Just wanted to put in my 2¢ on using helicon with a lot of images. I use the program a lot for commercial jewelry and cosmetic imagery using medium format cameras. We sometimes have 200+ images in a stack. Add on top the reflective nature of the subjects and we have a lot of artifact potential. I’ve found doing smaller 20-30 image stacks and then stacking those stacks gives the best outcome. Just something to try if you’re finding yourself having issues!
What you're saying is, if there are 300 images, you stack 20 at a time, then 15 again? 1. 20 sheets each - stacking 2. Stacking re-stacking 15 photos. Am I right?
I would love to do it, but I am mainly geared towards wildlife with mid to high mm area. And Iowa lenses are sadly so hard to get used here and in my price range ( which is being poor as dirt xD)
Wonderful videos thank you. Beautiful photographs. Your inspiring and informative presentation of of a great subject is a joy to watch. The music you have chosen makes your videos so pleasant to absorb. Lovely stuff, more please.
I subscribed because I like the fact that you didn't delete this video and showed us your failed effort. And you are not one of those photographers who try to sell the viewers something. 👌
such a down to earth, authentic and easy going individual. I appreciate that most of the footage was on location, which is obviously way more work constantly having to setup your recording camera. Not to mention having to lug another camera and tripod around with you through the forest. As for improving the quality of your pictures, I recommed using a speedlite and a small diy softbox to be able to shoot intependent of natural light. When doing Macro photos, I suggest you go to Mirror Up mode 12:44 so you can minimize camera shake induced by the mirror (provided you have a cable release).
Flash! you need a flash (or other lighting system) to keep consistent lighting on the subject. many use a hood or dual flashes to control lighting to keep that consistency in their stacks. i say this from studying others, preparing for my own experience with digital macro. kind of surprised nobody else has suggested it. really enjoying your videos! 😄
Once again Courtney- great video. Over the months of watching you, my photography has improved immensely! Thank you for all the pointers you always pass on to your viewers. As always, we'll be watching over your shoulder from Port Angeles, WA., USA! Take care, be safe, STAY DRY!
I have the 2.5-5x and love it. It’s sharpest around f/4-5.6. I’m sure you already know this but don’t touch anything for about 2 seconds after rotating the rail knob - takes a sec to settle…even when using a remote trigger.
Great video Courtney. As a retired geologist and avid photography hobbyist, may I suggest you getting a long leather cord and attach your Loupes-hand lens to it and wear it as a long necklace. That way you always have it available rather than reaching around for it in your pockets. When doing field field, this is very convenient.
Thanks for the demonstration! It’s is amazing to watch and learn from someone using the equipment and demonstrating learning through failure. Most videos show only success.
This lens by laowa is a beast. It gives you opportunities you never had before but can drive you mad. I use the additional ring containing LED light. It makes photographing more easy but the ring can get hot. I prefer to use this lens at home when there´s definetely no wind but constant light. I photograph details of flowers or vegetables. A good opportunity for rainy days. Greeting from Bernd Laukoetter from Gemany
I highly recommend a geared tripod head to limit camera shake when composing. They allow you to make very fine adjustments without loosening the ball and shaking the whole ensemble, similar to what the focus rail does. I have been using a Benro GD3WH for years and love it.
Always fun and entertaining! By now you have probably mastered this! As I always say…a great photo is a bonus! What a beautiful place you were in! I enjoyed it all. Thanks for taking me along!
I find your videos incredibly inspiring and a little bit magical. When it comes to close up photography, I believe Macro photographers do it in controlled environments (easier but a lot less fun).
As someone who loves macro nature photography and have been doing it for decades, I salute your attempts in trying this ultra macro work! To be honest, after watching the time you invested vs the results you got, I have no interest in trying this genre of nature macro photography. So, I'm really glad you tried it and posted this video! BTW, I love Helicon Focus software. I have always had great success with Method A myself. Take care Victoria and may you have consistent soft light and little or no wind for future outings!
At the end of the day she will succeed and a door to a whole new world will open. Always strive for what is just achievable. Don't be left behind. Got my first camera in 1964, still striving, still learning, it's a blast. Thank you Courtney and yes I subscribed.
You are awesome. Your passion, passion for an ordinary field, love for walks with a camera in the forest is inspiring for me. I have periods when I do not touch the camera for a very long time, but you in your films, with your naturalness, remind me of what I love in photography, nature, forests, but sometimes I neglect it. Warmest greetings and thank you for these films :)
Dear Courtney, thank you so much for doing the micro-shoot(s) and filming them and uploading them here. I enjoyed the whole video - even when you failed, you showed us what went through your mind and displayed the results. This is not a failure as such, this is going through the lessons of our craft and how much more you have a grip of this feature of our skills. Thank you so much - I really enjoyed this. Respect! :¬)
I just stumbled across your video and I'm very impressed. I have never heard of a focus rail before so it's true that you learn something every day. I've thought of trying macro photos before but already have enough on my plate as it is. I can really appreciate your passion that you have for your photography !!!
