# Thinking of going to Olympus for focus bracketting/stacking



## davholla (May 13, 2019)

Probably Olympus OM-D E-M1 (£295 second hand)or OM-D E-M5 MK II Body Black (£419 new).

With the 60mm lens.

My shooting is due to commitments not ideal, i.e. I don't get up early and look for insects whilst they are still asleep.  It is more 5 minutes here or there when my family let me, never early in the morning and on holiday often by torch light.

I currently use Canon 550D and 60 mm lens which I am happy with but I would like the ability to do more stacks. If Olympus didn't have this feature I wouldn't think about changing for a second.

Any thoughts?  Why do Olympus users think?


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## Donde (May 19, 2019)

Looking forward to hearing answers to your question.


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## Overread (May 19, 2019)

I don't think any DSLRs have a built in bracketing system for focusing - its just a bit too much processing for the camera to do I would assume. 
The only automated systems I'm aware of are things like motorized focusing rails like the stackshot system - but they tend to be tripod only and are quite expensive. 


Also don't think you have to do stacking; practice getting good shots with a single photo. There are many outstanding photographers who can do this and it takes time and practice to find the ideal angles. Another step up is to purchase a macro (or use tubes on a regular) tilt-shift lens. These let you tilt the plane of focus; so for a macro you can "cheat" and get a deeper apparent depth of field on the subject because you've tilted the plane.



To help this make sense if you think of the depth of field as a sheet of paper where the thickness of it is the depth of field and the paper is held perpendicular to the front of the lens. Now a regular lens just lets you move the point of focus back and forth in the scene; a tilt shift lets you tilt the paper back/forward. For a small subject in the middle of the frame this can mean covering more depth on it.


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## Derrel (May 19, 2019)

Overread said:


> SNIP>>.These let you tilt the plane of focus; so for a macro you can "cheat" and get a deeper apparent depth of field on the subject because you've tilted the plane.



Nikon and Canon make tilt/shift macro lenses...Nikon an 85mm PC-E Nikkor. Canon has the 90 mm TS-E.


Look into the "Zoerk" tilt adapter URL="Tilt


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## JonFZ300 (May 20, 2019)

My Panasonic FZ300 has post focus but not in-camera stacking and it's something I'd love to have.


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## davholla (May 22, 2019)

Well I did some testing with my existing set and Olympus

Obviously these are not really shots I would normally keep, they are just some dead insects I found and keep in the freezer.

The Canon are single shots, Olympus photo stacking, any thoughts particularly on what I could do better with the Olympus

Canon



IMG_4650 by davholla2002, on Flickr

Olympus - very poor, worryingly it looked good at the back of the camera



P4220275 by davholla2002, on Flickr

Canon



IMG_4649 by davholla2002, on Flickr

Olympus




P4220223 by davholla2002, on Flickr


Canon




P4220188 by davholla2002, on Flickr

Olympus




IMG_4646 by davholla2002, on Flickr


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## Derrel (May 22, 2019)

I see evidence of tungsten WB/lighting in the Olympus shots, and a *too-slow shutter* in the 1st and 2nd Oly shots.

Canon shots appear lit by un-diffused flash, and appear crisper.


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## davholla (May 22, 2019)

Some more, obviously with none of these am I trying for good composition etc, the aim is to compare the fine details.



I am very tempted with these to give up and stay with Canon






P4220300 by davholla2002, on Flickr






IMG_4651 by davholla2002, on Flickr






IMG_4652 by davholla2002, on Flickr






P4220318 by davholla2002, on Flickr


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## davholla (May 22, 2019)

Derrel said:


> I see evidence of tungsten WB/lighting in the Olympus shots, and a *too-slow shutter* in the 1st and 2nd Oly shots.
> 
> Canon shots appear lit by un-diffused flash, and appear crisper.


Thank you normally with Canon I use a flash to freeze it, with the focus bracketing people normally use ambient light and I tried this inside.


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## Derrel (May 22, 2019)

i still see shake/shutter speed blurring in the Oly shots(look at P4220300 , which shows horizontal blurring), while the Canon shots show that perfectly sharp, flash-illuminated look. The Olympus is at a major disadvantage here,in this scenario.


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## davholla (May 22, 2019)

Derrel said:


> i still see shake/shutter speed blurring in the Oly shots(look at P4220300 , which shows horizontal blurring), while the Canon shots show that perfectly sharp, flash-illuminated look. The Olympus is at a major disadvantage here,in this scenario.


Oops good point I will have to try again tomorrow with better settings for the Olympus thank you


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## stapo49 (May 23, 2019)

Not sure if you have brought the Olympus already but anyway have a look at this. Not sure if it's what you are after?






Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk


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## davholla (Jun 9, 2019)

After trying this a bit more I don't think it is worth it and will almost certainly be returning the camera body.  Sadly I can't return the lens and will sell it at a slight loss.  Oh well macro often involves this kind of joy.  It would be great if I had lots of friends near me or colleagues who are interested in macro.  Unfortunately the number of people who I see regularly and take macro is zero - although I do have a work colleague who takes bird photos.


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