Focus Stacking in the field with fungi photographer Stephen Axford and the Sony α7R V

Focus stacking can be tricky in the field, battling changes of light, wind, spongy ground under the tripod legs. It requires patience, efficiency and skill.
Stephen Axford is one of the world's masters in macro field fungi photography and shares how his new Sony α7R V is helping him produce the best photographs he reckons he has ever taken. In this free tutorial he steps you through his process in the magnificent old growth forests of Tasmania's west coast.
Feel free to ask questions in the comments.
For more advanced techniques in field photography, manual focus bracketing and focus stacking post-production, check out Stephen's masterclass on macro fungi photography, which also has tips for mobile phone cameras. planetfungi.gumroad.com/l/fun...
And if you would like to be part of creating our new documentary FOLLOW THE RAIN - you can find out more here and really make a difference in sharing how critical the Kingdom of Fungi is to life as we know it.
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[@canadiangemstones7636]

How lucky are we, that absolute masters take the time to share their methods, for free, here on YT. Your work is amazing, thanks!

[@chrimay]

You are not just a great photographer, you are a generous soul! Best wishes my friend.

[@IanWilkinson]

I'm really impressed by the high quality results you get with such an apparently simple setup. No need for a focussing rail or flash, or even a battery-powered Stackshot for automation. I'll probably be too old to bend my weak knees before Sony upgrades the firmware of the a7R IV to include the focus bracketing drive mode of later models-surely it just requires a software update.

[@gth042]

You can still advance the focuser with quick presses on the bluetooth remote. Crude, but works well enough with a tight aperture.

[@dragonluvver975]

Recently discovered this channel, and the production quality is worth being a documentary on TV!

[@renatezaphiriou8838]

Thank you very much for sharing these wonderful tips! They are wonderful explained - Thanks a lot! Greetings from Germany!

[@wildedibles819]

Thanks for the tips I don't use a big camera because I can't carry all that around but I can still use thoes tips when I'm taking photos with my phone Thanks

[@PlanetFungi]

The Masterclass (link under video) has some great general tips appropriate for phone cameras too.

[@ReynaSingh]

Great channel. Keep it up

[@KingsMom831]

This is easily one of my favorite channels! Thanks for documenting all these experiences & beautiful fungi.🙏

[@davidhart6900]

Your work has opened my eyes to a whole new world and now using a 90mm macro and nikon z7ii ; I’m able to Focus Stack mushrooms Thank you 🙏; i appreciate you and your expertise in the field

[@zarinaromanets7290]

Thank you for sharing your pro tips and the why's behind them. Really makes me excited to save for a camera that lets me capture all my hikes!

[@LukesMushrooms]

You can also check for other brands where this feature is common also in lower-end camera bodies - for example Canon RP, R10, Nikon Z5, Z6, Panasonic S5 or various Olympus / OM-System cameras.

[@TillyOrifice]

Excellent work Steve, and very helpful.

[@asemic]

photography techniques especially using labyrinthine camera interfaces can be so convolutedly esoteric.. and even though i'll probably never use this, i really appreciate the video haha thanks!

[@gailmcbride6924]

Your photos are absolutely stunning!

[@ChrisE72]

I've been trying macro photography for a little while now, looking up videos and tips and tracks. This video was absolutely excellent and the pictures are so beautiful. I can't wait to find some fungi to try this myself. Thanks so much for sharing your expertise.

[@sabyasachibanerjee124]

Wonderfully explained. Since starting watching your videos, I have started spotting mushrooms as well which I normally would not have noticed.

[@bigsarge2085]

Incredible!

[@user-xl2ir1nv9t]

I love the details no so easy to appreciate until getting in close

[@JUNEORJUNE]

WOW! AWESOME PICTURES

[@LukesMushrooms]

Hello Stephen, thank you for sharing your know-how in this great video. My name is Lukas nad I am also a fungi photographer. I use almost the same technique as you and it's great to see there is a video like this one. People often ask me how I take my pictures and now I can redirect them to your video so they can learn :) Recently I've been chosing a new camera system to switch to. It's pity that Sony includes this feature only in this latest high-end model which is above my budget. So I chose another brand, as most of other camera manufacturers include this feature even in models with much lower price. So for beginners (like I was some time ago too) there are also other options with built-in focus bracketing. All that people need to do is to find a camera body with this feature and add some nice macro lens :)

[@d0nnerknispel64]

So, which is the cheaper alternative you use?

[@PlanetFungi]

Great to hear that you use basically the same method. Where are you located?

[@rogeryoung3587]

@@PlanetFungi Czech Republic (fourteen seconds into his last video!)

[@LukesMushrooms]

@@PlanetFungi I'm located in Europe in Czech Republic, also visiting my homeland Slovakia from time to time. Mushrooms are very popular in both these countries.

[@LukesMushrooms]

@@d0nnerknispel64 I've been using Canon M6 mk II + 28mm f3.5 macro lens for the last couple of years and it was great - lightweight and performant. Ideal for long walks in forests. However, the Canon M system has no future and I didn't want to invest into it anymore. So I will be switching to Nikon Z5 soon.

[@Bo_Hazem]

Wow, wonderful video! Thank you for the amazing details and information shared! Hope the best for you.

[@lyndeljholt3796]

Such clear instructions, thank you!

[@PeachesandMoss]

Wow so brilliant! I’m just starting my mushroom photography for this fall!

[@foggymossstudio]

Awesome work!

[@strepto42]

Thank you for sharing! Superb shots :)

[@ericrobinson8078]

Glad I found this video as with us here in Scotland moving Into Autumn there should be mushrooms out there to photograph....but alas no old growth forest like you have in Tasmania.

[@hawk20]

Amazing 👏 work.