Your video was quite enjoyable to watch. I appreciate the topic you've chosen and how you went about relaying it to us. I also enjoyed your personality.
Hi Courtney I have just found your channel. I will now be lost for the next few days catching up on all the videos. What is even better is you are working around where I live. You even had my house in the background in one video OK about three miles away. Keep up the great work.
I was a macro guy 10 years ago and I'm suprised to see how little has changed. That lense is a bit of a game changer for us Nikon people, (our own MPE65, finally). Almost makes me want to pick up the old D800 again.
I have the same combination, Laowa lens with the NISI rail. It's so sensetive to any movenet that as some wrote here, you need to wait between each rotation of the rail control to let it set. doing this in field is very ambitious, especially for the first time use of the set. Even the micro movements of the tripod can influence the sharpenss.
Good idea with the eyeglass and an excellent tutorial on the pros and cons of macro photography in the field using a focussing rail. I definitely related to your video having the Nisi rail attempting to photograph a Damselfly head while it was supposedly was asleep covered in morning dew. I remember on my 25th shot it moved its head. I’m sure it was the sound of my old Canon 5D mkiii shutter that woke it up. I’ve watched an experts handheld successful attempt at a Robberfly using at high iso and fast multiburst slowly rocking forward. I think it’s worth whacking the iso up even on a tripod because a slight breeze or raindrop can move the subject. You can always denoising the final blended image. I’ve adapted my nisi rail to have a springy pin that is fixed on the rail and bent so it fits into the knurl of the rail knob. This clicks with each knurl when you rotated the knob for accurate increments when you get down to the super macro. The fold up crank handle is useless . I’m no expert and haven’t nailed any images yet but it’s great fun trying isn’t it. Look forward to your next super macro shoot.
I always enjoy your outings and wry humor but the editing side is equally fun. Thanks for making me chuckle over my dinner tonight! At least you're not coping with the winds I experience here in the northern Great Plains during the shooting of such subjects. I'm certain that you'll have this down to a fine science in the near future, though. Others have made some excellent little points in the comments and I haven't anything earth-shattering to add. Simply keep up the great work and thanks for sharing. :)
I wonder if the shutter firing might be causing a bit of vibration, might be worth trying to minimise the length of the arm assembly as much as possible by getting the tripod centre mount as close to the subject as you can..?
In the field 5x macro is really hard. Any wind, even rain can cause vibration. I would say absolutely no VR or IBIS on a tripod and use a diffused flash to freeze each shot with a higher shutter speed, with high speed synch if your camera supports it etc could help in a situation like that. You're certainly not the only one that has mishaps with 5x macro, no worries. Quite refreshing watching a video about realities actually. Keep up the good work, cheers, Robert.
You did a great job of not shouting expletives and blaming anything but yourself when you saw that the fungi in your initial set of images was not sharp. Way to stay composed :)
Just picked up this Laowa lens, and WOW!! I was a bit nervous as I had never heard of this lens brand before, but I am really impressed by the build quality, and the image quality!! I have seldom used AF lenses, so this lens fits me perfectly! Thanks for posting your videos.
It takes a special kind of person to take so much care and persist with x5 magnification. I'm still at the x2 level, love my Laowa 65mm for moments like these. Good luck with your endeavours.
Great video into the realities of attempting ultra-macro photography in the field Courtney. It's not difficult to figure out why this is so hard to achieve when you consider the following: attempting to photograph subjects that are millimeters in size, using a tripod + extension tubes + macro lens + camera + macro rails + wet uneven and nature littered ground = miniscule chances for success!! Kudos to anyone achieving the near impossible! All the best for your channel and your photographic endeavors Courtney!
Don`t give up Courtney . I did the same thing and was not happy but the more I tried the better i became I have found no matter what focus rail you use be it computer driven or manually there will be some kind of movement whether it be you or the shutter in the Camera. It is going to take time just keep Practicing Best of luck and it was still a Great photo for first time out using the Lense..
