Post Focus / Focus Stacking on the Panasonic Lumix G9

[@mediamannaman]

Yeah, it's nifty but like you say, there are issues depending on what you are shooting. Still, there are a number of ways to achieve focus stacking, or to at least increase depth of field, and this is just one more tool in our bag that might be useful. Thanks so much for sharing your experience because, like you say, there isn't much online showing anything but a perfect shooting scenario. Here it is 4 years since you made this and I'm still not seeing another video that shows the problems that can arise like this one.

[@richarddmogg1]

I have tried this with my FZ1000ii and it works great. After watching this I will be using it more.

[@garysmith7545]

Finally, somebody doing Panasonic videos! I recently began trying to tackle the post focus/focus merge capabilities of my gx85 and gx9 (while neither is the same as your g9, both have these functions). I too have not been blown away by the capability (on macro shots - I find manually shooting and processing the stack with my APS-C gives better results - at least so far). I haven't yet given up on getting better with my MFT gear. Will take a look at some of your other videos and see what else I can pick-up.

[@mattcom2]

Very helpful. I’ll happily take all the novice approach tutorials you can find time to crank out.

[@trevorcarpenter6678]

Nice video, you seem to be confirming what I am finding. That is it's not great for complex subjects. I've been doing a lot of experimentation because I particularly want to use stacking for insect macros but using my tools, the G9 and Oly 60mm I am having no success. There are plenty of workable methods of stacking but the combination of post focus and in camera stacking doesn't seem to be the answer for taking the shots.

[@michaelhawkins1173]

A really helpful video. With plenty of time at home there is no excuses not to have a try. The time taken by processing multiples in camera I find interesting. I wonder which image option that uses multiples takes the most processing. Thank you again.

[@rayjenkins2754]

Thanks for doing this subject. I assume you had the new firmware installed ? A U.K. fellow named Graham Hutton has done lots of videos on Panasonic cameras & their features. He also doesn't care for the results he's obtained from doing the in camera Focus Stacking & suggests instead sending recorded single sequence videos to some software like Photoshop or Helicon to have the images ' Stacked '. Your detailed presentation has explained / shown me why he says this. I was hopping the new firmware would fix this. Again, thanks.

[@dennisryckman5210]

This would be great for fake focus pulling when using pics as Broll in a vid - two different focus point pics with a cross fade between! Thanks for the tip!

[@bigdhav]

On the SD Card, the video file is recorded with the focus pull.

[@rayjenkins2754]

I've been intrigued with these features as well - on my Fz2500 bridge camera with it's 1 in sensor I've been looking for ways to enhance my image quality. For the most part my results have been good, with the exception of ; being outdoors without a tripod & there is a breeze blowing a bit. Having the tripod with none moving subjects & using the 2 sec timer with the half press shutter seems to get the best results with Focus Stacking. I also like the ' Hand Held Night Shot ' where, in low light, the camera combines 5 images at higher ISO & shutter speeds in order to get a quality shot. I think this feature is on the G9 but only in i Auto - where the camera determines whether it is is used or not. Enjoyed your video on this topic.

[@naturesimagephotography]

Thank you Ray, for the info and for the compliment.

[@kjellandersson4505]

This video saved me a lot of research time!

[@williamstatt8651]

I found when doing scenery, and trying to do a post focus it made the different areas in blocks.

[@DrgnSlyr]

You can also run the 6k video file created by the post focus feature through a video editor that will save each frame out as a jpeg and then stack them in your photo editing software. I use Prism video file converter to create the jpegs and then stack them in Affinity photo. There is also a focus stack feature when shooting raw, though it's slightly more complicated to use.

[@qasqqasqqasq]

Would you elaborate a little bit on this second RAW file solution? Thanks in advance!

[@woody9117]

Very informative. I will give it a try whilst in lockdown.

[@fredio54]

I had the same messy results with a bowl of fruit and my GH5 - thanks for the tip about simple backgrounds - I had thought it was too complex, but hadn't thought much more about it or how I might use it successfully. Cheers :-)

[@MrVara411]

I've searched high and low for Post Focus in use for MACRO photography... still haven't found one. You mentioned it at the very end in passing, but it would be nice to see this in action.

[@Heptatron]

Look up Olympus cameras, such as em1 mark ii for macro photos. different camera and works a tiny bit different but it is similar.

[@MrVara411]

@@Heptatron Yeah I've learned a lot since posting that question. Short answer is no, it cannot be used in macro photography, especially at 1:1 magnification because the Post Focus feature actually uses auto focus as a requirement while 1:1 mag needs manual focus.

[@TurboNorm]

So cool. Can’t wait to try it.

[@pvattoly]

Like this feature in G9 . Thank you so much to explain in detail. .. & I am your new subscriber ..

