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focus stacking

edwardkaraa

New member
I've been asked to use focus stacking on a jewelry shoot to render all parts of the items in sharp focus. Obviously I've never done that before, and even feel a bit aprehensive since I really like to throw uninteresting parts of the items OOF. Anyway, a quick google search returned a few free softwares and Helicon. I'm interested to know if anyone here uses this technique and would recommend a particular software (preferably free :D) and of course, any advice would be very greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
 

gilgameshist

New member
I've been asked to use focus stacking on a jewelry shoot to render all parts of the items in sharp focus. Obviously I've never done that before, and even feel a bit aprehensive since I really like to throw uninteresting parts of the items OOF. Anyway, a quick google search returned a few free softwares and Helicon. I'm interested to know if anyone here uses this technique and would recommend a particular software (preferably free :D) and of course, any advice would be very greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
Edward,

Please, check this article about 'extended DOF' at Luminous Landscape site:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/Helicon.shtml

The author seems to like the 64-bit version of Helicon Focus SW.

MG
 

edwardkaraa

New member
Thanks MG, very interesting read indeed.

I can see this becoming incorporated in every future DSLR, you just choose extended DOF in the menu and the camera automatically takes a series of photos and combines them into one :D In the meanwhile this software costs 250$ and probably has some learning curve. I wonder if I will be able to learn how to use it before tomorrows shoot.
 

gilgameshist

New member
Thanks MG, very interesting read indeed.

I can see this becoming incorporated in every future DSLR, you just choose extended DOF in the menu and the camera automatically takes a series of photos and combines them into one :D
:LOL: I think, Sony can do better(thanks to the mind of Minolta for AS). We have shifting sensors in the form of SSS. If we have a FW that gives us the ability not only shift the sensor(SSS already doing this), but also tilt, then we'd have the extended DOF w/o hitting difraction. I'd like to have reverse tilt option as well :D
In the meanwhile this software costs 250$ and probably has some learning curve. I wonder if I will be able to learn how to use it before tomorrows shoot.
Tight schedule! Hmmm, I don't know how many pieces of jewelry in question, but Photoshop could be of some help here. How about taking two shots covering full DOF for each jewelry. Then stack them up as layers and on top layer(or both layers) create a layer mask, w/ the brush tool masking away unwanted part of image. Any mismatched parts can be taken care of transform tools like distort, warp etc. It might be time consuming though. Just a suggestion!

Good luck!

MG

AS: Anti Shake
 

Ebe

New member
Combine ZM is a free PC focus stacking software.
It does not support 16-bit files, but in many images
I preferred it's output to Helicon's.
* Note, have not played with Helicon for several months *
Two examples with a Mamiya_Phase are in the Medium Format, Fun with MF Images,
Page 34, the truck door is from 3 frames, and the other was 4 frames.
I have used it for landscapes, macro's, cars, and some images of a custom knife.
Willing to email a high-rez file for you to review

Give it a try, it's free, works
 

edwardkaraa

New member
:LOL: I think, Sony can do better(thanks to the mind of Minolta for AS). We have shifting sensors in the form of SSS. If we have a FW that gives us the ability not only shift the sensor(SSS already doing this), but also tilt, then we'd have the extended DOF w/o hitting difraction. I'd like to have reverse tilt option as well :D
AS: Anti Shake
That would be a cool idea, and not entirely impossible, even though it may involve increasing the thickness of the camera substantially. But seriously, I believe the focus stacking is within the capabilities of all current DSLR. I find it a bit odd that no one has thought of including it yet.
 

edwardkaraa

New member
Combine ZM is a free PC focus stacking software.
It does not support 16-bit files, but in many images
I preferred it's output to Helicon's.
* Note, have not played with Helicon for several months *
Two examples with a Mamiya_Phase are in the Medium Format, Fun with MF Images,
Page 34, the truck door is from 3 frames, and the other was 4 frames.
I have used it for landscapes, macro's, cars, and some images of a custom knife.
Willing to email a high-rez file for you to review

Give it a try, it's free, works
Thanks Kurt. I will certainly give it a try today. Your examples seem to be perfectly executed.
 
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wayne_s

New member
If I remember, the most important thing is taking the sucessive shots with the change in focus point so that the regions in sharpest focus overlap from one shot to the next, which is similar in concept to having to overlap shots enough when creating pano's.
Good Luck!
 

edwardkaraa

New member
Thanks Wayne for the link.

I downloaded both ZM and a trial version of Helicon. After fooling around a bit, I uninstalled them both. I decided that I spend every day too many hours behind my computer. Converting raws, spotting the pictures for sensor dust and actual dust on the items are very time consuming already. So I decided not to do the stacking after all. I'm either a photo purist or too lazy, or both :D
 

APY_JR

New member
Come on Edward... get with the program:)

Here are two shots with Helicon Focus.
The first is the initial shot... 9 shots later you end up with the combined result.
Easy to use... not time consuming... and... if I were doing product shots this looks much better to me... don't you think?

Hope this helps!

Albert

First shot:



Second combined shot (9 images)

 
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