mantis stack

[ving]

this shot is marginally too big to upload so i'll have topost a link.

enjoy y'all! :D

http://i684.photobucket.com/albums/vv203/davidwhall/rectangle_New-Out99996.jpg

[iceman]

Wow, it's a dragon!

Awesome work Dave!

[ving]

thanks mike. pretty happy with it. I reckon i can get a tad more out of it tho as i have under processed it.

[dpastern]

Wonderful shot David.

I'm so happy to see so many keen and talented macro imagers on IIS :-)

Dave

[ving]

I think we have more macro photographers than astronomers :p

thanks dave.

[DavidU]

Now that is a kewl shot Dave !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ving]

thank david, glad you like it :)

[Dennis]

Wow – what an exquisite photo with exquisite detail. I just love the 3D effect!

Cheers

Dennis

[ving]

thanks dennis, it does look very 3d hey :)

[bloodhound31]

Magnificent David! Was that focus stacking? Can you explain in laymens to the uninitiated how you did it?

Baz.

[Lumen Miner]

WoW!! Great stuff!!

Not sure if you noticed but there is a lil' bit of pixelisation, under it's chin and behind the eyes. You can't tell straight on to the image, but at an angle to the screen it is obvious.
Sorry, maybe I am being picky, but it is a great image and I think it could become an awesome prize winning pic, if that was fixed.
Everything else is spot on!!!

You did the stack by hand yeah? No rail? Tripod?
I'm almost finished my rail, may complete it tonight.

What stacking program do you use? I have been trying IRIS, but have been getting heaps of halos / weird defects. Have you tried Zerene? I think that is what LordV has been using lately. I will give that a go tonight. I have an awesome cactus flower I want to try stacking.


Once again GREAT image!!!

[RB]

Fantastic shot David !
Lovely detail and composition.

I can just hear the mantis saying to you - "Whats you tak'n about vingo?" :lol:

[ving]

hi mitchell, yeah hand held. no tripod or rail for me. I used combine zp to stack the images. works a treat.
http://www.hadleyweb.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/CZP/News.htm

I am pretty sure that pixilisation is just due to compression. nothing to worry about really as less compression and it wouldnt show.

Baz, focus stacking take several shots at different focus points and combine them to increase the depth of field.
personally i dont like focus stacking and this is probably only the 3rd or 4th time i have done it. I prefer to gainDoF thru aperture control and getting the angles right like this hoverfly shot (single shot)
http://i684.photobucket.com/albums/vv203/davidwhall/DSC_6721.jpg

[dpastern]

Mitchell & Baz, stacking can be of benefit. I personally don't really like it, I consider it cheating, but each to their own. I've used CombineZM in the past, very good (and free) software. A stacking tutorial I wrote:

www.macro-images.com/CombineZM_tutorial.doc (http://www.macro-images.com/CombineZM_tutorial.doc)

And an example stacked image (5 slices):

http://www.macro-images.com/images/Macro/Insects/Grasshoppers_Crickets_katydids/slides/New-Out999_998%20copy.jpg

Dave

edit: the tutorial is 2 years old now, I haven't updated it, probably won't. Some parts may no longer be accurate.