forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com

WW1 Aircraft Modeling => Photographing your Models => Topic started by: RAGIII on January 31, 2015, 10:06:49 AM

Title: A question of Focus
Post by: RAGIII on January 31, 2015, 10:06:49 AM
I just took some quick photos of the Manta German Pilot. color balance and lighting seem good. The focus of everything BUT the face is good. What settings do I need to adjust?

(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7424/16220125237_118070e033_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/qHjo8F)pilot 009_crop (https://flic.kr/p/qHjo8F) by ragfokker (https://www.flickr.com/people/128992082@N04/), on Flickr

RAGIII
Title: Re: A question of Focus
Post by: Jacek on February 03, 2015, 01:25:53 AM
Try using a multi-measuring mode.
Title: Re: A question of Focus
Post by: eindecker on February 03, 2015, 08:36:37 AM
Appears your camera's autofocus picked up on the wing and roundel in the background. I'd think there is a setting in your camera to force focus where you want it to be. And, simply, set your figure on a monotone background, like a piece of blue or white poster board. That should take care of it.
Title: Re: A question of Focus
Post by: RAGIII on February 03, 2015, 02:14:32 PM
Appears your camera's autofocus picked up on the wing and roundel in the background. I'd think there is a setting in your camera to force focus where you want it to be. And, simply, set your figure on a monotone background, like a piece of blue or white poster board. That should take care of it.

Thanks for the suggestions. Like I said, This was a Quick shoot. I am going to try a better set up in the next couple of days so we shall see.
RAGIII
Title: Re: A question of Focus
Post by: IFF1418 on February 03, 2015, 05:16:13 PM
Hi Rick,

What our friend Eindeckersaid is right! You can leave the auto-focus mode and focus manually. Else if your camera has multiple focussing points choose the one which comes close to the point you really want to be sharp. Best thing is to leave totally the auto mode of your camera and choose pre-set of diafragm. If you choose  opening f.i. 16 then you will get a better sharpness all around, but also a slower time, so a tripod might be necessairy. I hope I explained clearly my friend(you know I’m not English speaking).

Kind regards
Patrick
Title: Re: A question of Focus
Post by: RAGIII on February 06, 2015, 10:35:38 AM
OK, Here is the latest. Not perfect yet by any means but I think better?
RAGIII



(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7383/16267119659_acc4e39987_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/qMteWk)SE5a 027_crop (https://flic.kr/p/qMteWk) by ragfokker (https://www.flickr.com/people/128992082@N04/), on Flickr
Title: Re: A question of Focus
Post by: RAGIII on February 06, 2015, 11:40:19 AM
ya needa switch to the 'macro' setting on your camera, this is indicated by a tulip shaped icon. Depress your picture switch about halfway the camera should show a small square where the focus is aiming, wait till the square stabilize's and the press the switch fully. Try that.

Thanks, I will give it a try!
RAGIII
Title: Re: A question of Focus
Post by: PrzemoL on February 09, 2015, 07:39:44 PM
I am afraid it is also a question of field depth. With macro photography you need a smaller aperture (f16 at least, the larger number, the smaller aperture) to achieve the field-depth, and this in turn requires longer shutter times making a tripod indispensable. Generally, it is not easy to get nice macro photos with field depth big enough using a simple camera.
Title: Re: A question of Focus
Post by: uncletony on February 09, 2015, 08:47:28 PM
I am afraid it is also a question of field depth. With macro photography you a need smaller aperture (f16 at least, the larger number, the smaller aperture) to achieve the field-depth, and this in turn requires longer shutter times making a tripod indispensable. Generally, it is not easy to get nice macro photos with field depth big enough using a simple camera.

