R5/R5II Macro Workflow?

AlphaPhotography
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · R5/R5II Macro Workflow?

How do you process your macro photos from the R5? I've been using the in camera focus stacking combined with Helicon Focus but I don't know the best process for editing, tiff conversion, etc. I typically import the files into lightroom then export them to Helicon Focus. Once stacked I'll import the result (tiff) back into Lightroom for editing.

Is there a better workflow? Should editing be done before stacking? All the tiff files are fairly slow to process (M3 Max MBP) and they're massive file sizes.

Also any recommendations on a continuous (LED) light for macro work? I know flash is better but I'm looking for something that will work with electronic shutter focus stacking and for video.

Aug 16, 2024 at 12:45 AM

downhillonwater
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · R5/R5II Macro Workflow?

For editing focus stacks, I export unedited RAWs to Helicon Focus and return a DNG to Lightroom. I then edit the DNG in LR/CR and move into Photoshop.

Aug 16, 2024 at 08:58 AM

tsunathanh
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · R5/R5II Macro Workflow?

I’ve played around with continuous lighting for macro video. I shoot live animals handheld in the field, so everything needs to be on my camera. I’ve used the small led video light panels mounted on a hot shoe adapter. I’ve put two of them on a dual flexible arm bracket (linked below). You need to diffuse the light, so I made a diffuser that attaches to the lens. It seems that expensive and cheap led panels work basically the same for this, you just want as bright of lights as you can get.

For stills, there is no reason to make this compromise. Use a simple and cheap diffused speedlite and you’ll get way better results. It will freeze action better, the light will be of higher quality, etc. Why do you want to stack with electronic shutter?

For the R5II, I don’t have mine yet, but I think it will sync with a flash in electronic shutter mode (unlike the R5).

Finally, I will say that you can take amazing macro photos without stacking if you are intentional about composition. I find this much more rewarding, if a little more difficult on the picture-taking-side.

https://www.macrodojo.com/product/fotopro-dmm-903s-macro-twin-flash-flexible-articulating-arms-bracket/

Aug 16, 2024 at 09:32 AM

AlphaPhotography
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · R5/R5II Macro Workflow?

The reason for using electronic shutter is because that's what the camera supports for in-camera focus bracketing, so flash is not an option in that mode AFAIK.

tsunathanh wrote:
I’ve played around with continuous lighting for video. I shoot live animals handheld in the field, so everything needs to be on my camera. I’ve used the small led video light panels mounted on a hot shoe adapter. I’ve put two of them on a dual flexible arm bracket (linked below). You need to diffuse the light, so I made a diffuser that attaches to the lens. It seems that expensive and cheap led panels work basically the same for this, you just want as bright of lights as you can get.

For stills, there is no reason to make...Show more →

Aug 16, 2024 at 09:39 AM

downhillonwater
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · R5/R5II Macro Workflow?

The manual indicates the R5m2 will do flash in electronic shutter mode while focus stacking. We'll know for sure next week...

Aug 16, 2024 at 09:54 AM

AmbientMike
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · R5/R5II Macro Workflow?

Even the old 540EZ I've been using in manual (not too hard really)for macro can handle bursts, of course you have to turn down the power. Rechargeables generally recharge flash faster, and probably help

Aug 16, 2024 at 07:27 PM

koenkooi
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · R5/R5II Macro Workflow?

My workflow for focus stacks is:
1) Run all raws through DxO PureRAW4 to reduce noise, vignetting and exporting the results as DNGs
2) Import the DNGs into Helicon, stack
3) Save the result as DNG
4) Import the original RAWs and helicon DNG into Lightroom, group them in a stack.
5) Delete the intermediate DxO generated DNGs

By using DNG you keep all the same controls in LR and colour profiles works as intended.

Aug 19, 2024 at 08:48 AM

Jeff Nolten
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · R5/R5II Macro Workflow?

My workflow is a bit different:
1) Load the RAWs into Lightroom.
2) Select the start and end images per ones DOF preference.
3) Do basic raw conversions, lens corrections, color profile, etc. on first then sync across the stack.
4) Export the images to Photoshop as layers.
5) In PS, select all layers, Edit: Auto align, Edit: Auto merge as stack.
6) Inspect the merge, crop, edit if necessary, then Layers: flatten. One can edit the individual layer masks if necessary - usually not.
7) Save back to Lightroom as tiff and do any final PP on the merged image.

This has worked well for me over several camera bodies. PS has a bug: It only loads all layers if it doesn't already have any images. I exit PS between stacks.

Aug 20, 2024 at 11:41 AM


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