I have a Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x Macro which I use with my Canon 5Ds. I also have a focusing rail. I think that the big challenge with 5x is that the images are not easily recognizable. When people look at the images, you might get "What is that?" We see the same "strangeness" when we look at the images. So a good strategy (I think) is to pick a tiny structure that will be recognizable, like a single seed from a dandelion gone to seed. Otherwise, we can end up with Vincini's, "What in the world can THAT be?" Using flash with a diffuser will get you more consistent light. There were forest elves in the background when you were prone on the mossy tree,
I was waiting for a video like this 😁. Ive discovered your videos/photos a couple weeks ago, and very much admire your work! I love macro and forest, (thats where I spend my time lol - obsessed with moss) it inspires my music. Great work, thank you 🤘🏽🌲
A decent focusing rail is an awesome piece of gear. I have long carried a Novoflex Castel-Mini which has served me very very well. Your NISI looks awesome. Excellent Presentation ❤ One really needs to experinment with tripods / telephoto lenses / macro lenses / focusing rails
At last, someone who is honest about what they are trying to achieve. This has really given me hope, the majority of us do these things and give up because we think we are crap at it, when in fact, after watching this particular video, we just need to practice practice practice until we iron out all the issues attached to achieving best results. I have avoided ultra macro because I also like working in the field. sitting in. Sitting in a studio, for me anyway, defeats the reason I’m out in the natural environment. Thank you Courtney, I don’t feel so intimidated now! 👍
Courtney, great video as always. I visited this weekend the tulip park ‘Keukenhof’ in the Netherlands (where I live), I hadn't done macro photography for a long time and I really enjoyed it a lot, seeing the small details that make up the big scenes we capture are the ones that show you the greatness of nature. Thank you very much for sharing your experiences. I love it.
@10:29 set a 2 second timer on the shutter. Every time you touch the focus rail dial, you are introducing vibrations and movement into the system. The 2 seconds will give enough time for those to dissipate.
I upgraded to a wemacro auto rail a few weeks ago and the difference has been night and day. I can do 4x and 10x stacks with microscope objectives and it honestly just works which is crazy. The only problem with microscope objectives is that they flatten the field a lot. Portraits are almost sterile and analytical because it's hard to get context when your depth of field is 45 micron. We all have problems when we start out. Just keep pushing forward into the ultra macro space because it's a beautiful world.
Yay! Another video from Courtney. They're addictive (because of your personality and enthusiasm! We can clearly see how much you love what you do ☺️). It would be great if you could try renting a mirrorless camera like the Lumix S5ii with the nes 100mm macro. The automatic focus stacking is awesome and makes the rail redundant. Keep up the wonderful videos ☺️
Enjoyed the video as usual Courtney. I admire your patience doing macro photography. I think that Laowa should give you that lens, so come on Laowa, and also what about sponsorship. It's such a shame that the conditions were not in your favour. Look forward to the next one.
Very nice video and a very honest one as well. It is challenging for sure, it looks so easy… i’m just starting in macro so not even half way where you are. Keep up the nice work! 📸
Spendiferous video. Can feel your frustration, and your determination. Wonderful story line, rich content, and your personality is inspiring. Thanks for sharing.
I have an older version of this Laowa called the Ultra Macro. I also have the dedicated ring light for it. It produces seriously interesting images even without focus stacking. Seems to perform best at about f/5.6 across the magnification range. An absolutely fun lens to work with.
The tip in the comment section about Helicon and doing in smaller batches is great but ALSO. If you can set up wind barriers around the subject it will help even more with les artifacts. I know i's more stuff to carry, but some wooden canes and fold up light reflectors work well.
I LOVE your videos and the way you present you and your pictures. This ist inspiring me to get my a.. up and out into the forest. I also live your introvert look on these funghi etc, because I am also introvert. Thanks for your work here from Hamburg, Germany.
Thank you for showing your failures and I hope you get a chance for a revenge macro photography video! It really goes to show that photography is an art form, and we try to hone our skills to create something we can satisfied with. I love your videos too because it feels like I am discovering and learning through watching them with your quirky humor. Have you tried macro with flash out in the field? I've never done macro myself, but I've watched others that use it to great effect. Good luck in your macro journey!
I was thinking about not seeing any Courtney Victoria videos just yesterday! I've done a fair amount of macro work but never at 5x. My kit is a bellows and a Nikon manual focus 105 mm lens. Been playing with scheimpflug effect to get the depth of field I want. It's so much fun! I look forward to more macro videos. Frankly though I was hoping for some dancing in the woods!
After watching your recent macro photography videos, I decided to purchase a set of extension tubes. I figured this would be a less expensive way to get started. Admittedly, I have a long way to go, but I have been enjoying the journey. Keep up the amazing work you are doing.
Don't get discouraged. What you attempted to do is extremely difficult to do in the field, as you found out. Even under controlled conditions (indoors) there are many things that can ruin a stack. You may want to use the camera's intervalometer to take the number of shots you need, one shot every five seconds or so. Then all you have to do is turn the rail's wheel right after each shot, and take your hands off the rail. The five second delay should be enough to let any vibrations dissipate. You can find out in advance how many shots you will need by focusing on the nearest part of the subject and counting the turns it takes to get to the farthest. As for the shifting light, you may want to consider using a flash and a diffuser for macro shots. Set the camera's aperture, shutter speed, and ISO so that without flash you get a black frame. Then dial in the flash power needed to properly illuminate the scene. This takes a bit of trial and error if you are using the flash in manual mode (as recommended). I find that anywhere between 1/8 and 1/16 power works well at the short distances involved.
It was brave of you to attempt to use this lens in the field. I'd be tempted to take the branch back home where I can place the tripod on a solid floor and have total control over the lighting. You certainly gave yourself a challenge.
