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Focus stacking

RobL
Posted 28/07/2019 - 20:42 Link
For the first time since buying HeliconFocus I have achieved a focus stack I am pleased with; This required some work in Lightroom to eliminate some artifacts around the edges of the seed head but not arduous. As a comparison I have a trial version of Photoshop and am completely new to this but managed to get a focus stack by aligning and blending layers. The Photoshop version didn't have any artifacts to remove and the seed heads look identical in both, but in Photoshop the old flower has unsharp areas. Furthermore the Photoshop version cropped away rather less so in that sense the image is better. I imagine with more experience I could resolve the unsharp bit in layers, but here are both versions for you:

HeliconFocus:
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Photoshop:
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Your comments and advice would be greatly appreciated.
PS these were done with a 50mm f2.8 macro lens on a K1, side lit with a small LED.
Edited by RobL: 28/07/2019 - 20:46
richandfleur
Posted 28/07/2019 - 21:54 Link
Very nice work.
RobL
Posted 29/07/2019 - 07:36 Link
With some messing about with the HeliconFocus settings I managed to frame it better and avoid the artifacts I had earlier, so that is definitely my preferred version now:
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alfpics
Posted 29/07/2019 - 09:12 Link
That improved Helicon version definitely stands out. And gives a better composition - ie more space to left of the seed-head.
Andy
Posted 29/07/2019 - 19:33 Link
Very beautiful either way... nicely lit and gt detail... do like a bit of decay...

Best
RobL
Posted 29/07/2019 - 21:19 Link
Thanks all, you are only encouraging me - here is my latest:
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