X2D Focus Bracket Question

[Paul2660]

As with Fuji, and Nikon etc when you shoot a Focus Bracket with the X2D, there is no option to put the images in a unique folder (at least that I can find), so all the images are grouped together on the card in the main folder. With Fuji I found an old app that allows you to find the sequence numbers via thumbnails so I can at least get the images per bracket figured out.

Phocus from what I can find, tells you nothing about a sequence and or that the images were part of a focus bracket.

Does anyone know of exif editor that will show this information on a 3Fr raw? I have tried "Fastraw Viewer" but it has no option for this. I need the viewer for a Mac.

I had hoped that with DJI's influence, Hasselblad would give the option to have separate folders per bracket. DJI allows this on their drone raws, for creation of a pano for example all the raws per pano are in a separate folder.

If you shoot many during a day, it's easy to get lost with all the raw, trying to remember which images were in a bracket. Only way I can figure now with the X2d is put a black from before and after each bracketing sequence, which will waste a lot of shots, not to mention the shutter on the lens and unnecessary use of the sensor.

Thanks
Paul

[Bob Foster]

I do not know a way of doing this on the SSD or CfExpress card. If you are willing to connect to Phocus between sequences sorting could be made much less painful by selecting an appropriate file Name Preset for each sequence. Please refer to page 47 of the Phocus manual v25 for the procedure.

If you are shooting tethered you can easily place each sequence in an individual directory (folder). Please refer to page 37 of the Phocus manual v25 for the procedure. 

Using exiftool itself and calling for a complete listing of the parameters the X2D records I do not recall seeing anything that would be of use to you.

Bob

[MGrayson]

You can easily create a new folder before each sequence. Taking a picture of your hand before and after a sequence is also easy, and the cost in wear and tear on the camera and lens shutter is literally pennies. I'll do the calculation if you wish, but the cost of storage to keep a single image is comparable - under 10 cents. And both are an order of magnitude (or two) cheaper than film. Enjoy the 21st century!

[MSuser]

The X2D 100C, like all Hasselblad digital cameras and backs, includes the ability for the user to create individual folders for groups of images whenever you like. 

[Patrick CM]

Just create a new folder for each batch. Quick and easy.

[Bob Foster]

I may be mistaken but my take on the original post was that Paul was looking for a means to readily identify separate focus bracketing sequences.

You can create individual directories (folders) for each sequence; but as you have no control over folder naming the usefulness of this seems to fall outside of what Paul is looking for.

I grossly underexpose a single frame between sequences.

Bob

[Patrick CM]

just trying to offer a solution. Creating a folder works. Creating a "dummy" shot, whether black, a hand whatever, also works. Now the OP has a choice,OK?

[MSuser]

I may be mistaken but my take on the original post was that Paul was looking for a means to readily identify separate focus bracketing sequences.

The original post said: "when you shoot a Focus Bracket with the X2D, there is no option to put the images in a unique folder (at least that I can find), so all the images are grouped together on the card in the main folder."

You can create a unique folder for a series of images at the time of capture with any Hasselblad H or X digital camera or back.

You can create individual directories (folders) for each sequence; but as you have no control over folder naming the usefulness of this seems to fall outside of what Paul is looking for.

Images and folders are assigned default names when created in the camera. You can rename images and folders as you like during or after importing. I don't see how that affects the usefulness of grouping images in unique folders.

If you put all of the images from a focus bracket sequence into a unique folder when captured, it makes it easier to find and identify them as they are all grouped together separately from any other images you shoot.

[Patrick CM]

For information, if you change the folder name in the SSD or CFe then you can no longer view the images in camera. I tried as an experiment. Just copy the folders to your computer, then change the folder names on the computer if you wish to do so.

[polychloros]

Taking a photo of my hand before and after is the way I normally deal with the problem but sometimes I forget to do so and I have to end up looking at the capture time of a sequence to see where a focus bracket sequence likely ended. Adding custom folder names, etc. isn't a very convenient solution IMO.

Maybe I am missing something but I can't imagine it would be hard for the software to tag files in a focus bracket sequence with some kind of identifying code that Phocus could understand or even to embed it into the EXIF data so that it can be read more widely.

[Paul2660]

Thanks for all the responses. Sure creating a new folder each time can work. However I assume you have to create another folder after the bracket sequence is finished or shots taken after will continue to stay in that folder.

The tag is more than likely already they're deep in the exif info and it would be nice to be able to view a days shoot with a thumbnail browser that shows exif detailed info.

For now I will resort to the lens cap or hand method.

Paul

[hcubell]

Paul, I am not sure that you use LR, but it has an Auto-Stacking feature that lets you "stack" photos in the Library Panel based upon how close in time the photos were made to one another. You can set the time frame.
Here is a YT Video describing it.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HKkK3Zlc4o
I use LR for my catalog and generally decide what I want to process using the Library Tab, but I will on occasion then go to Phocus to process the images I want to develop. If it's a Focus Bracket, I will then export the sequence of 16 Bit Tiffs to a new subfolder for the stack and export from there to Helicon Focus.

[Paul2660]

Howard.

Thanks. I do use LR but was not aware of this feature and will check it out. In the past I always led with C1 but that option is out now not available.

Paul

[JCM-Photos]

I make it quick and dirty when shooting, separating bracketed sequences with a blank frame before and after the sequence with my hand before the lens

[pdprinter]

I make it quick and dirty when shooting, separating bracketed sequences with a blank frame before and after the sequence with my hand before the lens

I do the same because generating a new folder is more time consuming