"Focus Bracketing" (no, seriously)

dcsang

dcsang

Canadian & Not A Dentist
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Apparently this guy thinks shooting like this is a good idea - maybe for some who've never ever ever used a rangefinder it may be - but, man, come on...

http://www.iso1200.com/2013/09/focus-bracketing-techniques-when.html

Maybe it's me but I usually have more "in focus" shots when shooting wide open with an RF body than with an AF body. I can't really see how that technique above is "better" but to each his own I guess....

Cheers,
Dave
 
Not something I do (at least not intentionally :)), but Sean Reid focus brackets when testing lenses on his subscription site. So there must be something to it.
 
Luke_Miller said:
Not something I do (at least not intentionally :)), but Sean Reid focus brackets when testing lenses on his subscription site. So there must be something to it.
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For testing I can "understand" why this would be used - but how practical is it to use "in the field" - especially when you consider the fact that, as Keith noted, RF focusing is quite accurate.

The only situation I can MAYBE see this used is for when you're 1) shooting wide open, 2) when you're at the minimum focus distance for the lens in question and 3) you're shooting moving objects/sports.

For a model that's standing still and you're no where near the minimum focus distance though?!?!?!?!

Cheers,
Dave
 
dcsang said:
The only situation I can MAYBE see this used is for when you're 1) shooting wide open, 2) when you're at the minimum focus distance for the lens in question and 3) you're shooting moving objects/sports.
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Don't forget that at minimum focus distance the DOF will be so shallow that theres a good chance that you could "body rock" right past your subject. Take parallax into consideration and its a whole train of fail on its way to the station.
 
Focus Bracketing is well known in macro photography, where they take hundred or so pictures of freshly dead bug with focus shift to combine images into one where entire dead bug is in focus.
I watched this video. Here is absolutely nothing new. Digital Leica or DSLR with AF lens, it is well known technique with large aperture primes. Move a little and take few shots to make sure you are not missing shot due to the lens focus shift on large apertures or AF quirks.
The guy just has the nerve to give it some funky names and call it his technique.
 
Ko.Fe. said:
Focus Bracketing is well known in macro photography, where they take hundred or so pictures of freshly dead bug with focus shift to combine images into one where entire dead bug is in focus.
I watched this video. Here is absolutely nothing new. Digital Leica or DSLR with AF lens, it is well known technique with large aperture primes. Move a little and take few shots to make sure you are not missing shot due to the lens focus shift on large apertures or AF quirks.
The guy just has the nerve to give it some funky names and call it his technique.
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let me correct one thing, it's called focus stacking.
i agree with the rest though.
if he shoots wide open with a noctilux he should use the external EVL or just use the back screen
shooting wide open and leaning back and forward this much would rather shift the focus point instead of getting a sharp result. the composition would also change though....it's a fix focal length after all...

edit: oh! and in macro you actually don't move back and forward but put your camera on a tripod and just shift the focus point.
 
ShinX414 said:
let me correct one thing, it's called focus stacking.
i agree with the rest though.
if he shoots wide open with a noctilux he should use the external EVL or just use the back screen
shooting wide open and leaning back and forward this much would rather shift the focus point instead of getting a sharp result. the composition would also change though....it's a fix focal length after all...

edit: oh! and in macro you actually don't move back and forward but put your camera on a tripod and just shift the focus point.
Click to expand...

Few sources call it bracketing.
http://www.learnmyshot.com/Focus+Stacking+and+Bracketing+Technique+for+Marco+Jewelry+Photography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bracketing#Focus_bracketing

Stacking seems to be more common name.

Here are two approaches for real macro photography.
You described one, older, with tripod and lens with bellows or macro tripod head.
New one is tripod free. But it is much difficult for some. And better with image stabilization option.
You have to catch your breath and while holding it you are moving back and forth and taking pictures of same object.
Works best for difficult locations and objects on the move.
My own examples with tripod free technique.

_MG_0655.jpg


ant_SOOC-1-3.jpg


At extreme shallow DOF like this, you are moving back and forth to get part of the bug you want in focus.
 
That's great.. but.. here's the thing..
the guy in the video is a) not shooting macros and b) using a Leica M (not exactly the tool you'd use for macros in the first place but I'm sure someone will say I'm absolutely wrong and that it's perfectly good to use for macros *waits for Jaap to show up* :D)

Cheers,
Dave
 
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