Taking macro shot.

Shooting in macro mode, techniques, tips & tricks
symmon
Posts: 10
Joined: 05.12.2006 03:13

Taking macro shot.

Post by symmon »

Hello,

Need help in setting size and format for taking macro to use with Helicon focus software.

Any starting help in the direction will be highly appreciated. I have done some macro work with film camera.



Symmon
Guest

Re: Taking macro shot.

Post by Guest »

symmon wrote:Hello,
Need help in setting size and format for taking macro to use with Helicon focus software.
I don't think there is an optimal size limit to the software. I've shot 10mpx images and also 640x480.

If you mean, by 'format', the file type, then BMP's are better than JPG's becuase the compression in jpeg files mean you might begin with degraded images. If your camera can shoot in RAW, that's even better.
symmon
Posts: 10
Joined: 05.12.2006 03:13

Taking Macro Shots

Post by symmon »

Mr Guest,

Thank you for your kindly advice.
My camera takes Raw or Jpg. I normally take Raw images at 9MP setting.
Since you indicated Raw as prefered format, I will set the camera at Raw and set it for 5MP to start of and see how it works.

If it works half way then I should be able to tweak the system and then the program learning curve could start from there on.

Thanks again,

symmon
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Ariel
Posts: 115
Joined: 26.10.2006 06:05

Post by Ariel »

Note that the images all have to have the same pixel measurements or it won't work. :!:
symmon
Posts: 10
Joined: 05.12.2006 03:13

Edge distortion

Post by symmon »

Hello Dan,
All of my Stacked pictures show hallo all around the edges of the final stacked image. I have tried some variation with auto adjustment,but the only solution at this time is to edit it. Is there some thing I am doing wrong. Help required. I could down load file it you would like to check it.

Thank you.

symmon :roll:
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Ariel
Posts: 115
Joined: 26.10.2006 06:05

Post by Ariel »

(I'm not exactly Dan, but...) Maybe the radius slider is too high, or maybe you need to use more images, or maybe the camera itself didn't take the pictures right (was your aperture too big?) Could you upload an example?
symmon
Posts: 10
Joined: 05.12.2006 03:13

Taking Macro Shots

Post by symmon »

Hello Ariel,

I have not changed any Auto setting and did not play with SMOOTHING. Do you advise changing the default auto setting R=4 and S=6 to lower value will help.
I will try attachment of the image tonight. Camera Rails are very stable.
Thanks for your help.

Symmon.
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Ariel
Posts: 115
Joined: 26.10.2006 06:05

Post by Ariel »

Make sure your camera has a small aperture and that you are uploading a sufficient number of files. Also try to make smoothing 1 and radius 20.
symmon
Posts: 10
Joined: 05.12.2006 03:13

Taking Macro Shot

Post by symmon »

Hello Ariel,


I have run into size limitation. The compressed size is 511 Kb. I took 16 shots with rack displacement movement of 1 mm / shot . The default was R=6 and s=4. Automatic adjustments were also left at their default values.
If there any other way I could sent you the file, please let me know. I would gladly e-mail it to you.


Thank you so much.

Symmon :(
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Ariel
Posts: 115
Joined: 26.10.2006 06:05

Post by Ariel »

I would rather not give out my address to avoid spam.
The file was too large to upload to the forum? I suggest you open it in Helicon Filter or some other photo program and downsize it to about 800x600 pixels. Then, with a bit of jpeg compression, it should be small enough to show online. Again, try changing the sliders and see if it improves.
symmon
Posts: 10
Joined: 05.12.2006 03:13

Taking Macro Shots

Post by symmon »

Hello Ariel,
I will change image to lower res ( 800X600). Since the image was shot in JPG it may not compress further.
I did try with Radius at 20 and Smoothing at 1. It did reduce most of the edge color bleed halo effect, but still totaly did not get rid of it. Could it be because of my use of Black background.
symmon :roll:
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Ariel
Posts: 115
Joined: 26.10.2006 06:05

Post by Ariel »

I don't know what the background would do with it, but again, make sure that the aperture on the camera is small enough. That might help.

You can compress jpegs as often as you want as much as you want. Just open it in a program which lets you choose jpeg quality you save an image as and choose a low enough number. This can be done with Helicon Filter, but you can even do it with Picasa 2.5 as an export.
Dan Kozub
Posts: 355
Joined: 24.03.2004 18:14

Post by Dan Kozub »

Am just back from the trip...

The halo on the black background is an artifact that we cannot fix so far without worsening other parts of the final image.

File exchange: You can use our ftp server ftp://web10f6:123456@helicon.com.ua

as a temporary storage.
symmon
Posts: 10
Joined: 05.12.2006 03:13

Taking Macro Shot

Post by symmon »

Hello Dan and ariel,
Just cropped part of the image, still contains the condition that I mentioned.
The aperture setting was at f8. Maximum aperture is f11.
Take a look .
Thanks
Symmon
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dryflower_resized.jpg
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Ariel
Posts: 115
Joined: 26.10.2006 06:05

Post by Ariel »

That's a big photo! I sized it to 25% in my browser just to see it. :) Now I'm not the expert, but I guess the program did think blurred yellow was sharper than solid black.
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