Two views of a dahlia

[DanK]

In a pot on our back deck. They are quite remarkable flowers, but I am not entirely satisfied with either of these. C&C welcome of course.

For those interested in such things: both are stacks, I think 14 images. I stacked in Zerene, using both DMap to preserve color and texture and PMax because it creates less severe halos from parallax. then retouched from PMax to DMap.

[Shadowman]

Nice closeups.

[IzzieK]

Between the two I like #2 better, maybe because I am practicing more on macro shots than anything but ignorant on stacking. I like the texture on both but the centre of the 2nd shot looks "crunchy"? I do not know the right word to put here but it reminds me of eating pomegranate (sp?) although it is a different colour here.

[JohnRostron]

You have got both images nicely in focus throughout the focal range. Did you use a rail to change the focal plane, or did you change it by lens focussing? I have been experimenting with both (although, at present, I slide the camera against a ruler rather than use a rail).

John

[DanK]

John,

By changing focus with the lens. At this level of magnification, there is no reason to use a rail. If you look on my site, you will see scores of stacked macros, many at considerably higher levels of magnification than this. I didn't use a rail for focusing with any of them, although I do have a rail.

The main advantage of a rail is that it gives you known steps between shots, because a good rail will have a specific thread pitch that gives you a known change in distance per revolution. That precision is not needed for this sort of work. Assuming you get a similar number of images to stack, you will get the same results either way.

I do own a high-quality rail, but I use it only to help me get the camera positioned properly to begin with. For example, suppose I set up a flower on my table and set up the camera on a tripod, only to find that the working distance is 2 cm too large to get me the magnification I want. If I move the tripod or the flower, I will almost always mess up the framing and have to start again. I started using a rail last year to lessen that problem. I also use a geared head for that work--a huge and heavy head that I wouldn't want to lug around but that gives me much more precision in getting the framing I want. For outdoors work, like these photos, I just use a lightweight ball head and no rail, and make do with having to move the tripod around. I'll post a shot of my indoor rig.

Dan

[JohnRostron]

Thanks for the information. I have been wondering about a rail, but one problem is that it will raise the camera unnecessarily when trying to photograph flowers or fungi at ground level. A problem with focussing the lens is that I would like to use a ringflash or ring light, which would turn with the lens focussing. I have not tried this yet. I would like to get it sussed before the autumn fungus season.

John

[DanK]

John,

this is what I do for fungi and the like:



I think it would accommodate a rail without a problem.

I don't use a ring flash. I use a diffused single flash. However, the front element and filter ring/hood clip on my macro lenses do not rotate when focus is changed, so if the ring light is attached to them, it should be fine.

Dan

[Wavelength]

Lovely colors

[bnnrcn]

Very nice images with lovely colors Dan if I had to choose I would prefer #2.