Automatic Focus Stacking with XF

[Greg Haag]

Anyone here that does automatic focus stacking with the XF that would mind sharing their technique. When I try to do this untethered something about my technique of setting the closest and furthest focus point kicks it out of focus stacking.
Thanks in advance,
Greg

 

[Greg Haag]

Well, not sure what changed, but it is working for me now.

 

[P. Chong]

I have done it before, but I don't have an XF now. I set the near point in manual mode, get XF to memorize it, then set to far point also manual focusing, and memorize that. Then before starting the sequence, change the lens back to automatic. The XF automatically calculates the step size and number required for a given CoC. This is much better than anything else I have seen which require the photographer to guess based on experience. Further the XF allows you to manually change these values. I do find the system to err on the overly cautious side, and make too small steps and too many frames.

 

[Greg Haag]

I have done it before, but I don't have an XF now. I set the near point in manual mode, get XF to memorize it, then set to far point also manual focusing, and memorize that. Then before starting the sequence, change the lens back to automatic. The XF automatically calculates the step size and number required for a given CoC. This is much better than anything else I have seen which require the photographer to guess based on experience. Further the XF allows you to manually change these values. I do find the system to err on the overly cautious side, and make too small steps and too many frames.

Thank you Peter! I much prefer the manual focus suggestion, I will give that a try. I currently have it set to automatically calculate step size size/number of captures, it is much higher than I would normally do. The good news is the XF w 120 is much sharper than anything else I have.

 

[Mexecutioner]

Thank you Peter! I much prefer the manual focus suggestion, I will give that a try. I currently have it set to automatically calculate step size size/number of captures, it is much higher than I would normally do. The good news is the XF w 120 is much sharper than anything else I have.

Yes that 120 is something else. I love it!

 

[Greg Haag]

Yes that 120 is something else. I love it!

Rodrigo, I really had forgotten, but I photographed the same plant with my 3 best options and it was the clear winner (not really even close).