Hi Courtney, I bet you are extremely patient for doing macro photography! I use my macro lens (EF-M 28mm f/3.5 IS STM) mostly to get a flatter plane of focus on bigger items rather than to photograph small items.
Love the video! Just found your channel. I will add something, I think you are missing a vital item of equipment which has taken my macro shots recently up a level.... a good flash. Picked up a Godox V1 and made a home made diffuser, it makes all the difference as you wont encounter issues with light changing etc. You can also use higher shutter speeds, just ensure to use HSS if you plan on using more than 200 shutter speed. Keep up the good work!
Excellent video and identifies a key learning which is the techniques required for this sort of photography take time and patience to master. When I decided to head down this path I took a different approach adding a Raynox to my existing macro lens as a starting point. I also bought a plastic focus rail as a toe in the water which was a fail as it was not strong enough to control the camera precisely. High magnification requires good light, a Godox wireless lighting system was acquired to replace my previous wired lights, offering more control and easy off camera placement options. Peaking is awesome but a larger screen would have been even more awesome, I never got around to that however. An external screen is easy to mount on the tripod and the mount comes with the vanguard tripod anyway. I spent a lot of time indoors working on technique and even managed to gather up some half decent images outside after a while. Combating movement and funky light changes outdoors seems to be the main challenge but as someone else mentioned rather than trying to process huge stacks into one image, do them in stages, progressively stacking stacked images seems to be a better approach much of the time. Thanks for sharing your interesting content.
Suburb video Courtney. You are learning so there is no failure. It is evident from the comments that you have found that the macro community is passionate and willing to share experiences! I always enjoy your presentation style! It’s too bad you didn’t get to give the photobombers at the end of the video some dance lessons.
Ive tried macro with stacking and youre right it aint easy. Obviously the dof for each frame is microscopic. I made a test rig with pins in a piece of wood to practice on. Recently with a mirrorless camera and electronic focus the camera works out how many frames you need, given it knows the dof and the user sets the front and back focus limit. The results were it took 150 to photograph my car key. Thats far more than I would have done with manual control. So perhaps more frames needed, I don’t know. Zerene is my preferred stacking software. You’re doing great work.
A treat, as always. I wonder if you could try the electronic shutter (silent shutter) on the 850. There should then be no vibration from the camera mechanism
Very interesting Courtney... thanks for sharing...gear is amazing as I have never used anything more than just a macro lens 70-300mm..... still learning so your video's help...many thanks again.. cheers from Australia 🦘🦘😃
Going from 1:1 to 2:1 was a long learning experience for me, I cannot imagine how much more challenging it would be to go to 5:1, but I want to 😁. Thank you or sharing your experiences with us!
Just wanted to put in my 2¢ on using helicon with a lot of images. I use the program a lot for commercial jewelry and cosmetic imagery using medium format cameras. We sometimes have 200+ images in a stack. Add on top the reflective nature of the subjects and we have a lot of artifact potential. I’ve found doing smaller 20-30 image stacks and then stacking those stacks gives the best outcome. Just something to try if you’re finding yourself having issues!
Thanks for that tip. I'll give that a try.
What you're saying is, if there are 300 images, you stack 20 at a time, then 15 again?
1. 20 sheets each - stacking
2. Stacking re-stacking 15 photos.
Am I right?
@@noko2794 Correct!
would depend on the reflectivity. you can stack 100 images if the subject isnt reflecting too much light
Also there are image alignment tools that do a good job, you should align before stacking.
Your videos are so cosy and you're so ridiculously British and goofy and it's fantastic. You should try underwater macro one day 😜
I've tried macro photography with limited success. So, I have respect for anyone who does it well. And, you, do it well.
I would love to do it, but I am mainly geared towards wildlife with mid to high mm area. And Iowa lenses are sadly so hard to get used here and in my price range ( which is being poor as dirt xD)
Wonderful videos thank you. Beautiful photographs. Your inspiring and informative presentation of of a great subject is a joy to watch. The music you have chosen makes your videos so pleasant to absorb. Lovely stuff, more please.
I subscribed because I like the fact that you didn't delete this video and showed us your failed effort. And you are not one of those photographers who try to sell the viewers something. 👌
Ditto.
such a down to earth, authentic and easy going individual. I appreciate that most of the footage was on location, which is obviously way more work constantly having to setup your recording camera. Not to mention having to lug another camera and tripod around with you through the forest.
As for improving the quality of your pictures, I recommed using a speedlite and a small diy softbox to be able to shoot intependent of natural light. When doing Macro photos, I suggest you go to Mirror Up mode 12:44 so you can minimize camera shake induced by the mirror (provided you have a cable release).
Flash! you need a flash (or other lighting system) to keep consistent lighting on the subject. many use a hood or dual flashes to control lighting to keep that consistency in their stacks. i say this from studying others, preparing for my own experience with digital macro. kind of surprised nobody else has suggested it. really enjoying your videos! 😄
I cannot fathom attempting 5x using natural light. Flash and good diffuser and the macro world becomes your oyster.
