New Focus Stacking Setup

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Enoplometopus
Posts: 62
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:48 pm
Location: Germany
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New Focus Stacking Setup

Post by Enoplometopus »

Hi all,

I would like to present my current focus stacking setup. It's the result of a kind of evolution; in the roughly ten years I've been using focus stacking it has been the third setup (and the way I am satisfied with it, it might be the last one).

The first one was quite rudimentary, just using a StackShot and the mechanical parts of an old bellows system as object holder (see below):

1Setup_Knop.jpg

A few years later, I followed up with a new design with an acrylic base using CNC rails. As object holder I used the same old bellows system from the 1960s, but placed it vertically. I chosed the L-shape because I wanted to be able to use the whole thing both horizontally and vertically. However, I have only worked horizontally because I have a Leitz Orthoplan standing next to it which serves for working vertically.

I found the combination of a large, heavy linear stage and a motorized linear stage very helpful, so that you can always work with the same setup both manually or motorized. The camera is movable on the CNC rails for coarse adjustment, and the manual linear table is used for fine adjustment (see below).

2Setup_Knop.jpg

In order to be able to work with my Leica Elmarit objective, which has a large minimum distance, I extended the setup, which otherwise remained the same (see below, but without the Leica objective; for the Leica the camera can be pushed far to the right).

3Setup_Knop.jpg

Recently I completely redesigned the whole thing, in order to be more variable with the flash positioning, among other things. I wanted all the elements to be movable on rails. Depending on subject and objective used, everything can be positioned wherever I want it to be. I wanted to be able to use the flashes from the front as well as from the back.

4Setup_Knop.jpg
5Setup_Knop.jpg
6Setup_Knop.jpg
7Setup_Knop.jpg
8Setup_Knop.jpg
9Setup_Knop.jpg
10Setup_Knop.jpg

Since I work both with bellows or without, this results in different heights for the camera position, so the diffuser needed to be height adjustable as well. I also wanted to be able to use a single diffuser for all lenses. The diffuser is based on an old IKEA-lamp model name "Melodi" (I found that hint somewhere on this web site while ago).

11Setup_Knop.jpg
12Setup_Knop.jpg

I switched from the Stackshot to the Novoflex Castel micro, and the following lenses are used:

Up to 1:1:
Leica APO Elmarit 100 2.8 with or without Elpro 1:1

at 1:1 with long shooting distance and higher resolution:
Nikon slide scanner lens Coolscan 8000 on bellows unit

1.5:1 – 2:1:
Minolta 5400 slide scanner lens on bellows

for larger magnifications:
Mitutoyo 5x, 10x and 20x with Raynox close-up lenses DCR 250 and DCR 150 as tube lenses on bellows

The bellows instead of a fixed tube gives me the big advantage of variable magnifications.


Best regards,

Daniel
Best regards,

Daniel Knop/Enoplometopus
My website:www.knop.de
Instagram: danielknop10

elf
Posts: 1416
Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2007 12:10 pm

Re: New Focus Stacking Setup

Post by elf »

The next step is to add a rotary table for stitching :D

MatHel
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2022 1:31 am

Re: New Focus Stacking Setup

Post by MatHel »

Enoplometopus wrote:
Fri Jun 04, 2021 6:33 am



Recently I completely redesigned the whole thing, in order to be more variable with the flash positioning, among other things. I wanted all the elements to be movable on rails. Depending on subject and objective used, everything can be positioned wherever I want it to be. I wanted to be able to use the flashes from the front as well as from the back.

Hi, i really like this redesigned rig.
Could you please tell wich parts you used to build this?

Kind regards/
Mattias

dolmadis
Posts: 899
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:51 pm
Location: UK

Re: New Focus Stacking Setup

Post by dolmadis »

elf wrote:
Fri Jun 04, 2021 2:20 pm
The next step is to add a rotary table for stitching :D
As I have not ventured into stiching yet I would be interested in understanding the advantage of a rotary table.

Thanks, John

lothman
Posts: 956
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 7:00 am
Location: Stuttgart/Germany

Re: New Focus Stacking Setup

Post by lothman »

MatHel wrote:
Mon Nov 07, 2022 6:37 am
Hi, i really like this redesigned rig.
Could you please tell wich parts you used to build this?

