Tag: Helicon Focus

Tuesday (30-May-2017) — New Jersey

Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Several more Poppy blooms appeared this morning. I took four inside to make high resolution focus stacked images. Two red, one pink, and one orange. The images were taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/4, 1/60 sec) with two SB-900 flashes (TTL, EV -1). The camera is mounted on a Kirk focusing track. Images were taken over 5-7 cm range in 0.5 or 0.25 cm increments. The composite focus stacked images were created using Helicon Focus using the method A (average), method B (depth map), and method C (pyramid)


Individual images from the slideshow can be viewed here.

Friday (26-May-2017) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

May has been cool and rainy. It was warmer in April this year. While it has been cool I have been able to expand the sections for my wildflowers. I didn’t spread any new seeds in the 15′ x 30′ section on the east side of the house planted last year to see which perennial, biennial, or self-seeding annual wildflowers would come back. This morning when I got up, it was way too bright outside — the sun was out!!! In addition I noticed the first red poppy flower for this year. Coincidentally, the American Legion has recommended that the Friday before Memorial day be designated National Poppy Day. In the Commonwealth nations, red poppies are used to commemorate Remembrance Day (11-November).

First Red Poppy flower this year. Backyard spring nature in New Jersey. Composite of 40 focus stacked images taken with a Nikon Df computer and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/4, 1/200 sec) and SB-910 flash (TTL, EV 0). Kirk linear track 1 mm intervals over 4 cm. Composite created using Helicon Focus (Method B, R=8, S=4) (David J Mathre)
First Red Poppy flower this year. Composite of 40 focus stacked images taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/4, 1/200 sec) and SB-910 flash (TTL, EV 0). Kirk linear track 1 mm intervals over 4 cm. Composite created using Helicon Focus (Method B, R=8, S=4) (David J Mathre)
First Red Poppy flower this year. Backyard spring nature in New Jersey. Composite of 74 focus stacked images taken with a Nikon Df computer and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/4, 1/200 sec) and SB-910 flash (TTL, EV 0). Kirk linear track 1 mm intervals over 7.4 cm. Composite created using Helicon Focus (Method B, R=8, S=4) (David J Mathre)
First Red Poppy flower this year. Composite of 74 focus stacked images taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/4, 1/200 sec) and SB-910 flash (TTL, EV 0). Kirk linear track 1 mm intervals over 7.4 cm. Composite created using Helicon Focus (Method B, R=8, S=4) (David J Mathre)

Three-Years Ago (23-May-2014) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Rhododendron blooms after a rainstorm. Composite of 17 stacked images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 60 mm f/2.4 macro lens. Images processed using Capture One Pro 7 and Helicon Focus.

Rhododendron Blooms. Backyard Spring Nature in New Jersey. Composite of 17 stacked images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 60 mm f/2.4 macro lens. Images processed using Capture One Pro 7 and Helicon Focus. (David J Mathre)
Rhododendron Blooms. Composite of 17 stacked images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 60 mm f/2.4 macro lens. Images processed using Capture One Pro 7 and Helicon Focus. (David J Mathre)

Saturday (13-May-2017) — New Jersey

Photography Techniques — Focus Stacking.

I have been using Helicon Focus to make composite focus stacked images for several years. It is great for doing macro images with much more depth of field than can be done with single images. I spent the day doing some focus stacked images on some small cactus flowers. The images were taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens. The camera was set up on a tripod on with a linear tracking head. The first set was with 13 images, in 5 mm intervals — which wasn’t enough. The second set was 24 images over 9 cm. That one looked better. I then added a TCE-3 III teleconverter (converting the focal length to 210 mm). The camera was set closer and did 33 images over 9 cm. The slide-show below shows all of the images. It includes one image from each set at a single distance. To see the individual images check here


Eight-Years Ago (07-March-2009) — New Jersey

Backyard Spring Nature in New Jersey.

Early purple crocuses flowers from across the street. This is a composite of many images using the focus stacking program from Helicon Focus. A little bit bright, and requires calm conditions (little or no wind).

Purple crocus blooms. Late winter nature in New Jersey. Composite of 18 focus stacked images taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 200 mm f/2 lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Helicon Focus (method C) (David J Mathre)
Purple crocus blooms. Late winter nature in New Jersey. Composite of 18 focus stacked images taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 200 mm f/2 lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Helicon Focus (method C) (David J Mathre)