First Post

[leisurelylens]

Hi all, this is my first post here and here are a couple of photos that were stacked (using the camera feature, no post processing). Its been about 10 years taking photos so I am looking for some feedback...

LL

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[TwoWheeler]

Hello fellow stacker! This is something I've just recently gotten into myself and I've been having a ball with it. It seems even when conditions for other subjects are crap, there's always something interesting to shoot in the "up close" world - even in your own yard. Sometimes even the most mundane things are interesting close up.

I didn't realize the R62 would stack in camera. The R5 doesn't and while I prefer to stack in Helicon because it spits out a DNG, which gives much more latitude for editing, it'd be nice to have the option to do it in camera, too.

I don't know if you're aware, but Canon's Digital Photo Professional software will do Depth Compositing (or "Composting" as I always call it...and no one here has called me on it yet....). The desktop software is free because you have the secret decoder ring (your serial number). (For some stupid reason, they charge for the mobile version). This would allow you to edit and maybe cull before you stack. Just be aware, the software is not created by Canon's best engineers....

Free Pro Tip: if you ever try to stack in DPP, and it tells you to "select two or more images" and you plainly have two or more images selected, check the metadata. If you have anything set to "auto" and something changes between shots, (ISO or whatever) it won't recognize them. Instead of telling you "parameters do not match" or something that makes sense, it tells you you don't have enough images selected. I can't tell you what a torrent of profanity this engendered until I figured it out! Oh, and DPP can be painfully slooooow.

Not sure about in camera, but sometimes Helicon (and DPP) will give you some weird halo-y areas. Helicon (and DPP, I'm told) will allow you to retouch and find the slice where that area is in focus and "paint it in" over the stacked result. I painted out most of the problem areas in this shot, but if you look at the area behind the bug and the area near the top of the lower right stamen, you can see what I'm talking about:

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Also, if you're doing manual slices for landscape, make sure to take enough slices. In this shot, if you look at the foreground tree on the right, you can see I missed a slice and the tree is soft (the one on the left isn't much better):

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[leisurelylens]

Thanks for the feedback. To my knowledge DPP is not available in Linux so my options are limited.

I found Chimpstacker to be a good open source alternative if I need to do post processing on the images. For that is am using Rawtherapee.

In the R6mii I noticed a jpeg at the end of stack. I didn't realize what it was until I saw the image in complete focus. It's a quick way to see if the image came out as desired when in the field.

 

[Josh217]

Hello fellow stacker! This is something I've just recently gotten into myself and I've been having a ball with it. It seems even when conditions for other subjects are crap, there's always something interesting to shoot in the "up close" world - even in your own yard. Sometimes even the most mundane things are interesting close up.

I didn't realize the R62 would stack in camera. The R5 doesn't and while I prefer to stack in Helicon because it spits out a DNG, which gives much more latitude for editing, it'd be nice to have the option to do it in camera, too.

I don't know if you're aware, but Canon's Digital Photo Professional software will do Depth Compositing (or "Composting" as I always call it...and no one here has called me on it yet....). The desktop software is free because you have the secret decoder ring (your serial number). (For some stupid reason, they charge for the mobile version). This would allow you to edit and maybe cull before you stack. Just be aware, the software is not created by Canon's best engineers....

Free Pro Tip: if you ever try to stack in DPP, and it tells you to "select two or more images" and you plainly have two or more images selected, check the metadata. If you have anything set to "auto" and something changes between shots, (ISO or whatever) it won't recognize them. Instead of telling you "parameters do not match" or something that makes sense, it tells you you don't have enough images selected. I can't tell you what a torrent of profanity this engendered until I figured it out! Oh, and DPP can be painfully slooooow.

Not sure about in camera, but sometimes Helicon (and DPP) will give you some weird halo-y areas. Helicon (and DPP, I'm told) will allow you to retouch and find the slice where that area is in focus and "paint it in" over the stacked result. I painted out most of the problem areas in this shot, but if you look at the area behind the bug and the area near the top of the lower right stamen, you can see what I'm talking about:

View attachment 37993

Also, if you're doing manual slices for landscape, make sure to take enough slices. In this shot, if you look at the foreground tree on the right, you can see I missed a slice and the tree is soft (the one on the left isn't much better):


View attachment 37994

I can’t get mine to stack properly. Landscape I’m fine. Usually 3-5 photos and good to go. My wild flowers always have spots out of focus. Tried PS and Helicon.

 

[TwoWheeler]

I can’t get mine to stack properly. Landscape I’m fine. Usually 3-5 photos and good to go. My wild flowers always have spots out of focus. Tried PS and Helicon.

I'm never that "official" - I probably ought to be - but Points In Focus has a focus stack calculator that will tell you how many shots you allegedly need.

 

[Only RF]

Welcome

 

[Dean Wilson]

Hello fellow stacker! This is something I've just recently gotten into myself and I've been having a ball with it. It seems even when conditions for other subjects are crap, there's always something interesting to shoot in the "up close" world - even in your own yard.

View attachment 37993

Here is my "unstacked" version using the Rf 100-500mm

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[TwoWheeler]

Here is my "unstacked" version using the Rf 100-500mm

Are you using those extension tubes you so heartily recommended?

 

[Dean Wilson]

@TwoWheeler
The first image is a view of the Sun with my 4-1/2" reflector telescope. (3.04 MB file)

The second is my desk lamp using extension tubes. (49.2 MB file)

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[Hali]

Welcome and nice images to start your journey here. Stacking is fun, addicting, and frustrating. I do like the fact that R6m2 can stack in camera but hate that it comes out as a jpg. It's good you have alternatives for your Linux machine; I wasn't aware that they existed. I have a friend who will be interested.

 

[TwoWheeler]

@TwoWheeler
The first image is a view of the Sun with my 4-1/2" reflector telescope. (3.04 MB file)

The second is my desk lamp using extension tubes. (49.2 MB file)

why does your desk lamp have sunspots?

 

[Dean Wilson]

why does your desk lamp have sunspots?

I hadn't dusted for awhile.

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[TwoWheeler]

I hadn't dusted for awhile.

Well you might want to before you have solar flares…