Bumble Bee Macro ....

RedRobin

RedRobin

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Robin
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Looking good Robin (y)
 
Kaltenberg Mike said:
How do you keep it still enough for a focus stack? (the bees knees by the way)
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.... I didn't think that handheld focus stacking could possibly be practical but I think the key to it is the Olympus advanced IBIS (In Body Image Stabilisation) gyro. My cameras are normally set to High-Speed bursts but I think that this is then overridden to Single Frame Differential by the selection of Handheld Focus Stacking/Bracketing. All that I really know is that it works. It also works on my Olympus TG-6 compact - A set number of RAW files captured and then combined into a final JPEG but every frame available in post-processing. Olympus are very innovative.

I intend to shoot more minibeasts using focus stacking.
 
Excellent Robin,
love the angle on the second one
I focus stack the old fashioned way, two or three frames to get a bit more depth of field
On a trip last year one of our group was using an Olympus that did the stack automatically like yours
We both ended up with similar results but it took me longer to photograph the same butterfly so the Olympus in camera focus stack definitely works well
 
Very nice. My g80 lumix has similar feature. I will def give it a try.
 
LCPete said:
Excellent Robin,
love the angle on the second one
I focus stack the old fashioned way, two or three frames to get a bit more depth of field
On a trip last year one of our group was using an Olympus that did the stack automatically like yours
We both ended up with similar results but it took me longer to photograph the same butterfly so the Olympus in camera focus stack definitely works well
Click to expand...

.... The second shot gets more Likes wherever I have posted it so far. The Bee started to slooowly crawl towards me while I was shooting but somehow it all came out okay. I think I had set 8 shot 'slices'.

I was always interested in focus stacking because of close-up/macro DoF limitations - I don't want ALL my Dragonfly shots to be just sideways on! And Butterflies are always DoF tricky. But I didn't want to spend so much extra time having to use a tripod, not often practical for insects, and then stacking it all in dedicated software/Photoshop etc afterwards. Also, I found that most, not all, 'conventional' stack results I have seen seemed to alter colours so they looked unnatural. There are absolutely no colour changes in the Olympus final stack combination.

So the Olympus onboard Focus Stacking feature is exactly what I needed and was even one of the several reasons I switched from my beloved Canon gear. There's a learning curve of course but I'm pleased I got off to a good start as it's more encouraging to continue - My assistant Lady Luck was by my side though! I think I should name her 'Lucy' and insist she shares her isolation lockdown with me :D I wonder if she can cook.

Another option I love about my Olympus E-M1X is the BKT button on the top plate can be customised to toggle focus stacking On/Off and then a BKT icon displays in the viewfinder together with a box line showing the reduced image area after stacking. The Olympus system reduces the image area of the final combination to compensate for losses due to the subject being too close to the edge of your frame < Your set aspect ratio is preserved.

That BKT toggling button is invaluable when shooting with the Olympus 300mm F/4 Pro (600mm equivalent) which supports Focus Stacking and is a very useful lens for easily spookable Butterflies (for example). It even works when the x1.4 MC-14 is additionally mounted (840mm equivalent) and so this means I can toggle between shooting birds without stacking and then close-up subjects with stacking just at the hit of one button.

Shooting Manual-mode and seeing the histogram (optional) in the viewfinder < What more could a photographer want!?

I used to :canon: but now :olympus:
 
You make me jealous Robin.
I set my custom f buttons and C1 C2/3/4 , put the camera down for a week then have to re learn what custom is what. :D
 
Cockney said:
You make me jealous Robin.
I set my custom f buttons and C1 C2/3/4 , put the camera down for a week then have to re learn what custom is what. :D
Click to expand...

.... I am sure I would be the same if I put my camera down for a week but I am very lucky and being retired with photography as my main hobby and also divorced, I have the luxury of doing whatever I want whenever I want even under lockdown because of my wildlife garden and adjacent wilderness. So, I shoot a lot! < Often several hundred a day but only keep a few.
 
RedRobin said:
.... The second shot gets more Likes wherever I have posted it so far. The Bee started to slooowly crawl towards me while I was shooting but somehow it all came out okay. I think I had set 8 shot 'slices'.

I was always interested in focus stacking because of close-up/macro DoF limitations - I don't want ALL my Dragonfly shots to be just sideways on! And Butterflies are always DoF tricky. But I didn't want to spend so much extra time having to use a tripod, not often practical for insects, and then stacking it all in dedicated software/Photoshop etc afterwards. Also, I found that most, not all, 'conventional' stack results I have seen seemed to alter colours so they looked unnatural. There are absolutely no colour changes in the Olympus final stack combination.

So the Olympus onboard Focus Stacking feature is exactly what I needed and was even one of the several reasons I switched from my beloved Canon gear. There's a learning curve of course but I'm pleased I got off to a good start as it's more encouraging to continue - My assistant Lady Luck was by my side though! I think I should name her 'Lucy' and insist she shares her isolation lockdown with me :D I wonder if she can cook.

Another option I love about my Olympus E-M1X is the BKT button on the top plate can be customised to toggle focus stacking On/Off and then a BKT icon displays in the viewfinder together with a box line showing the reduced image area after stacking. The Olympus system reduces the image area of the final combination to compensate for losses due to the subject being too close to the edge of your frame < Your set aspect ratio is preserved.

