The new Slik and the wireless shutter release do make a difference

[JBW]

The Slik Pro 700 DX Tripod with a three-way pan and tilt head and a Vello Freewave Wireless Remote Shutter Release do make a difference. I had thought that my 2 second shutter release delay let the vibrations from manually using the shutter stop. Apparently I was wrong. In all the shots I have taken of this flower I have never got the detail I have in this shot.

ISO 100 ~ Shutter Speed 3.2s ~ F/16 ~ Natural Light ~ Stacked In Fiji ~ Sony Alpha a58 ~ Tamron 90mm 272E

[NorthernFocus]

That is awesome detail. It is amazing how long it can take for vibration to dampen out. When using timed shutter release I use at least 5s and preferably 10s. But only do that when I forget to bring the remote release in the bag

[JBW]

That is awesome detail. It is amazing how long it can take for vibration to dampen out. When using timed shutter release I use at least 5s and preferably 10s. But only do that when I forget to bring the remote release in the bag

I do believe I'm entering a whole new level. With the added bonus of being able to take continuous and bracketing shots.

[Shadowman]

Hi Brian,

I don't doubt your findings but wonder if the experiment can be reproduced using both methods, show us comparative shots; before and after any editing to overcome vibration, and perhaps adding a third variable such as vibration of subject from wind.

[JBW]

Hi Brian,

I don't doubt your findings but wonder if the experiment can be reproduced using both methods, show us comparative shots; before and after any editing to overcome vibration, and perhaps adding a third variable such as vibration of subject from wind.

Undoubtedly it could be. Perhaps in a studio environment. Precisely lining up two tripods on uneven ground would tax my skills. But i believe I could get very close in a controlled and level environment.

Let me think about this for a bit.

[AlwaysOnAuto]

Brian - You say this is a stacked shot. What are you changing between the different shots you've stacked?

[JBW]

Brian - You say this is a stacked shot. What are you changing between the different shots you've stacked?

with this shot it was light and shadow as the sun hid behind clouds. the different lighting also created different focus points. I'll be exploring with manually changing the focus points in the days to come.

[DanK]

the different lighting also created different focus points.

That is something that I have never experienced, but that is maybe because I rarely use more than one AF point, and never more than one cluster. I'm wondering how this would happen. Perhaps in sufficient shade, the camera can't detect contrast that it can detect in brighter light.

[JBW]

That is something that I have never experienced, but that is maybe because I rarely use more than one AF point, and never more than one cluster. I'm wondering how this would happen. Perhaps in sufficient shade, the camera can't detect contrast that it can detect in brighter light.

I don't know the science but time after time on auto focus my camera picks different areas to focus on. It seems as if the brighter areas 'steal' the focus?

[Cantab]

I don't know the science but time after time on auto focus my camera picks different areas to focus on. It seems as if the brighter areas 'steal' the focus?

Brian, I have no experience with Sony cameras but with my Canon I use a single focus point.

To keep things idiot proof I always use the centre focus point. If the centre focus point won't be aimed at the precise area of the photo I want to be in focus, I press the shutter half way down with the focus point on whatever I want to be in focus. Then, still holding the shutter halfway down, I recompose the position of the camera so that the image is composed as I want, then finish pressing the shutter down to activate the shutter. There are other ways of obtaining the same result but perhaps someone with a Sony camera will leap into this discussion. Having the camera choose what part of the image will be in focus is not good!

[JBW]

Brian, I have no experience with Sony cameras but with my Canon I use a single focus point.

To keep things idiot proof I always use the centre focus point. If the centre focus point won't be aimed at the precise area of the photo I want to be in focus, I press the shutter half way down with the focus point on whatever I want to be in focus. Then, still holding the shutter halfway down, I recompose the position of the camera so that the image is composed as I want, then finish pressing the shutter down to activate the shutter. There are other ways of obtaining the same result but perhaps someone with a Sony camera will leap into this discussion. Having the camera choose what part of the image will be in focus is not good!

My Sony has the same options for locking in the focus. Most of the time I use manual focus with the LCD magnification set to medium or high so I can make sure my focus is where I want it. But there are times....