[@auroraaustralis5470]

😎thank you

[@michaelmckeag960]

This fall I decided to devote time and attention exploring fungi in our forest. Searching YT for tutorials was disappointing; too inexperienced to be informative, or seeking results too theatrical or artificial for my taste. This morning I discovered your channel, actually rediscovered as it turns out. Apparently I had subscribed quite some time ago. I quickly converged on exactly the approach you demonstrate. In my case the highly articulated Benbo tripod supporting a Nikon D850 + Nikon 105mm macro. I use the “focus shift” feature of the D850. From tests ISO 400 appears to be the sweet spot for taking advantage of ISO invariance on the D850. I just ripped off a sheet of aluminum foil to take with me this morning. I will be back. So much to learn, just getting started.

[@georgerussell8948]

So glad I found this video, thank you Stephen. Does the Sony A7R5 combine the photo stack in camera or do you need to do that post production?

[@JuanAbellanOF2]

You're doing the true work Mr. Axford. I would like to hear you're opinion on Terrence Mckenna's theory that the mushroom is an alien. Thank you very much and many healthy years ahead!

[@seanconolly3088]

Excellent 👍

[@peterosborne9802]

Wow the quality of your work is very good, some of the shots looked like a scene from avatar... that's a compliment by the way.

[@user-vj5dz2wh9l]

Thanks for this wonderful video, ut us well explained. May i ask which shutter release remote your using? I need to get one as well. Thanks

[@bittertruth6175]

Great, precise and to the point. Two questions. 1. What software do you use for post processing focus stacking. 2. I have Pentax k3 miii Monochrome. It does not have focus stacking in menu. In cameras without focus stacking, what are necessary steps to take. Thanks.

[@PlanetFungi]

Thank you for the feedback. Stephen uses Helicon Focus for stitching the brackets together in post-production. We do have a tutorial for bracketing manually done a while ago now, you can stream it from this link - planetfungi.gumroad.com/l/fungimasterclass. This video also goes through the post-production process.

[@evertjemei]

So Beautiful Always ❤❤❤

[@TeethToothman]

❤❤❤

[@klackon1]

Top job. I like the idea of carrying the tin foil. I'm going to pinch that idea - thanks.

[@scotter0524]

Hi Stephen, amazing pictures! Could you please tell me if it’s possible to use the Sony A7 RV’s focus bracketing feature in manual focus? And could you please tell me what software you use to stack your images?

[@PlanetFungi]

It is not possible to use the focus staking when using manual focus. I use Helicon Focus for post processing

[@Snibble]

Where can I buy his pictures? A poster with a compilation of multible pics would be awesome!

[@gth042]

Vinyl wrap for a wall... 🤔

[@PlanetFungi]

I don't often sell individual photos but if you email me at [e-mail] I could sell you a full res jpeg

[@ericrobinson8078]

Love the video and your photographs ...but...are you producing the final image using focus stacking software like Helicon for example?

[@PlanetFungi]

Yes I use helicon focus

[@tonyselwah6420]

Hey, cool video. Your shots are beautiful. Thanks for sharing. I use the same camera and lens as you. You might want to try iso 640, it's cleaner than iso 400 as it's where the second channel of the dual iso kicks in. You don't need the help, obviously as you images are awesome but someone shared this with me recently and it helped me, so I thought I'd pass it on. Cheers.

[@PlanetFungi]

I'd heard that iso640 was somehow lower noise than ISO400, but I'd assumed that the difference was very small. Maybe it is sensible to use 640 instead of 400.. Is there a visible difference?

[@tonyselwah6420]

@@PlanetFungi There is, I notice it most when stacking astro. The higher the stack number, the more noise I see, so I thought it might apply here as well. I do not have as much experience stacking macro, the difference might be less. I use 640 as a default now if I'm anywhere close to it, since I learned about sony's dual iso gain.

[@user-ho8zn9rd2n]

What focus stacking software from Sony are we talking about here? I didn't realise that Sony included software for the A7RV.

[@Bleenderhead]

would using a lightfield camera allow you to capture everything in focus?

[@PlanetFungi]

I assume so, but at the cost of resolution. There's no real product , so maybe wait for 30 years or more

[@GodsHeretic]

This looks more like focus bracketing in the field, with the focus stacking still taking place back at home, correct? The title is confusing me a bit.

[@NakamuraPhoto]

I have an A7r V, too. What remote do you use? Thank you.

[@PlanetFungi]

Sony RMT-P1BT Remote Commander

[@NakamuraPhoto]

Thank you very much! @@PlanetFungi

[@mashtatoueful]

I want your life!

[@kalidasang9472]

Which is the software your using to stack the images

[@PlanetFungi]

Helicon focus

[@damidammi]

what focus stacking software do you use?

[@PlanetFungi]

Helicon Focis

[@Billbeaux]

Steven seems like he might've taken some shrooms a time or two. Thanks for the tips mate

[@PlanetFungi]

Not for a long time, but I do have Parkinson's, so that may explain it 🙂

[@Patricia-wf2via]

Creí que iba a ver algo de los hongos y no una propaganda de una super cámara que vale una fortuna. Se la regalaron a este a cambio de la publicidad.

[@PlanetFungi]

I don't often do product videos but this one made a big difference for me. Sorry you didn't like it. Sony did not give me this camera though they have done so in the past.

[@Patricia-wf2via]

@@PlanetFungi Bueno, gracias por aclararmelo. Le creo. Esta bien. Todo en orden.

[@Patricia-wf2via]

@@PlanetFungi Me siento mal por haberlo ofendido, le pido perdón sinceramente. Es que cuando es grande y ve lo que ve, llega a desconfiar de todo,menos de Dios. Acepte por favor mis disculpas. Me gusta mucho lo que hace porque a su edad su vida tiene proyectos.