Photographing Fungi - Tips, Tricks and Techniques using the OM1 and the 90mm Macro

[@Graham_Wood]

Many thanks Roger. This is an excellent presentation which is a good lead in for Sunday's workshop.

[@rogerhance5883]

Thanks for commenting Graham. I hope to bring some Fungi along for photography on Sunday, but I think the cold weather and frost may have killed most of it off. Hopefully, I should be able to find something. I will be giving a short slide show at the start explaining focus stacking, so I will look forward to seeing you there. 👍

[@johnpark8297]

Fabulous video Roger, thanks for taking the time to make this. It was really helpful to see the difference between single and stacked shots. All the images were amazing, the wide angle shot worked really well too. Look forward to your next one on focus peaking. 👍

[@rogerhance5883]

Thanks John. Always greatful for your kind comments.

[@CamillaI]

I wouldn't go without my "Wimberly Plamp" in the Summer photographing Butterflies first light. Awesome work with the Fungi Roger . 👍

[@rogerhance5883]

Thanks for the kind comment Mark. The `plamp` is a great piece of kit.

[@klburt73]

Excellent video, Roger! Always look forward to seeing another from you. My friend (who shoots with OM-1 and the 60 mm macro) and I went out today looking for mushrooms. Had a lot of fun and have used some of your videos as inspiration. Thanks for sharing!

[@rogerhance5883]

THanks for the very kind comment. Its greatly appreciated.

[@davidosborn3356]

Super little video Roger. Nice and informative presentation and an excellent watch. The snaps ain’t half bad either!

[@rogerhance5883]

Thanks David. Its been quite a decent season. Dont think it will last much longer though.

[@davidosborn3356]

@ No it’s supposed to get colder and wet throughout the week, so I’m guessing it’s just about over. Shame as I didn’t start going out til the end of October.

[@banjowillowwarbler-gm4jk]

thank you for a great upload, and for telling us the various settings you were using too. It's good to see signal shots v stacked shots. Have to say I am struggling with the whole differential for the in-camera focus stacking, it really is quite beyond me presently. I love the image of the tiny mushroom on the twig, great tip for the clamp. I think my favourite is the Mycena with the Bonnet fungus.

[@rogerhance5883]

Thanks for commenting. What differential to use is a job to get to grips with. The best thing is to take more than one stack. Sometime I take three. So maybe try one bracket at 8 shots at differential 4. Then try another bracket at 12 shots at differential 3. It is just trial an error. If you have too many shots in the bracket, or the differentila is to much, the focus goes past the subject, and you can get a `halo` around the top of the subject. It gets easier the more you do it. Hope that helps.

[@davidhall8076]

Another great video Roger. I must try my 8-25mm for this.

[@rogerhance5883]

Cheers David. The 12-40mm works as well for wide anle fungi shots.

[@GW7RKC]

Thank's Roger, I really enjoyed the video , it was great to get your tips regarding technique and the resulting images are wonderful.

[@rogerhance5883]

Thanks for the very kind comment. Glad you liked it.

[@chrispatmore8944]

Nice one. I often use the Leica 9mm on my Olympus when shooting fungi. It focuses very close and because it is compact, I can get it and the camera underneath larger mushrooms for some interesting perspectives. If space is really tight, I will use the TG-7 in macro mode with the LED diffuser to get those unusual perspectives. And because I always have the TG-7 with me, if I happen to find fungi when I don’t have my ‘proper’ camera to hand, I can always get a shot.

[@rogerhance5883]

Thanks for the kind comment about the video Chris. That 9mm Leica sound a really nice lens. I am considering the 17mm 1.2 lens, but not use it will be wide enough. I dont have the TG-7, but I have heard very good reports on it. Once again, thanks for the kind comment.

[@mk1photography62]

Great video Roger sadly I cannot afford the OM-1 and the 90mm my EM1-X and 60mm this gives excellent images thanks for the advice too

[@rogerhance5883]

A lot of the tips in this video will worth exactly the same with the EM1X and the 60mm macro. AS you say the EM1X is a great camera,and the 60mm is pin sharp.

[@mk1photography62]

@rogerhance5883 yep it's wonderful lens at tremendous value I am looking forward to getting out with mine

[@robwat7717]

Excellent Roger very informative great info about how to set up stacking and bracketing

[@rogerhance5883]

Thanks for the kind comment. Glad you forund it informative.

[@robynaldridge8304]

Thank you, Roger. Now I must see about getting one of those clamps!

[@rogerhance5883]

Thanks for commenting Robyn. The `plamp` is a good bit of kit, but for what it is, it expensive. I am surprised another firm has not made a cheaper version.

[@hanahoeo7073]

Have been working on focus stacking and bracketing using the 60 macro and 12-100 handheld and with tripod shooting mushrooms and fungi. Mixed results so far from excellent to delete the entire stack. Think my issue is the initial focusing on the front of the subject. Will continue to practice working on more consistent results. Look forward to your up coming focus peaking video. As always great video and tfs

[@rogerhance5883]

Glad you enjoyed it. I usually do more than one stack because I often dont get it quite right at the first attemp. Also doing stacks were you change the differential covers you so you ensure one shot is perfect.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Nicely put together Roger. My Plamp was in the stolen car

[@rogerhance5883]

Cheers Mike. I had half finished the video a week ago, but was struggling to get the enthusiam to finish it. It didnt turn out too bad in the end.

[@michaelmckeag960]

At first I was concerned when you mentioned in camera focus stack processing with JPEG output, then relieved when you added that original RAW files are saved for proper post processing later. In camera stack processing is a useful feature. You have a stack preview to evaluate while still in the field. And thanks for the reminder of the utility of the Plamp and ground stake. I need to take mine out of the drawer and put it in my pack.

