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Necturus: Picture Stacking /Autofokus (24. Mär 2010 02:27)

Hello guys,

aber mpke showed some of his auto stacking pictures and I wrote a little explanation on a different website already, I thought Id say a few words and show my results here as well.

Picture stacking combines pictures of the same non-moving object with different focus to create a bigger depth of field then cameras usually achieve. The software that I have been trying so far has been CombineZP and Zerene Stacker, both of which have online tutorials and are easy to use. Zerene Stacker is a bit more complex, but offers great retouching support to remove processing artifacts.

What you need in order to apply this idea:
a tripod
a camera that allows for manual selection of the focus point (even for "normal" digital cameras there are programs that will allow you to do that)

The results:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4013/4460403092_2a9b85cc33_o.jpg

Camponotus detritus major, with 65 pictures stacked the biggest endeavour so far:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2706/4458802662_339374ef45_o.jpg

Pheidologeton diversus Queen:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4047/4372019301_5990e8cd39_o.jpg

Pheidologeton diversus major:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4061/4294839625_510bbc8b53_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2797/4295584680_6f9d172807_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4290231987_2f5575772b_o.jpg

I keep advising people to try it, because with a little bit of (enjoyable :) ) effort, anyone can produce those pictures. I used an very outdated Canon EOS 350d with a reversed 18-55mm kit lense (reverse adapter costs around 10€ on ebay), so no hightech at all.

If you have problems setting the ant in a lifelike situation, a little needle with a bit of wax on the tip will provide a great holding device after you heat the wax and attach it to a place that won't be visible on the picture.

Regards,

Necturus

UneXisted: Re: Picture Stacking /Autofokus (24. Mär 2010 06:33)

Awesome! :D

JimmyVe: Re: Picture Stacking /Autofokus (27. Mär 2010 09:30)

Very nice pictures dude ! Maybe i need to ask some info at mpke to. ;)

Kale^^: Re: Picture Stacking /Autofokus (28. Mär 2010 08:42)

Very impressive photos O_O

UneXisted: Re: Picture Stacking /Autofokus (28. Mär 2010 14:12)

Very nice.

mpke: Re: Picture Stacking /Autofokus (1. Apr 2010 11:42)

Nice, but the colors are not so good i think. The Camponotus major is very beautiful! Do you have a colony of them?