Focus Stacking & Bracketing

[Snuffels]

Has anyone tries focus stacking with the X1D?  If so any tips on what you did.  Same question on bracketing.

[siddhaarta]

As far as bracketing is concerned, no need for me, as the dynamic range of the sensor is plenty.

For focus stacking I use a preset with E-Shutter, self-timer 2s and focus peaking. Focus peaking at the selected aperture helps quite a lot to visualize the DOF and to move accordingly the focus ring. Works like a charm. In post I use Zerene Stacker which gives me normally better results than Helicon Focus. 

[Michael H. Cothran]

Yes, I focus stack quite frequently with the X1D, and also the H4D, and the 500 series bodies. The actual focus stacking doesn't really have anything to do with the camera, but with post production file editing. And for that I use PS CS6, going to Edit>Auto-Blend>Stack. It always stacks with no problem.
I normally stack three images for landscapes - near, middle, and infinity. 4 or 5 images if the near subject is real close. I usually stay in the f5.6-f11 range for each shot.
As far as bracketing, I've never really seen the need to (yet), but I do exposure bracketing on occasion if the scene is pretty contrasty. For bracketing, I NEVER use an HDR software, but bracket manually in CS6 using Layers & Masks along with a brush to paint in reveal or conceal.

Here's a couple of shots of 3-image focus stacking - one with the H4D, and one with the X1D.

[hcubell]

As far as bracketing is concerned, no need for me, as the dynamic range of the sensor is plenty.

For focus stacking I use a preset with E-Shutter, self-timer 2s and focus peaking. Focus peaking at the selected aperture helps quite a lot to visualize the DOF and to move accordingly the focus ring. Works like a charm. In post I use Zerene Stacker which gives me normally better results than Helicon Focus. 

I have started to experiment that way using focus peaking to pick my focus points. I had previously been moving the focus point manually and then using magnified live view manual focus to reset the focus, but I was guessing as to where to place the focus points. Focus peaking will hopefully provide a useful "map" of the DOF zone.

[BradP]

Like others here I do both.  For focus stacking you're unlikely to find a better set of instructions than Michael Erlewine's free sequence of videos here.  http://spiritgrooves.net/Photography.aspx. You will see some great pictures there too.

For exposure bracketing, I agree with Michael that the best method is highly manual layer painting in Photoshop.  Never found an HDR program to produce realistic results consistently, although exposure "fusion" methods can frequently do pretty well.

In both cases, a tripod is necessary, and wind and anything moving is the enemy (e.g., clouds, leaves, sun, moon).   Automation here would help to minimize those adverse effects and greatly facilitate image acquisition. At least some here are hopeful H's engineers might be able to build those functions in a firmware update (hint, hint).

[kiubabar]

Stacking with four images, using the Zerene Stacker. You need to convert the files into TIFF first.
B0001317-8K

[Hassilistic]

Stacking with four images, using the Zerene Stacker.

Interesting piece of software! Do you prefer it over Ps & Lr Stacking, or you just use it as an alternative?  and what do you feel is the best advantages as it is quite expensive at $300 being a one trick pony.

[kiubabar]

Stacking with four images, using the Zerene Stacker.

Interesting piece of software! Do you prefer it over Ps & Lr Stacking, or you just use it as an alternative?  and what do you feel is the best advantages as it is quite expensive at $300 being a one trick pony.

I am using the personal edition. This software is a gift from a friend. I think it's good and fast enough for me. Yes, PS & Lr do a good job for most of the time, so just an alternative choice.

[DavidN]

You might want to take a look at this comparison of focus stacking software with Photoshop, Helicon Focus and Zerene by Dr Robert Berdan. Published in August of 2017.

https://www.canadiannaturephotographer.com/rberdan_focus_stacking.html

David