[@wildlifephotographytipsand1367]

Great video as always Roger. I think the small fungus on the twig is Hairy Oysterling - which has been parasitised by another fungus - like the one you showed in this month's NPP.

[@rogerhance5883]

Thanks for the kind comment and help with the identification Kevin .

[@creaph]

Bonjour et merci encore une belle vidéo

[@rogerhance5883]

Un grand merci Philippe. Heureux que cela vous ait plu et merci pour votre commentaire.

[@SteveHedgesPhotography]

Really good video Roger. Great time of year for fungi. All the best Steve.

[@rogerhance5883]

Thanks Steve. Its been a good season this year.

[@edwardrussell5413]

Great stuff Thx

[@rogerhance5883]

Cheers mate.

[@kevsandall6334]

Great Work, Roger!

[@rogerhance5883]

Thanks Kevin. Much appreciated.

[@garylayton3596]

THANKS ROGER.

[@rogerhance5883]

Cheers. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@boboneill1828]

Thank you for this video. I think it's important to have image stabilisation switched off when stacking on a tripod or you can get some strange artefacts.

[@rogerhance5883]

Good point. Glad you liked the video.

[@Francesca48]

Great and helpful video Roger. One quick question, please,….do you sue back button focusing or are you focuSing manually?

[@rogerhance5883]

Thanks for commenting Francesca. I am focusing manually, but you have to have the front clutch engaged for stacking to work. I then switch to manual in the super control panel.

[@Francesca48]

@@rogerhance5883 Thank you

[@Armin_alter_Mann]

Very good Roger - I Like your Videos - Grüße vom Armin

[@cristianogiani702]

Hello Roger, thanks for sharing your knowledge. A question: on what basis do you calculate the differential step and the number of shots to be performed during the stacking?...

[@rogerhance5883]

Thanks for commenting Christian. Unfortunatly, which differential to use is a bit trial and error. Generally speaking, if the subject is not very `deep`, a narrow differential is O.K. If there is a lot of `depth` to the subject, then a wider differential would be needed. It also depends on how close you are getting to the subject. I often will do three or four stacks, checking the resulting image after. I do occassionally get it dead right first time, but I will sometimes have to have a few goes before I get a perfet result. Hope this helps.

[@cristianogiani702]

@@rogerhance5883 ...ok, Roger. I perfectly understand. I will try...Many many thanks, for your interesting videos too....

[@rogerhance5883]

@@cristianogiani702 Thanks very much. Glad you like them. 👍

[@stevevickers2844]

Interesting video Roger. When doing focus stacking is the lens set to manual focus and if not how do you guarantee focusing on the front as the base shot - I assume the focus stacking works front to back?

[@rogerhance5883]

Thanks for commenting Steve. You have to have the lens clutch pushed forward (set to C-AF) otherwise Focus Stacking will be greyed out, and you will not be able to access it. You then go to Tab 2 and select Focus Stacking and turn on. Now go into the super control panel and in the control panel set the focus on manual. (Focus clutch is still pushed forward ) You can now focus manually and when you press the shutter, the camera will change the focus depending on the differential you have set. Difficult to explain, easier to demonstrate, so maybe thats for another video. When focusing with `stacking` you focus very slightly into the subject. The reason for this is that the first shot in the stack is where you have focused.The focus then cones forwards slightly for two shots, and then moves through the subject. Strange way to do it, but thats how the camera works. I hope I have explained it O.K.

[@stevevickers2844]

@ Thx Roger good explanation. I think a video would be a good idea as I’ve definitely been using it successfully but now it looks more by luck than judgement.

[@petersmith4098]

suburb video Roger, with the OM1 in camera stacking do you focus 30% into the subject first and then the camera takes 1 shot then starts at the front for the remainder of shots missing the first shot out?

[@rogerhance5883]

Thanks for commenting Peter. I focus about 20% in. It then takes that shot, and then focuses backward for 2 shots. It then focuses froward of where you focused for the remaining shots in the stack. (I think this is correct ) Bracketing is different to Stacking. For Bracketing you focus at the front.

[@cgriggsiv]

Nice video thank you very much But here is a challenge for you because I know it is for me Using the Pentax k-70 which has the same tilting screen But it does not have the internal focus stacking using manuals how would you go about it because I'm at a loss and every time I go through Photoshop it does not work so I pretty much gave up I also have a K1 Mark II same problem there's no internal focus stacking which really sucks on so many levels So my good man that would be your challenge And please if you accept this challenge for the demonstration please use a Pentax K-70 and step-by-step instructions because that would really really help me out There is a section for interlacing and how many shots to take but I don't think that would work with focus stacking or focus bracketing for that matter again your help could be needed here and I think you if you can help me

[@rogerhance5883]

Thanks for commenting. Not sure I can answer your question. It would be very difficult for me to get hold of a Pentax K-70 to try , so sorry I can not be of mre help. Maybe contact Pentax and see if they can help you ?

[@cgriggsiv]

@@rogerhance5883 Right now me and Pentax is not on good terms because they decided to put not one but six items behind a paywall on the last firmware update

[@godsinbox]

would love a rule of thumb for focus stacking to be coined. something like 5 - 5 - 10 - 3 (for 5cm dof, f5, 10shot, diff 3) multiplied = 750 so we can figure out at other distances what the differential should be at f13 (using 750) 1cm dof, 10shot differential is 5?? hmmm needs more work....

[@rogerhance5883]

That sounds a bit too technical for me. Shooting more than one stack with different numbers in the stack, or different differentials usually works.