one comes on the market.
Or using a focusing rail like I did for the red flower above. Actually used 3-methods, lens focus, moving the subject itself and the rail. The first 2 were used to get close with the rail used for the final 3-shots.

Don
 

gazwas

Active member
Inspired by Don's recent postings and the fact that I too also have recently added the rather excellent Phase 120mm MF Macro to my lens collection I thought I'd post this shot taken today following an April shower.

No fancy focus stacking sorry!

Phase One P65+, DF, 120mm MF Macro

 

gerald.d

Well-known member
Great shot Gerald, looks like a model town! Was this shot with the 50mm shift?

Considering it's a night shot, I would have just nudged up the blacks levels as they are looking a bit grey.
Thanks Gareth - and also to those kind people who "liked" the shot. It's very early days for me with this back (I've only been out and shot with it twice so far as I'm very time poor at the moment), and I have a LOT to learn - especially about getting the most out of the image on the post side of things - so the likes and kind comments are extremely encouraging :)

I have a bit of a problem in that I don't have a decent monitor (recommendations welcomed - I want to get one soon), so what I'm seeing is almost certainly not what you're seeing, nor what it should actually look like.

Shot with the 80/1.9.

Here's one with the 50:



I deliberately haven't touched any development settings (other than WB) on this one and would be very welcoming of any suggestions as to how to improve it.

/edit
(Should point out that of course I can work with the file and improve it myself, I thought it would be best to start with an untouched image when reaching out for help and guidance. One thing that is astonishing me is the sheer latitude of adjustments possible with files from the IQ180 before things start to break up. It really is mind-numbing what this back can do.)
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
One thing that is astonishing me is the sheer latitude of adjustments possible with files from the IQ180 before things start to break up. It really is mind-numbing what this back can do.)
It is definitely true, the IQ180 files are incredibly elastic :)

Re blacks I'd agree, and usually I end up adding black to my IQ180 files. (In C1 you do this with the levels tools by pushing the bottom of the LH slider to the right a few points until you have just barely clipped blacks. I use a value of 4 for shadow clipping in the exposure warning dialog since that is where my Epson printer first shows a visible "gray" lighter than pure black with my normal paper and profile.)

Cheers,
 

Nathan W. Lediard

New member
Well trying to bring some balance to this thread with some people shots instead of all these (wonderful) landscape pics... Landscape has never really been my thing, (not least coz it means getting out of bed at silly hours) :D but I am just more of a portrait/people kinda guy... that said.. if nature serves up something while I am there, well I can be tempted to stop and pull out the camera.... working late last night at the studio, when I came outside at nearly 3 am and my eyes adjusted I was presented with the Northern Lights, not the strongest display I have seen, but probably one of the last ones this year before the sun takes away the dark nights completely...
Anyhow, here it is, first time with long exposure with the H4D-40... I was very comfortable with the 1DsmkIII and knew exactly what gave me the best results for northern lights, so this was very much seat of the pants :)
ISO 400 f4,8 50mm with the 50-110 32 seconds


I also took a couple at iso 200 64 seconds... will maybe post them up later... gotta get off to a shoot now.
 

gazwas

Active member
I deliberately haven't touched any development settings (other than WB) on this one and would be very welcoming of any suggestions as to how to improve it.
The problem with subjects like this is I think its all about personal preference and what looks best to one person, looks terrible to another.

If it were me, I would:

- lift the shadows a little to bring out the building details in the foreground
- add an adjustment layer to darken back the top of the sky
- boost the blues to give the night sky and neons more impact.
- reduce saturation with advanced colour editor on some of the greens in the streets
- adjust the red of the road/traffic to a more saturated yellow with the advanced colour editor rather than the washed out red colour now.
- (optional) possibly ad a few stars in post

Quick dirty edit with the jpeg you posted that is still the same great shot, just different.
 

etrump

Well-known member
Thanks Gareth - and also to those kind people who "liked" the shot. It's very early days for me with this back (I've only been out and shot with it twice so far as I'm very time poor at the moment), and I have a LOT to learn - especially about getting the most out of the image on the post side of things - so the likes and kind comments are extremely encouraging :)

I have a bit of a problem in that I don't have a decent monitor (recommendations welcomed - I want to get one soon), so what I'm seeing is almost certainly not what you're seeing, nor what it should actually look like.

Shot with the 80/1.9.

Here's one with the 50:



I deliberately haven't touched any development settings (other than WB) on this one and would be very welcoming of any suggestions as to how to improve it.

/edit
(Should point out that of course I can work with the file and improve it myself, I thought it would be best to start with an untouched image when reaching out for help and guidance. One thing that is astonishing me is the sheer latitude of adjustments possible with files from the IQ180 before things start to break up. It really is mind-numbing what this back can do.)
Nice image. Only since you asked, viewing on my iPad some of the lights seem to have a color cast. The white lights have a touch of green and the seems a too have a hint of pink/red. You should have enough shadow detail to lift some with the HDR slider in c1.

I would be tempted to bring down the red and green to bring out a little nighttime blue - or maybe just bring up the blue.
 

etrump

Well-known member
Nice image. Only since you asked, viewing on my iPad some of the lights seem to have a color cast. The white lights have a touch of green and the seems a too have a hint of pink/red. You should have enough shadow detail to lift some with the HDR slider in c1.

I would be tempted to bring down the red and green to bring out a little nighttime blue - or maybe just bring up the blue.
Oops, looks like Gareth did most of what I suggested.
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Regarding Gerald's Dubai shot, aside the color cast corrections that folks are suggesting I'd also recommend shooting next time a little earlier into the evening before the sky hits black or reflects the glow of the city lights. (Having been there recently I realize that this is a short time window at times!)

You're never going to get 'neutral' lighting due to the nature of a mix of lighting types in use in an environment like this. I think you're really at the stage of deciding and changing the color to suit what you like vs what is 'accurate'.
 
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