Staying away from AutoWhite Balance is helpful with focus stacking as the light can change while shooting a focus stack.
100% agree - flash is CRITICAL in macro. I use 2 Godox with diffusers and even without stacking this lighting control makes a huge difference.
This lens from Laowa does have a LED light that fits over the top of it using the cap threads
@@ty6941 not nearly bright enough, even at 2.5x mag on my laowa around f5.6 (sharpest before diffraction) I drain my flash near max power
Once again Courtney- great video. Over the months of watching you, my photography has improved immensely! Thank you for all the pointers you always pass on to your viewers. As always, we'll be watching over your shoulder from Port Angeles, WA., USA! Take care, be safe, STAY DRY!
I have the 2.5-5x and love it. It’s sharpest around f/4-5.6. I’m sure you already know this but don’t touch anything for about 2 seconds after rotating the rail knob - takes a sec to settle…even when using a remote trigger.
That white toothed slime mould is Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa. And the little baby ones in the last part of the video are Panellus stipticus
Great video Courtney. As a retired geologist and avid photography hobbyist, may I suggest you getting a long leather cord and attach your Loupes-hand lens to it and wear it as a long necklace. That way you always have it available rather than reaching around for it in your pockets. When doing field field, this is very convenient.
I could listen to your calming voice the entire day without watching the video. ❤
Thanks Courtney, for my little bit of Sunday zen.
Thanks for the demonstration! It’s is amazing to watch and learn from someone using the equipment and demonstrating learning through failure. Most videos show only success.
This lens by laowa is a beast. It gives you opportunities you never had before but can drive you mad. I use the additional ring containing LED light. It makes photographing more easy but the ring can get hot. I prefer to use this lens at home when there´s definetely no wind but constant light. I photograph details of flowers or vegetables. A good opportunity for rainy days. Greeting from Bernd Laukoetter from Gemany
With all the rain you experience, you are an honorary coastal British Columbia resident. I think you should go for a "boots" sponsorship.
Britain is famously rainy
I highly recommend a geared tripod head to limit camera shake when composing. They allow you to make very fine adjustments without loosening the ball and shaking the whole ensemble, similar to what the focus rail does. I have been using a Benro GD3WH for years and love it.
Always fun and entertaining! By now you have probably mastered this! As I always say…a great photo is a bonus! What a beautiful place you were in! I enjoyed it all. Thanks for taking me along!
I find your videos incredibly inspiring and a little bit magical. When it comes to close up photography, I believe Macro photographers do it in controlled environments (easier but a lot less fun).
As someone who loves macro nature photography and have been doing it for decades, I salute your attempts in trying this ultra macro work! To be honest, after watching the time you invested vs the results you got, I have no interest in trying this genre of nature macro photography. So, I'm really glad you tried it and posted this video! BTW, I love Helicon Focus software. I have always had great success with Method A myself. Take care Victoria and may you have consistent soft light and little or no wind for future outings!
At the end of the day she will succeed and a door to a whole new world will open. Always strive for what is just achievable. Don't be left behind. Got my first camera in 1964, still striving, still learning, it's a blast. Thank you Courtney and yes I subscribed.
You are awesome. Your passion, passion for an ordinary field, love for walks with a camera in the forest is inspiring for me. I have periods when I do not touch the camera for a very long time, but you in your films, with your naturalness, remind me of what I love in photography, nature, forests, but sometimes I neglect it. Warmest greetings and thank you for these films :)
Dear Courtney, thank you so much for doing the micro-shoot(s) and filming them and uploading them here. I enjoyed the whole video - even when you failed, you showed us what went through your mind and displayed the results. This is not a failure as such, this is going through the lessons of our craft and how much more you have a grip of this feature of our skills. Thank you so much - I really enjoyed this. Respect! :¬)
Nice video! I use this lens both on a rail and hand-held. It's the perfect range for slime molds.
I just stumbled across your video and I'm very impressed. I have never heard of a focus rail before so it's true that you learn something every day. I've thought of trying macro photos before but already have enough on my plate as it is. I can really appreciate your passion that you have for your photography !!!
Your video was quite enjoyable to watch. I appreciate the topic you've chosen and how you went about relaying it to us. I also enjoyed your personality.
Hi Courtney I have just found your channel. I will now be lost for the next few days catching up on all the videos. What is even better is you are working around where I live. You even had my house in the background in one video OK about three miles away. Keep up the great work.
Your production quality is really excellent. This gave me huge gardeners world/countryfile vibes and I loved it!
I was a macro guy 10 years ago and I'm suprised to see how little has changed. That lense is a bit of a game changer for us Nikon people, (our own MPE65, finally). Almost makes me want to pick up the old D800 again.
