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curveto · 11-16-2007, 02:52 PM

So I've been practicing some macro photography lately which has left me wondering why no camera has an F-stop bracketing feature. They all have exposure bracketing but it would also be nice to have a feature whereby,when in aperture mode, the camera will take a second (or tertiary) shot at a 1/2 or 1 stop either side of your selected aperture.

Aside from taking the artist out of the equation somewhat, is there something I'm missing that dictates why they don't have such a feature?

JohnC · 11-16-2007, 03:31 PM

What camera are you using? I would think that you would need to be in Time/shutter priority to do that. In aperture priority mode you are specifying the aperture, so it shouldn't change when bracketing, instead the shutter speed would change.

curveto · 11-16-2007, 05:34 PM

That's the funkiness. If one uses shutter priority you can't really control the centerpoint (if you will) for the aperture for the bracketing I'm envisioning. 'Course, now that you make me think about it I suppose I could back may way into it by setting it to shutter priority with exposure bracketing enabled and then go through a cycle of exposure testing (i.e., half down shutter) changing the shutter speed selection until I get the camera to pick the aperture that complements what I want. I'm trying to get it to give me a selection of shots with different depths of field.

I was doing some macro (and narrow depth of field) practicing the other day and a few shots were perfect *except* for the fact that the depth of field was a bit to narrow for what I wanted. ...and determining DoF for a given stage isn't yet instinctive.

I suppose I could also stop down the lense in AP mode to test/verify my DoF choice more precisely but I wasn't doing that either.

Thoughts?

curveto · 11-16-2007, 05:36 PM

Obviously one can achieve my goal with three separate AP shots but I was trying to think of how one could do this quickly (or automatically).

curveto · 11-19-2007, 08:08 AM

I thought about it some more and while SP is an answer it isn't the answer. If I use SP and back my way into into the desired DoF the aperture will change (with exposure bracketing) but as a side effect the exposure will too. Ugh.

Do any of the higher end cameras allow DoF "bracketing?" Just curious.

JohnC · 11-26-2007, 04:41 PM

I'm not aware of any DoF bracketing options. Depth of field at macro distances is so shallow that even stopping down considerably may not be enough. Manual focus is probably better than autofocus. And try to align the film plane with the plane of the image that needs most sharpness to counter the limited DoF in macro.

Have you looked at software that takes focus-bracketed images and combines/masks them to give more DoF?

curveto · 11-26-2007, 05:24 PM

> Have you looked at software that takes focus-bracketed images and combines/masks them to give more DoF?

Nope. Is there a Ps plug-in you're thinking of?

Howard Allen · 11-26-2007, 07:43 PM

I don't presume to speak for John, but he may have been thinking of Heliconfocus which merges a series of images focussed on different planes to create extreme depth of field.

Cheers,

JohnC · 11-27-2007, 01:47 PM

Thanks, Howard. I couldn't think of the name. I think there are one or two others, too. But Helicon seems to be the most well known.

lurkalot · 12-11-2007, 02:45 PM

Best way would be to use focus stacking. Focus at various points through the subject, and then stack them using free software such as Combine Z5. Much better than Heliconfocus IMO because it's free.

There's Tutorial By Brian V, Here

You can check out some of his macro insect etc images Here and Here

You can download combineZM Free for windows here, CombineZM

Hope this helps.

11-16-2007, 02:52 PM	#1
curveto Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: some room with white padded walls ... now surrounded by Saguaro Cacti Posts: 352	Why don't they...? So I've been practicing some macro photography lately which has left me wondering why no camera has an F-stop bracketing feature. They all have exposure bracketing but it would also be nice to have a feature whereby,when in aperture mode, the camera will take a second (or tertiary) shot at a 1/2 or 1 stop either side of your selected aperture. Aside from taking the artist out of the equation somewhat, is there something I'm missing that dictates why they don't have such a feature?

11-26-2007, 07:43 PM	#8
Howard Allen Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 824	I don't presume to speak for John, but he may have been thinking of Heliconfocus which merges a series of images focussed on different planes to create extreme depth of field. Cheers, __________________ Howard OSX 10.10.5

12-11-2007, 02:45 PM	#10
lurkalot Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Manningtree Essex UK Posts: 55	Best way would be to use focus stacking. Focus at various points through the subject, and then stack them using free software such as Combine Z5. Much better than Heliconfocus IMO because it's free. There's Tutorial By Brian V, Here You can check out some of his macro insect etc images Here and Here You can download combineZM Free for windows here, CombineZM Hope this helps. __________________ Mick My Website

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11-16-2007, 03:31 PM	#2
JohnC Staff Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 124	What camera are you using? I would think that you would need to be in Time/shutter priority to do that. In aperture priority mode you are specifying the aperture, so it shouldn't change when bracketing, instead the shutter speed would change.

11-16-2007, 05:34 PM	#3
curveto Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: some room with white padded walls ... now surrounded by Saguaro Cacti Posts: 352	That's the funkiness. If one uses shutter priority you can't really control the centerpoint (if you will) for the aperture for the bracketing I'm envisioning. 'Course, now that you make me think about it I suppose I could back may way into it by setting it to shutter priority with exposure bracketing enabled and then go through a cycle of exposure testing (i.e., half down shutter) changing the shutter speed selection until I get the camera to pick the aperture that complements what I want. I'm trying to get it to give me a selection of shots with different depths of field. I was doing some macro (and narrow depth of field) practicing the other day and a few shots were perfect except for the fact that the depth of field was a bit to narrow for what I wanted. ...and determining DoF for a given stage isn't yet instinctive. I suppose I could also stop down the lense in AP mode to test/verify my DoF choice more precisely but I wasn't doing that either. Thoughts?

11-16-2007, 05:36 PM	#4
curveto Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: some room with white padded walls ... now surrounded by Saguaro Cacti Posts: 352	Obviously one can achieve my goal with three separate AP shots but I was trying to think of how one could do this quickly (or automatically).

11-19-2007, 08:08 AM	#5
curveto Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: some room with white padded walls ... now surrounded by Saguaro Cacti Posts: 352	I thought about it some more and while SP is an answer it isn't the answer. If I use SP and back my way into into the desired DoF the aperture will change (with exposure bracketing) but as a side effect the exposure will too. Ugh. Do any of the higher end cameras allow DoF "bracketing?" Just curious.

11-26-2007, 04:41 PM	#6
JohnC Staff Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 124	I'm not aware of any DoF bracketing options. Depth of field at macro distances is so shallow that even stopping down considerably may not be enough. Manual focus is probably better than autofocus. And try to align the film plane with the plane of the image that needs most sharpness to counter the limited DoF in macro. Have you looked at software that takes focus-bracketed images and combines/masks them to give more DoF?

11-26-2007, 05:24 PM	#7
curveto Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: some room with white padded walls ... now surrounded by Saguaro Cacti Posts: 352	> Have you looked at software that takes focus-bracketed images and combines/masks them to give more DoF? Nope. Is there a Ps plug-in you're thinking of?

11-27-2007, 01:47 PM	#9
JohnC Staff Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 124	Thanks, Howard. I couldn't think of the name. I think there are one or two others, too. But Helicon seems to be the most well known.