Kind regards/
Mattias
the rails are Igus drylin Type W, https://www.igus.com/drylin/profile-rail-guide

elf
Posts: 1416
Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2007 12:10 pm

Re: New Focus Stacking Setup

Post by elf »

dolmadis wrote:
Mon Nov 07, 2022 7:39 am
elf wrote:
Fri Jun 04, 2021 2:20 pm
The next step is to add a rotary table for stitching :D
As I have not ventured into stiching yet I would be interested in understanding the advantage of a rotary table.

Thanks, John
Sorry, somehow I missed this. The rotary table allows you to rotate around the entrance pupil of lens and eliminates (or greatly reduces) parallax errors.

MatHel
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2022 1:31 am

Re: New Focus Stacking Setup

Post by MatHel »

lothman wrote:
Mon Nov 07, 2022 8:13 am
MatHel wrote:
Mon Nov 07, 2022 6:37 am
Hi, i really like this redesigned rig.
Could you please tell wich parts you used to build this?

Kind regards/
Mattias
the rails are Igus drylin Type W, https://www.igus.com/drylin/profile-rail-guide
Thanks

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Adalbert
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Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 1:09 pm

Re: New Focus Stacking Setup

Post by Adalbert »

nice setup !

Macro_Cosmos
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Re: New Focus Stacking Setup

Post by Macro_Cosmos »

How good is the bellows from Novoflex, worth the money? I am looking for a Thorlabs alternative for my open frame setup and I am completely unimpressed by any standard bellows on the market, let it be the Nikon PB ones or some entry level cheaper technical ones.
(All of these Japanese bellows were made by the same company anyway.)

mjkzz
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Re: New Focus Stacking Setup

Post by mjkzz »

Is that white thing 3D printed? If so, I am so envious of it. I just printed similar lighting setup, only I am mounting it back a bit. Printing failed twice already, the wall is too thin. I will show a pic.

blekenbleu
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Re: New Focus Stacking Setup

Post by blekenbleu »

mjkzz wrote:
Sat Nov 26, 2022 5:24 am
Is that white thing 3D printed?
IKEA MELODI https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/melodi-pen ... -60386532/
Metaphot, Optiphot 1, 66; AO 10, 120, and EPIStar 2571
https://blekenbleu.github.io/microscope

mjkzz
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Re: New Focus Stacking Setup

Post by mjkzz »

blekenbleu wrote:
Sat Nov 26, 2022 8:57 am
mjkzz wrote:
Sat Nov 26, 2022 5:24 am
Is that white thing 3D printed?
IKEA MELODI https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/melodi-pen ... -60386532/
Thanks, I was too impressed by those visual images to read . . . my bad. Yes, I have seen Melodi being used in some product photography setups, first time to see in macro setup, to me, it is a bit on bulky side. :-)

Enoplometopus
Posts: 62
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:48 pm
Location: Germany
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Re: New Focus Stacking Setup

Post by Enoplometopus »

@mjkzz: Well, you can cut it to any size desired. I shortened it and opened it on the bottom side, where I deformed it to attach the height adjustable base part. Without shortening, the "melody" lamp diffuser would certainly be a bit large.
Best regards,

Daniel Knop/Enoplometopus
My website:www.knop.de
Instagram: danielknop10

Enoplometopus
Posts: 62
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:48 pm
Location: Germany
Contact:

Re: New Focus Stacking Setup

Post by Enoplometopus »

@ Macro_Cosmos, regarding the bellows. Sorry, I have missed some replies in this thread. Yes, I would certainly choose it again. The main advantage I see is that front and back have a round plate that can easily be detached with two screws on the side. One plate carries the camera, the other one carries the objective. I have several plates carrying different objectives, so I do not need to unscrew the objectives but just change the whole plate.
Best regards,

Daniel Knop/Enoplometopus
My website:www.knop.de
Instagram: danielknop10

Enoplometopus
Posts: 62
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:48 pm
Location: Germany
Contact:

Re: New Focus Stacking Setup

Post by Enoplometopus »

@ blekenbleu: Regarding the diffuser made of the IKEA lamp shade "Melody" (sorry, my reply is very late, just saw it today): It is the perfect diffuser. Easy to get from Ebay, looking for that lamp. Just be careful, there are two sizes in diameter. Mine has a maximum diameter of 28 cm. There is a larger one with 40 cm which sounds too wide.
Best regards,

Daniel Knop/Enoplometopus
My website:www.knop.de
Instagram: danielknop10

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