I have the same combination, Laowa lens with the NISI rail. It's so sensetive to any movenet that as some wrote here, you need to wait between each rotation of the rail control to let it set.
doing this in field is very ambitious, especially for the first time use of the set. Even the micro movements of the tripod can influence the sharpenss.
Good idea with the eyeglass and an excellent tutorial on the pros and cons of macro photography in the field using a focussing rail. I definitely related to your video having the Nisi rail attempting to photograph a Damselfly head while it was supposedly was asleep covered in morning dew. I remember on my 25th shot it moved its head. I’m sure it was the sound of my old Canon 5D mkiii shutter that woke it up.
I’ve watched an experts handheld successful attempt at a Robberfly using at high iso and fast multiburst slowly rocking forward. I think it’s worth whacking the iso up even on a tripod because a slight breeze or raindrop can move the subject. You can always denoising the final blended image.
I’ve adapted my nisi rail to have a springy pin that is fixed on the rail and bent so it fits into the knurl of the rail knob. This clicks with each knurl when you rotated the knob for accurate increments when you get down to the super macro. The fold up crank handle is useless .
I’m no expert and haven’t nailed any images yet but it’s great fun trying isn’t it.
Look forward to your next super macro shoot.
Excellent video! I’m inspired by your patience.
You’re a real trooper!! Love your work!!
I always enjoy your outings and wry humor but the editing side is equally fun. Thanks for making me chuckle over my dinner tonight! At least you're not coping with the winds I experience here in the northern Great Plains during the shooting of such subjects. I'm certain that you'll have this down to a fine science in the near future, though. Others have made some excellent little points in the comments and I haven't anything earth-shattering to add. Simply keep up the great work and thanks for sharing. :)
I wonder if the shutter firing might be causing a bit of vibration, might be worth trying to minimise the length of the arm assembly as much as possible by getting the tripod centre mount as close to the subject as you can..?
In the field 5x macro is really hard. Any wind, even rain can cause vibration. I would say absolutely no VR or IBIS on a tripod and use a diffused flash to freeze each shot with a higher shutter speed, with high speed synch if your camera supports it etc could help in a situation like that. You're certainly not the only one that has mishaps with 5x macro, no worries. Quite refreshing watching a video about realities actually. Keep up the good work, cheers, Robert.
@@FriendlyEagle7 Leave no trace
Leave only footprints, take only photos
@@FriendlyEagle7 oh a coin that's fine, I'm talking about flora and fauna
You did a great job of not shouting expletives and blaming anything but yourself when you saw that the fungi in your initial set of images was not sharp. Way to stay composed :)
Just picked up this Laowa lens, and WOW!! I was a bit nervous as I had never heard of this lens brand before, but I am really impressed by the build quality, and the image quality!! I have seldom used AF lenses, so this lens fits me perfectly! Thanks for posting your videos.
i love those videos ..admitting failure is the hardest but can learn the most from it.
I love this girls enthousiasm! Lovely eyes aswell!
It takes a special kind of person to take so much care and persist with x5 magnification. I'm still at the x2 level, love my Laowa 65mm for moments like these. Good luck with your endeavours.
Great video into the realities of attempting ultra-macro photography in the field Courtney. It's not difficult to figure out why this is so hard to achieve when you consider the following: attempting to photograph subjects that are millimeters in size, using a tripod + extension tubes + macro lens + camera + macro rails + wet uneven and nature littered ground = miniscule chances for success!!
Kudos to anyone achieving the near impossible!
All the best for your channel and your photographic endeavors Courtney!
This is the first vid i saw from you and i subscribed❤
I love the calmness, your gentle voice and touch.
Have you considered using a speed light to get more consistant lighting? Might also help with sharpness
Don`t give up Courtney . I did the same thing and was not happy but the more I tried the better i became I have found no matter what focus rail you use be it computer driven or manually there will be some kind of movement whether it be you or the shutter in the Camera. It is going to take time just keep Practicing Best of luck and it was still a Great photo for first time out using the Lense..
I have a Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x Macro which I use with my Canon 5Ds. I also have a focusing rail. I think that the big challenge with 5x is that the images are not easily recognizable. When people look at the images, you might get "What is that?" We see the same "strangeness" when we look at the images. So a good strategy (I think) is to pick a tiny structure that will be recognizable, like a single seed from a dandelion gone to seed.
Otherwise, we can end up with Vincini's, "What in the world can THAT be?"
Using flash with a diffuser will get you more consistent light.
There were forest elves in the background when you were prone on the mossy tree,
Loved your expression, when you heard thunder. Macro is fun. Deep into another world.
As always, a great video, nice to you post a miss. Your videos art delightful.
I admire your patience with focus stacking on location. I find it hard enough to get through a session indoors with controlled lighting.
