Eye of a blue bottle fly

Images taken in a controlled environment or with a posed subject. All subject types.

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mjkzz
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Eye of a blue bottle fly

Post by mjkzz »

It seems a full frame camera does have some advantage. EFCS and mid-curtain certainly improve it a lot.

Image

Canon 6D in EFCS mode
Mitutoyo 10x + Raynox 150 as tube lens
301 Images at 10um step size
MJKZZ Ultra Rail Kit (industrial rail based focus stacking system)
Two studio strobes (Godox 400W) triggered at mid-curtain
Plastic sheet domed over subject
Zerene Stacker

perdu34
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Post by perdu34 »

How are you setting the 6D to Electronic First Curtain Shutter? I've only been able to do this with LiveView on all the time.

L

mjkzz
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Post by mjkzz »

yes, in live view only

Beatsy
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Post by Beatsy »

Lovely pic. Really like the lighting in the eyes, and the different size lenses. Very cool.

mawyatt
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Post by mawyatt »

Peter,

Wow, that's an awesome image!!

Looks like your new "Industrial Rail" and "Mid Curtain" controller systems are working well indeed!!

Best,
Research is like a treasure hunt, you don't know where to look or what you'll find!
~Mike

mjkzz
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Post by mjkzz »

Beatsy wrote:Lovely pic. Really like the lighting in the eyes, and the different size lenses. Very cool.
Thanks Beatsy, still learning from you.
Mike wrote:Wow, that's an awesome image!!
Thanks Mike, one day I will try your lighting setup.

Thank you guys for the encouragement, there are a lot to learn from you guys.

@Mike, the rail is just to clarify something. But the mid curtain is definitely a major improvement. before I had to use continuous light, long exposure, any shake during exposure will ruin the stack, and living on 20th floor on a high rise does not help. But now, unless the shake occurs in the middle of flash, it really does not matter anymore, I can even walk around the setup, any shifts caused by shake can be resolved by stacking software like Zerene.

Now, I really want that full frame Sony A7III for its true electronic shutter.

Regards
Peter

mawyatt
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Post by mawyatt »

mjkzz wrote: @Mike, the rail is just to clarify something. But the mid curtain is definitely a major improvement. before I had to use continuous light, long exposure, any shake during exposure will ruin the stack, and living on 20th floor on a high rise does not help. But now, unless the shake occurs in the middle of flash, it really does not matter anymore, I can even walk around the setup, any shifts caused by shake can be resolved by stacking software like Zerene.
Peter,

That's one reason I've always preferred flash over continuous exposure, and the Mid-Curtain concept allows one to use this with cameras that block flash exposure when utilizing certain electronic curtain modes. Each exposure method has it's pros and cons, and folks have their preferences. With Mid-Curtain it's like having your cake and eating it too :D

Best,
Research is like a treasure hunt, you don't know where to look or what you'll find!
~Mike

dolmadis
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Post by dolmadis »

Hi Peter

Could you confirm that "mid Curtain" can be set up using what I might call the lower end Canon DSLR's in the "Txi" notation range. I have for example a 650D or T4i.

And can you use non Canon flash units?

BR


John

mjkzz
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Post by mjkzz »

@Mike, yeah, I kept telling Canon shooter to use continuous lights + EFCS, not all of them believe me, but once they tried it, they get sharper images. But now, I recommend the "mid-curtain".

@John, yes, almost any camera can do "mid curtain" thing as it is totally independent of camera. So far I set shutter speed to 0.5s to allow some settle time (when not using EFCS) and set light delay on the controller to 0.5, it works beautifully and reliably. If shutter speed is too fast, say 0.2s, there might be sync problem due to variable shutter lag. This setting works on my heavily repaired 550D and the new 6D, my GH5 in full electronic shutter mode (ie, no mechanical shutter) which does not fire flash at all. I will get a Sony A7III to test it more.

Regards
Peter

mawyatt
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Post by mawyatt »

mjkzz wrote:@Mike, yeah, I kept telling Canon shooter to use continuous lights + EFCS, not all of them believe me, but once they tried it, they get sharper images. But now, I recommend the "mid-curtain".

@John, yes, almost any camera can do "mid curtain" thing as it is totally independent of camera. So far I set shutter speed to 0.5s to allow some settle time (when not using EFCS) and set light delay on the controller to 0.5, it works beautifully and reliably. If shutter speed is too fast, say 0.2s, there might be sync problem due to variable shutter lag. This setting works on my heavily repaired 550D and the new 6D, my GH5 in full electronic shutter mode (ie, no mechanical shutter) which does not fire flash at all. I will get a Sony A7III to test it more.

Regards
Peter
Peter,

Some Nikons cameras have what's called Rear Curtain Sync, this triggers the flash just before the rear mechanical curtain closes, allowing the vibration induced by the front curtain to subside on longer shutter periods. I use and have used this method with my D800, since it has mechanical shutters (Mid Curtain is even better with EFCS). Don't have a Canon, nor Sony, so can't say if they have this mode.

Best,
Research is like a treasure hunt, you don't know where to look or what you'll find!
~Mike

mjkzz
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Post by mjkzz »

Mike,

Yeah, I shoot rear curtain with my D5200, usually set shutter to 1s to allow shutter to settle down before flash being triggered.

Nikon shooters have been enjoining this for long time.

Regards
Peter

cmagno
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Post by cmagno »

Inspiring!
Thanks for sharing.

Regards
Carlos Magno

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