2 replies to this topic

[walt@wblady.com]

I was hoping that Focus Shifting would have been a little more automatic from my D850 to my new Z7.

 

First you select the Number of shots.

Then the Focus step width.

Then the Interval until next shot.

New on the Z7...

First frame exposure lock.

Then Peaking stack image.

Finally Silent photography.

 

The hard part is figuring out the focus step width at a given f stop and how many shots to take. Usually trial and error gets it finally right, but it's a bit of a guessing game until you acquire a bunch of experience.

 

My question is: If I just bought a kabillion dollar computer with a lens on it, so why do I have to do the math?

 

Seems to me that I should be able to focus on the starting shot, then focus on the final shot, chose an f:stop, and that's all. The camera should be able to measure the distance between the first and last shots, work out how many shots are needed from start to finish, based on my chosen f stop's depth of field, and start shooting. The other stacking choices are simple.

 

Is this not possible or am I being silly?

 

[ScottinPollock]

I don't think I have seen any camera automatically figure it all out as the CoC changes with both distance and focal length. The closest thing I have seen to this is Lumix's post focus mode where it takes a series of snaps using every focus point in the camera, and moves on to the next group of points that were not in focus in previous captures.

 

But the focus stacking routine, where you define the number of steps and the step depth behaves just like the Nikon.

[Merco_61]

The CoC doesn't only change with focal length and distance (That is, the reproduction ratio on the sensor.), it is also affected by the reproduction ratio and the viewing distance of the final print.

 

As the camera doesn't know if the intended use is a 8X10 or a billboard, or if the photo will be in a book or on a wall, the step size needs to be the responsibility of the user.