I was waiting for a video like this 😁. Ive discovered your videos/photos a couple weeks ago, and very much admire your work! I love macro and forest, (thats where I spend my time lol - obsessed with moss) it inspires my music. Great work, thank you 🤘🏽🌲
Wow, this is awesome! Always a treat to watch your videos! Thank you!❤
A decent focusing rail is an awesome piece of gear. I have long carried a Novoflex Castel-Mini which has served me very very well. Your NISI looks awesome. Excellent Presentation ❤ One really needs to experinment with tripods / telephoto lenses / macro lenses / focusing rails
At last, someone who is honest about what they are trying to achieve. This has really given me hope, the majority of us do these things and give up because we think we are crap at it, when in fact, after watching this particular video, we just need to practice practice practice until we iron out all the issues attached to achieving best results. I have avoided ultra macro because I also like working in the field. sitting in. Sitting in a studio, for me anyway, defeats the reason I’m out in the natural environment. Thank you Courtney, I don’t feel so intimidated now! 👍
Thought you would have a flash as doing stacks. Another great video.
Courtney, great video as always.
I visited this weekend the tulip park ‘Keukenhof’ in the Netherlands (where I live), I hadn't done macro photography for a long time and I really enjoyed it a lot, seeing the small details that make up the big scenes we capture are the ones that show you the greatness of nature.
Thank you very much for sharing your experiences. I love it.
@10:29 set a 2 second timer on the shutter. Every time you touch the focus rail dial, you are introducing vibrations and movement into the system. The 2 seconds will give enough time for those to dissipate.
You do a great job! Don't let the slime mold win.
I upgraded to a wemacro auto rail a few weeks ago and the difference has been night and day. I can do 4x and 10x stacks with microscope objectives and it honestly just works which is crazy. The only problem with microscope objectives is that they flatten the field a lot. Portraits are almost sterile and analytical because it's hard to get context when your depth of field is 45 micron. We all have problems when we start out. Just keep pushing forward into the ultra macro space because it's a beautiful world.
Love how pationate you are with your photography 👌🏻
Excellent content as always Courtney! Your videos are engaging to watch and must be a lot of work to put together.
Yay! Another video from Courtney. They're addictive (because of your personality and enthusiasm! We can clearly see how much you love what you do ☺️).
It would be great if you could try renting a mirrorless camera like the Lumix S5ii with the nes 100mm macro. The automatic focus stacking is awesome and makes the rail redundant.
Keep up the wonderful videos ☺️
Well done & well presented. I certainly enjoy your attention to woodland Macro - you're inspiring. Thanks from Canada
Great video Courtney. Like yourself, I'm gone a bit wild on Macro lately. Looking forward to your next one already.
Enjoyed the video as usual Courtney.
I admire your patience doing macro photography.
I think that Laowa should give you that lens, so come on Laowa, and also what about sponsorship.
It's such a shame that the conditions were not in your favour.
Look forward to the next one.
The moss might have been interesting as well with that sort of magnification.
Excellent video Courtney it’s always good to try new things.
That's a difficult process. Interesting to see how it's done properly. All the gear and technique requirements.
Very nice video and a very honest one as well. It is challenging for sure, it looks so easy… i’m just starting in macro so not even half way where you are. Keep up the nice work! 📸
Spendiferous video. Can feel your frustration, and your determination. Wonderful story line, rich content, and your personality is inspiring. Thanks for sharing.
Cool video. Thanks for sharing the experience of trying a new technique.
I have an older version of this Laowa called the Ultra Macro. I also have the dedicated ring light for it. It produces seriously interesting images even without focus stacking. Seems to perform best at about f/5.6 across the magnification range. An absolutely fun lens to work with.
The tip in the comment section about Helicon and doing in smaller batches is great but ALSO. If you can set up wind barriers around the subject it will help even more with les artifacts. I know i's more stuff to carry, but some wooden canes and fold up light reflectors work well.
I LOVE your videos and the way you present you and your pictures. This ist inspiring me to get my a.. up and out into the forest. I also live your introvert look on these funghi etc, because I am also introvert. Thanks for your work here from Hamburg, Germany.
lovely video courtney, its nice stumbling on a nice relaxing channel to add to the list :)
This was great - really interesting video about a subject I know next to nothing about. Loved it!
Went to your link of the Laowa Lens and the Pictures are awesome. Price is reasonable. Cheers!
Thank you for showing your failures and I hope you get a chance for a revenge macro photography video! It really goes to show that photography is an art form, and we try to hone our skills to create something we can satisfied with. I love your videos too because it feels like I am discovering and learning through watching them with your quirky humor. Have you tried macro with flash out in the field? I've never done macro myself, but I've watched others that use it to great effect. Good luck in your macro journey!
I was thinking about not seeing any Courtney Victoria videos just yesterday! I've done a fair amount of macro work but never at 5x. My kit is a bellows and a Nikon manual focus 105 mm lens. Been playing with scheimpflug effect to get the depth of field I want. It's so much fun!
I look forward to more macro videos. Frankly though I was hoping for some dancing in the woods!
