Focus-Stacking: Waiting for the Vibrations to Die Out

[Michael Erlewine]

Focus-Stacking:

Focus stacking (with its layers) wants to be aligned properly. With heavier equipment (like view cameras) and odd angles of inclination for the camera in order to get the shot we want, the sheer weight of the bellows, lens, etc. can at times put stress on the focusing device, making it not always advance smoothly, and its movement causes vibrations..

Quite often, I have to wait for the movement I just made with the focus knob to stabilize and the slight jitter to die down.

I use the Nikon Z7 or Nikon D859. And I wish Nikon would allow me to magnify the object, take the photo, and return to the magnified view. Yet, of course, Nikon does not allow this.

Yet, in magnified view I can clearly see if there is any shimmer in the object, but it is very tedious (and adds further shakiness of its own) to continue to press the magnified view, just to see that shakiness is gone.

And so, a great work-around is to simply add a small bubble level to the hot-shoe on the camera (or wherever). It is very easy to keep an eye on the level and see where there is shakiness and watch it die down. Works perfectly. I can advance the focus steps and keep my eye on the bubble-level and see exactly when there is no longer any movement.

I realize this will interest about zero of you reading this, but there may be a soul or two who stack focus who have not yet found this very helpful tip.

 Waiting for the Vibrations to Die Out

[mcbroomf]

Well I am one that finds this tip very useful Michael.  Thank you.  In fact I could have used it this morning taking photos of swamp mallows in a salt marsh.  I was not focus stacking but prefer lower ISO if the wind allows slightly longer exposure times, but I just have to wait for vibrations to die down and this would have been useful.

Mike

[kers]

i don't understand- you can use the electronic shutter-  no vibration at all i would say?

[Jonathan Cross]

Yes, I use the electronic shutter.  Ok I use a Fuji, but the principle is probably the same; manually focus a little in front of the nearest part of the target, and set the sequence of images going.  I use zero interval between shots, and have been pleased with the results after using Helicon to merge stacks.

Best wishes,

Jonathan

[Michael Erlewine]

i don't understand- you can use the electronic shutter-  no vibration at all i would say?

You missed the point. The vibrations come from turning the knob on the focus rail of the  view camera, which triggers small vibrations, not the camera itself..

[Jonathan Cross]

Ah, I understand.  Yes this will be a consequence of using that type of camera for this purpose.

Jonathan

[kers]

You missed the point. The vibrations come from turning the knob on the focus rail of the  view camera, which triggers small vibrations, not the camera itself..

Ah, i see. my bad.
It is one reason i only want AF lenses- to be able to do focus stacking painless and fast.
I noticed the Z7 is much faster than my d850.

[Conner999]

There is also a seismograph iPhone app that will graphically show vibration. You can also set an alarm to trigger at certain levels.

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

There is also a seismograph iPhone app that will graphically show vibration. You can also set an alarm to trigger at certain levels.

Yes, such an application should be useful. Android phones have similar applications that can plot vibrations/accelerations, and even analyze the main frequencies (which might give a clue how/where to dampen in the setup).

[SrMi]

What is the advantage of using focus rail vs Nikon's focus shift shooting (focus bracketing)?

[Michael Erlewine]

What is the advantage of using focus rail vs Nikon's focus shift shooting (focus bracketing)?

Almost all of the lenses I use are "exotic" APO lenses and would not work with Nikon focus bracketing.

[PeterAit]

I have determined, by looking thru the viewfinder, how long it takes the vibrations to settle after a focus change. I take exposures manually, so I just wait that length of time--maybe 5 secs--before taking the next.

Related--do you find Helicon to be better than Photoshop for stacking?

[BobShaw]

Focus-Stacking:

Focus stacking (with its layers) wants to be aligned properly. With heavier equipment (like view cameras) and odd angles of inclination for the camera in order to get the shot we want, the sheer weight of the bellows, lens, etc. can at times put stress on the focusing device, making it not always advance smoothly, and its movement causes vibrations..

Or you could just sell that truck load of equipment and get an X1d with focus stacking built in with one click of the shutter button. Set the initial delay, set the number of shots, set the change in focus, set the delay between shots, press the shutter and stand back. No movement.

[Michael Erlewine]

I use Zerene Stacker. I had an X1D and didn't like it.

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

I use Zerene Stacker. I had an X1D and didn't like it.

I assume you have, or have tried, the Cognisys StackShot Macro Rail. Although it will add to the bulk of equipment to carry in the field, it does allow to preset the time interval between shots, to account for vibration dampening or flash recharge time, and it even allows to set the torque and acceleration of the movement between shots.

[Michael Erlewine]

I assume you have, or have tried, the Cognisys StackShot Macro Rail. Although it will add to the bulk of equipment to carry in the field, it does allow to preset the time interval between shots, to account for vibration dampening or flash recharge time, and it even allows to set the torque and acceleration of the movement between shots.

I have a StackShot and use it sometimes, but mostly I use (and prefer) doing incrementally by hand. Especially if there are any curves, spheres, or globes, where you have to tighten the increment (make it less) to capture the sphere, etc. I don't take the Stackshot in the field, but I do take the Cambo Actus Mini, which I have tricked out as best I can.

Here is a stack with the still-new-to-me Nikon Noct95.