That BKT toggling button is invaluable when shooting with the Olympus 300mm F/4 Pro (600mm equivalent) which supports Focus Stacking and is a very useful lens for easily spookable Butterflies (for example). It even works when the x1.4 MC-14 is additionally mounted (840mm equivalent) and so this means I can toggle between shooting birds without stacking and then close-up subjects with stacking just at the hit of one button.

Shooting Manual-mode and seeing the histogram (optional) in the viewfinder < What more could a photographer want!?

I used to :canon: but now :olympus:
Click to expand...


Yes I’ve always
Iiked forward and quarter angles of insects and you do need to focus stack them to get a reasonable depth of field
Oh yes the Olympus guy from my trip explained that you do lose a bit around the frame when you use the stack function but he just allows a bit more room
A longer lens for butterflies and Dragonflies is a great idea
I bought a while ago a canon 55-250 for spooky subjects haven’t had a chance to use it for insects but hope to soon
I was tempted by the Olympus system but I’ve got too much invested in canon gear to change
 
LCPete said:
I was tempted by the Olympus system but I’ve got too much invested in canon gear to change
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You only have to follow the classifieds to see that some people change systems as often as I change my socks :D

Like you I have far too much invested in canon to change to anything else, although I was impressed with my little M50 still a canon, but even so a bit of a learning curve.
Now if they only made a decent reach dedicated Macro lens ...
 
Cobra said:
You only have to follow the classifieds to see that some people change systems as often as I change my socks :D

Like you I have far too much invested in canon to change to anything else, although I was impressed with my little M50 still a canon, but even so a bit of a learning curve.
Now if they only made a decent reach dedicated Macro lens ...
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.... But Canon do make an excellent dedicated Macro lens > The EF 100mm F/2.8L IS Macro which also takes a Kenko x1.4 really well and with a Canon adapter can be mounted on either the EOS-R or M50, M5 etc. I was very happy indeed with my Canon combos :

EOS-R with EF 100mm + Kenko x1.4 combo :

BEAUTIFUL DEMOISELLE by Robin Procter, on Flickr

EOS-M5 with EF 100mm + Kenko x1.4 combo :

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL AND NOT SHY by Robin Procter, on Flickr

I haven't got around to advertising the above Canon gear for sale yet and must do so! Job #432.
 
Cobra said:
You only have to follow the classifieds to see that some people change systems as often as I change my socks :D

Like you I have far too much invested in canon to change to anything else, although I was impressed with my little M50 still a canon, but even so a bit of a learning curve.
Now if they only made a decent reach dedicated Macro lens ...
Click to expand...
Yes as Robin said they do make the 100 IS which is excellent the stabilisation is brilliant a lot of the time I can get away without a tripod for natural light shooting
I do wish that canon or someone would make a 180 or 200 mm F4 image stabilised macro that would be perfect for a lot of things
Sigma made a stabilised 180 F2.8 but it was way too heavy to be useful, in my opinion anyway there’s no need for F 2.8 in a macro lens F4 is wide open enough
 
RedRobin said:
.... But Canon do make an excellent dedicated Macro lens > The EF 100mm F/2.8L IS Macro which also takes a Kenko x1.4 really well and with a Canon adapter can be mounted on either the EOS-R or M50, M5 etc. I was very happy indeed with my Canon combos :

EOS-R with EF 100mm + Kenko x1.4 combo :

BEAUTIFUL DEMOISELLE by Robin Procter, on Flickr

EOS-M5 with EF 100mm + Kenko x1.4 combo :

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL AND NOT SHY by Robin Procter, on Flickr

I haven't got around to advertising the above Canon gear for sale yet and must do so! Job #432.
Click to expand...
Really nice shots Robin
I didn’t think about using the Kenko 1.4 on my 100mm
I do have the canon 1.4 but as far as I understand I shouldn’t put it on the 100L
I’ll have a look at the Kenko though thanks
 
RedRobin said:
. But Canon do make an excellent dedicated Macro lens > The EF 100mm F/2.8L IS Macro which also takes a Kenko x1.4 really well and with a Canon adapter can be mounted on either the EOS-R or M50, M5 etc. I was very happy indeed with my Canon combos :
Click to expand...
I have the USM ( none is) version. Unfortunately the canon 1.4 tx doesn't take to the M50 adapter, that's interesting about the Kenko one though (y)
TBH I'm thinking about getting the IS version, ( its a couple of hundred quid cheaper "grey") or maybe a MPe 65.
But I'm not very good at manual focus especially when the little bugger are moving :D

Cracking images Robin (y)
Maybe the "kenko" is the way to go
 
LCPete said:
Really nice shots Robin
I didn’t think about using the Kenko 1.4 on my 100mm
I do have the canon 1.4 but as far as I understand I shouldn’t put it on the 100L
I’ll have a look at the Kenko though thanks
Click to expand...

.... The Canon Extenders will not physically fit because of the protruding rear glass - Don't even try!

The Kenko Teleplus Pro 300 C-AF 1.4X does fit and is excellent (check my Flickr Albums).
 
RedRobin said:
.... The Canon Extenders will not physically fit because of the protruding rear glass - Don't even try!

The Kenko Teleplus Pro 300 C-AF 1.4X does fit and is excellent (check my Flickr Albums).
Click to expand...
Ahh I see thanks glad I didn’t try
 
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