Yep.
Title: Re: A question of Focus
Post by: RAGIII on June 23, 2015, 08:16:44 PM
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/269/18998109801_c5154e2788_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/uWNhag)se5 014_crop (https://flic.kr/p/uWNhag) by Richard Geisler (https://www.flickr.com/photos/128992082@N04/), on Flickr



(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/512/18995078345_c2b779eefd_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/uWwK1M)se5 012_crop (https://flic.kr/p/uWwK1M) by Richard Geisler (https://www.flickr.com/photos/128992082@N04/), on Flickr

I took this a few days ago on Super Macro. I think I am getting very close to where I want to be.
RAGIII
Title: Re: A question of Focus
Post by: Des on June 23, 2015, 08:57:19 PM
That's looking heaps better Rick, you are getting very close now.

Des.
Title: Re: A question of Focus
Post by: uncletony on June 23, 2015, 09:18:29 PM
Agreed!
Title: Re: A question of Focus
Post by: RAGIII on June 25, 2015, 11:19:38 PM
That's looking heaps better Rick, you are getting very close now.

Des.

Thanks for the comment Des. Also thanks BO, you guys have been a big help in my experimenting and learning to use my Cameras features.
RAGIII
Title: Re: A question of Focus
Post by: hrcoleman66 on January 28, 2021, 01:48:14 PM
Hi RAGIII.

You're experiencing a problem that photographers who dabble in Macro Photography battle with constantly.  And also those of us that photograph birds and other animals.

In Macro, we want sharp focus front to back, but due to physics that's not possible.  And the higher your magnification and the closer your subject, the more extreme the problem.

With long lenses and wildlife, we battle with lens shake and the camera focusing in front of or behind the eyes of the subject.

There are two things that can help you with your specific problem.

1.  Lighting.  The more light you can put on your subject and the more diffused, the better your camera will be able to focus.  I always use manual focus for my macro, but if you are using A/F, try to set your camera to a single focus point and use the toggles on the back of the body to move the focus point to where you want it.

2. Use a tripod.  Always try to keep your camera as still as possible.  That way, if you need to close the aperture down to F/16 or smaller, thus slowing your shutter speed, you can maintain a steady camera and avoid softness due to camera shake.

3. Focus stacking.  If you have Photoshop, then you can take more than one image on a track focusing at different points and then blend them in photoshop to get a broader depth of field.

Best of luck,

Hugh
Title: Re: A question of Focus
Post by: Bughunter on January 29, 2021, 01:59:18 AM
Some remark, you may not need Photoshop.
Modern cameras, like the Panasonic GX80, are able to do Focus stacking and also Post Focus.
The cam takes 30 pictures with a different focus setting. You can select afterwards, which of the 30 should be stored (Post Focus) or merge them into one picture as focus stacking.
My GX7 do not support this yet, but with the H-HS030 HD Macros the pictures are great. I should upgrade my body one day.
Some Panasonic support also Focus Bracketing with up to 999 pictures, but this is not working inside the camera but with special software.

As you wrote, always stop down as far as possible to get a wide range of sharpness. If I'm not using a tripod the I increase until I got shutter time of 1/40 sec, which I can hold with stabilizing by lens (in A mode).
 
Cheers,
Frank
Title: Re: A question of Focus
Post by: hrcoleman66 on January 29, 2021, 08:29:00 AM
Some remark, you may not need Photoshop.
Modern cameras, like the Panasonic GX80, are able to do Focus stacking and also Post Focus.
The cam takes 30 pictures with a different focus setting. You can select afterwards, which of the 30 should be stored (Post Focus) or merge them into one picture as focus stacking.
My GX7 do not support this yet, but with the H-HS030 HD Macros the pictures are great. I should upgrade my body one day.
Some Panasonic support also Focus Bracketing with up to 999 pictures, but this is not working inside the camera but with special software.

As you wrote, always stop down as far as possible to get a wide range of sharpness. If I'm not using a tripod the I increase until I got shutter time of 1/40 sec, which I can hold with stabilizing by lens (in A mode).
 
Cheers,
Frank

Hi Frank,

So does my Olympus EM 1/2.  But since my go to Macro lens is the Laowa 25mm 2 x (Manual Focus only), that's not an option for me.  And the depth of field with that lens is so narrow even at F/11, that an insects eye will be sharp at the closest point and soft anywhere else in a single image. 

Cheers,

Hugh