New stacking rail available

[nass]

Hello,

Just wanted to draw people's attention to a review I did of the WeMacro rail at http://extreme-macro.co.uk/wemacro-rail/ which is an electronic rail used for focus stacking. Stackshot is the market leader but costs twice as much, this China-made competitor might be more affordable to folk, it's about half the price.

Regards,

-Johan

 

[Kodiak Qc]

it's about half the price.

•


Johan,
at any price, any rail will be too expensive!

There are two methods to produce stacking.
One of them I use and does not require the
use of a focusing rail at all to create over 90
slices of any given subject. The second work
but never as well as the first and brings the
cost of a lesser method.

 

[nass]

Curious, what are your 2 methods?

 

[Kodiak Qc]

Curious, what are your 2 methods?

•


One is the rail you are suggesting in your post. A
precarious method since the distance sensor to
subject is changing and so the perspective at such
close range.

The other extends the lens IF feature into stacking.
No change in position, in perspective and better slices
for the software to work with. This will only work with
an IF lens… the only limitation.

 

[nass]

•
One is the rail you are suggesting in your post. A
precarious method since the distance sensor to
subject is changing and so the perspective at such
close range.

Depends on your software. Zerene copes well with perspective changes - it's the best software out there for stacking. That's why, for example, most winners of Nikon small world use ZS, as do most people in the stacking communities I'm part of. It does alignment especially well compared to say Helicon. That said, telecentric optics of course eliminate that problem... but expensive.

The other extends the lens IF feature into stacking.
No change in position, in perspective and better slices
for the software to work with. This will only work with
an IF lens… the only limitation.

But that's a pretty huge limitation. Means for example MPE65, the single lens that apitomises extreme macro, can't even be used, nor JML21, nor reversed enlarger lenses, nor objectives, heck nor anything without focusing. Also doesn't work on various brands as a whole (ie Pentax) - I can't remember offhand if it's even possible to use Canon or Nikon without downloading 3rd party software (Canon is magic lantern, free, is there such a thing for Nikon/Sony?).

 

[Kodiak Qc]

•


In my work, I never have to magnify so much but
must be darn sure that the sharpness is perfect all
the way (stacking) or very shallow (PC lenses).

My main clients in this field are microchips makers
so the working requirements are different than facet-
tes eyes and alike.

But that's a pretty huge limitation.

Not in my operations, it is more like the right solution.

 

[nass]

•


In my work, I never have to magnify so much but
must be darn sure that the sharpness is perfect all
the way (stacking) or very shallow (PC lenses).

My main clients in this field are microchips makers
so the working requirements are different than facet-
tes eyes and alike.

Not in my operations, it is more like the right solution.

Which lens/camera combinations do you use for microchip-level magnification?

 

[Kodiak Qc]

Which lens/camera combinations do you use for microchip-level magnification?

•

D3X, D800E, 85 PC, 105 macro, extension tubes
among others less often used.

 

[nass]

•

D3X, D800E, 85 PC, 105 macro, extension tubes
among others less often used.

Surely there must be a limitation to the sort of reproduction ratios that you can achieve using 85 or 105, even with tubes?

 

[nass]

Also, how do you control the focus steps - do you use helicon remote or something else?

 

[Kodiak Qc]

there must be a limitation to the sort of reproduction ratios

The scale I need is microchips and SMD technologies
nothing to do with one single FF fly eye in terms of ratios.

But the point I wanted to touch was DoF as, more often
than not, the whole environment of a CPU on a motherboard
will be the scope.

do you control the focus steps - do you use helicon remote

Yes.

 

[nass]

The scale I need is microchips and SMD technologies
nothing to do with one single FF fly eye in terms of ratios.
But the point I wanted to touch was DoF as, more often
than not, the whole environment of a CPU on a motherboard
will be the scope.

Yes - so maybe 1:3 - 1:1 ish - somewhere around there? The point I wanted to make is that you're comparing apples with oranges - I'm talking 5:1 to 10:1, 20:1 and more, even 50:1 using objectives and a geared down stepper motor like Stackshot or WeMacro directly connected to a microscope focus block. Much as I (genuinely) appreciate and agree that it is perfectly feasible to use lens focus to stack say a 1:1 closeup/macro, 2:1 or 3:1, I'm genuinely not persuaded that lens focus is a proven alternative for anyone who wants to do say 10:1 which might require 3/1000 mm step increments.. for which a stage like Stackshot (or WeMacro) is mainstay equipment, along with homemade devices from Arduino, a Newport 423 stage or a Proxxon milling stage.

 

[Kodiak Qc]

I'm talking 5:1 to 10:1, 20:1 and more, even 50:1

•

Granted, my actual experience in such work
never exceeded a magnification ratio over
3:1 (which I reach through the pixel count)
and the IF slicing.

not persuaded that lens focus is a proven alternative for anyone who wants to do say 10:1

I admit to not having explored these avenues
since I didn't need them…but now that this
immensely pleasurable exchange gave me a
chance to meet you, (like the big guy said):
I'll be back!

 

[nass]

Genuinely this was an interesting exchange - I've never used IF for stacking (Pentax can't do it, and the only Canon lens I have is mpe65 which also can't).

Salut,

-Johan

 

[Kodiak Qc]

Salut,

•


Quoi? …vous parlez Français, Johan?
…mais fallait le dire plus tôt!

 

[Kodiak Qc]

I've never used IF for stacking

•


… the level of precision is very cool!