I appreciate the on location narration, it beats every in-studio talking head yt photographer out there
Awesome vlog thanks. Have been looking into this myself and was great to learn the potential challenges.
After watching your recent macro photography videos, I decided to purchase a set of extension tubes. I figured this would be a less expensive way to get started. Admittedly, I have a long way to go, but I have been enjoying the journey. Keep up the amazing work you are doing.
Don't get discouraged. What you attempted to do is extremely difficult to do in the field, as you found out. Even under controlled conditions (indoors) there are many things that can ruin a stack. You may want to use the camera's intervalometer to take the number of shots you need, one shot every five seconds or so. Then all you have to do is turn the rail's wheel right after each shot, and take your hands off the rail. The five second delay should be enough to let any vibrations dissipate. You can find out in advance how many shots you will need by focusing on the nearest part of the subject and counting the turns it takes to get to the farthest. As for the shifting light, you may want to consider using a flash and a diffuser for macro shots. Set the camera's aperture, shutter speed, and ISO so that without flash you get a black frame. Then dial in the flash power needed to properly illuminate the scene. This takes a bit of trial and error if you are using the flash in manual mode (as recommended). I find that anywhere between 1/8 and 1/16 power works well at the short distances involved.
Wow, I thought regular macro was hard enough. This is something else. I admire your persistence!
It was brave of you to attempt to use this lens in the field. I'd be tempted to take the branch back home where I can place the tripod on a solid floor and have total control over the lighting. You certainly gave yourself a challenge.
Thanks for the great video and perspective of macro photography!!
Lovely stuff, a geared head along with the focusing rail would be ideal to get the perfect alignment.
Hi Courtney, I bet you are extremely patient for doing macro photography! I use my macro lens (EF-M 28mm f/3.5 IS STM) mostly to get a flatter plane of focus on bigger items rather than to photograph small items.
Seus videos são maravilhosos!! Estou no Brasil, aqui você tem muitos fãs.
Love the video! Just found your channel. I will add something, I think you are missing a vital item of equipment which has taken my macro shots recently up a level.... a good flash.
Picked up a Godox V1 and made a home made diffuser, it makes all the difference as you wont encounter issues with light changing etc. You can also use higher shutter speeds, just ensure to use HSS if you plan on using more than 200 shutter speed.
Keep up the good work!
Excellent video and identifies a key learning which is the techniques required for this sort of photography take time and patience to master. When I decided to head down this path I took a different approach adding a Raynox to my existing macro lens as a starting point. I also bought a plastic focus rail as a toe in the water which was a fail as it was not strong enough to control the camera precisely. High magnification requires good light, a Godox wireless lighting system was acquired to replace my previous wired lights, offering more control and easy off camera placement options. Peaking is awesome but a larger screen would have been even more awesome, I never got around to that however. An external screen is easy to mount on the tripod and the mount comes with the vanguard tripod anyway.
I spent a lot of time indoors working on technique and even managed to gather up some half decent images outside after a while. Combating movement and funky light changes outdoors seems to be the main challenge but as someone else mentioned rather than trying to process huge stacks into one image, do them in stages, progressively stacking stacked images seems to be a better approach much of the time.
Thanks for sharing your interesting content.
Suburb video Courtney. You are learning so there is no failure. It is evident from the comments that you have found that the macro community is passionate and willing to share experiences! I always enjoy your presentation style! It’s too bad you didn’t get to give the photobombers at the end of the video some dance lessons.
Thanks from Canada. I could never handle ALL the rain in the UK. It's like our west coast. Yuk !!! - I love our sunshine here in Ottawa Canada.
It was cloudy and rainy all day lol
I mounted my 105 2.8 micro on my bellows. its very critical with lighting and DOF was a fun excercise
Great video and good effort on the macro! Keep trying!
Ive tried macro with stacking and youre right it aint easy. Obviously the dof for each frame is microscopic. I made a test rig with pins in a piece of wood to practice on. Recently with a mirrorless camera and electronic focus the camera works out how many frames you need, given it knows the dof and the user sets the front and back focus limit. The results were it took 150 to photograph my car key. Thats far more than I would have done with manual control. So perhaps more frames needed, I don’t know. Zerene is my preferred stacking software. You’re doing great work.
Sometimes.. sometimes.. practice makes perfection... Keep going!!
Thanks Courtney for another great video, look forward to seeing your next outing, keep up the great work.
A treat, as always. I wonder if you could try the electronic shutter (silent shutter) on the 850. There should then be no vibration from the camera mechanism
I love your persistence and resilience, I wish I had the same.
Very interesting Courtney... thanks for sharing...gear is amazing as I have never used anything more than just a macro lens 70-300mm..... still learning so your video's help...many thanks again.. cheers from Australia 🦘🦘😃
Going from 1:1 to 2:1 was a long learning experience for me, I cannot imagine how much more challenging it would be to go to 5:1, but I want to 😁. Thank you or sharing your experiences with us!