[@xradrd]

Excellent video! Thanks !

[@kandaharanar2091]

Tha best video evar 🎉🎉🎉🎉 thanx brother 🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@davidlewis726]

Nicely described.

[@ThomasMcPhersonPhotography]

Well Edited Andrew.

[@naturesimagephotography]

Thanks Thomas

[@TheBigBlueMarble]

I know it has been 3 years since you posted this, but I have a questions about the Lumix post-focus feature and have been unable to find anyone able to answer it. I use the S1H with Canon EF lenses and the Sigma MC-21 adaptor. The Post-Focus option is always disabled. Does post-focus require native L-mount lenses? What about Sigma lenses that are officially supported by the MC-21?

[@naturesimagephotography]

Sorry I can't help you. I don't work for Panasonic and I can only make videos based on the experience of using lenses I own my self (or occasionally lenses I get a chance to borrow). But I do know it is not unusual for some functions to be lost when using adapters.

[@artjohnson01]

Thank You. Very Helpful.

[@sS-mn7xm]

Extremely helpful video Did u use it for bird photography ever Andrew?

[@naturesimagephotography]

No, this function is really only for non-moving subjects and camera on a tripod.

[@sS-mn7xm]

@@naturesimagephotography oh okay

[@garybrown9719]

A lens with no focus breathing is probably the best bet If the lens has a lot of focus breathing it will be impossible to get a clean image

[@Laque30]

Great and informative video! What lens did you use btw? I wonder if focus breathing of the lens would also have impact on the focus stacking result.

[@naturesimagephotography]

All shots in the video were taken on the Olympus 45mm f-1.8

[@paulmcwilliams8641]

@@naturesimagephotography I only use the Leica 45mm macro lens and have no problems with focus breathing, the software mostly copes. Sometimes I get block like artifacts from the layers and it misses focus on key areas. Have several goes micro adjusting as you go and you should get a nice stack result.

[@paulmcwilliams8641]

Like the nursery rythme. When it's good, it's very very good and when it's bad it's horrid.

[@systemanaturae105]

Does anyone know which lenses can be used for focus stacking ?? With Olympus it appears all PRO lenses can be used with the exception of the 12 - 100mm lens. Interestingly it is not possible to use Panasonic lenses for focus stacking on Olympus cameras and I guess visa versa. I use both Panasonic and Olympus micro 4/3rds cameras and lenses.

[@naturesimagephotography]

I know I am the one who made the video but I am far from an expert. However I can tell you the photos in this video were taken on the Panasonic Lumix G9 and the Olympus 45mm F-1.8 lens. Perhaps other people with a bigger range of lenses will have further insight...

[@systemanaturae105]

Further to my previous comment concerning Focus Stacking I would first like to thank Andrew for his comment concerning his use of the G9 with an Olympus 45mm F -1.8 lens. I have the Panasonic 42.5mm Nocticron lens so no problem. But I will try my Olympus 60mm macro lens and Fisheye F-1.8 lens on my G9 to see what happens. Unless anyone is a professional photographer providing photos for commercial print or blowing up then micro 4/3rds is a great option giving a huge range of lenses and camera bodies which are interchangeable. I do loose out when doing heavy cropping on telephoto wildlife shots at the moment. I am awaiting the release of the Olympus 150mm - 400mm with x1.25 teleconverter and option for additional x2.0 teleconverter to overcome this issue. I do find the zoom action on the Panasonic 100 - 400mm stiff and jerky. I take this opportunity to mention that the dual / sync software between camera and lens does not operate when mixing the different companies lenses and cameras. Everyone stay safe and well in these awful virus pandemic times.

[@brianharvey2468]

@@systemanaturae105 Did you ever use the Olympus 60mm? I have a G85 and having successful stacking with that lens. I am now buying a G9 and I was expecting NO problems with Focus stacking. I also use GBracket software for the focus Stacking on the G85.

[@carolsummers7414]

Can post focus be combined with shooting in hi res? The goal being to perhaps get a 40MP landscape image with most everything in focus? Thank you

[@naturesimagephotography]

Hi Carol, I have not looked into this but I very much doubt it as the post focus uses the 4k and 6k video functions and produces a JPEG as the final image. Quite the opposite of what happens with the high-resolution mode. However...if shooting with a wide-angle lens on a M4/3 camera, it shouldn't be hard to get everything in focus as both the format and the wide-angle lens lend themselves to strong depth of field.

[@carolsummers7414]

Thank you. That actually makes sense.

[@SudipHowladar]

Well, not 8 megabyte/18 megabyte file, mega pixel...

[@GPadugan]

features like this are great until you realize it only gives you a jpg and not a raw file.