CHSOS just added STACKSHOT to its instruments in order to document small artistic and historical objects. STACKSHOT is an automated macro rail for focus stacking and it’s coupled with Helicon Remote and Helicon Focus to shoot and elaborate the stacked images.
Focus stacking macro photography
Photographing small objects that are flat is pretty simple and straightforward. On the other hand small objects that extend in space, as a piece of jewelry, are challenging because macro (close-up) photography implies very shallow depth of field. Even at large f-number it is possible to focus only a plane of the subject and the rest is out of focus. To get all the subject on focus it is necessary to use the focus stacking method. The camera shoots photos while it is moved from far to close to the subject. Each picture will have a portion of the subject on focus. Specialized software, such as Helicon Focus, takes care of elaborate all the stacked images and produce a resulting picture that is all on focus. STACKSHOT is an automated macro rail that makes all this workflow automatic. I need, eventually, to mention the amazing customer care service that the company provides. Immediate reply to my emails and also got the system repaired and shipped back in no time and no shipping cost.
Macro Photography lenses and methods.
A suggested publication regarding macro photography techniques:
A. Cosentino “Macro Photography for Reflectance Transformation Imaging: A Practical Guide to the Highlights Method” e-conservation Journal 1, pp. 70–85, 2013.
