Focus stacking not working

qDslrDashbord error reports
GonzoG
Posts: 469
Joined: 24 Feb 2015, 08:52
Location: Poland

Re: Focus stacking not working

Post by GonzoG »

With focus step of 14 there won't be any visible changes in focus. I use form 30 (scale 1:1 @ f/5.6) up to 200 step size.
"small" arrow uses 25 size step.

Also for focus stacking to work you need to see arrows on bottom of screen. If you don't see them, than there is some thing wrong with your settings.
And there are no AF-A, nor AF-C, nor dynamic point in AF settings.
You have only AF-S and AF-F and manual focus works only in AF-S.
polo
Posts: 3
Joined: 02 May 2016, 22:51

Re: Focus stacking not working

Post by polo »

Hi GonzoG,

Camera options include AF-S, AF-C, AF-A, M(fixed)and M. No need to discuss about that. Also, the focus area options include Dynamic, Single, Auto and 3D tracking. The problem was that all this is under "Focus and Metering" (which makes sense) but then below under "Liveview" section, there is again button offering AF options similar to the previous but without AF-C. Area modes are quite different (face detection, wide, normal, tracking). It was confusing for me. I was testing all combinations of AF settings but under "Focus and Metering" without noticing the similar options under "Liveview". Then I selected Focus settings on both sections as AF-S and that did one of the needed tricks.

A second issue was about the buttons (1) and (2) as well as the arrow buttons not visible in the lower section of the window despite I could see details of the camera settings (green color). Under camera settings I noticed some of the buttons were cut "in half" at the lower section of the screen. So I tried to scroll using the mouse wheel and there they were all the other buttons!!! that simple!!! no idea why the buttons (1) and (2) were so low or why when set full screen layout they were not visible neither. Moreover, after scrolling down, all the buttons got visible despite the window is not on full screen. So something was weird about that but got it working perfectly after scrolling down.

Also, I noticed that by changing the Frame Count, the Focus steps number was also changing accordingly. This is a very good feature I did not noticed before. So, I increased the frames until getting about 14 focus steps. They were many more frames that I was using. It worked very well. Also tried with 10 focus steps and it worked as well.

With the two FP, I was noticing that the capture tends to end shorter before reaching FP2 (as the farthest position). The ending point set to FP1 as farthest + ending point as Current for the closest, and Closest direction approach was more accurate.
Also important was to learn that the two FP buttons (1) and (2) settings that turn red color, can be "erased" by pressing the AF button on the left. I was trying to long-press again, or setting up them again without results.

I was confused as well because the terminology of some areas is not always consistent. Like the two focus points are (1) and (2) but at the Start and End focus points settings, the options are "FP1" and "FP2" instead of 1 and 2. Perhaps if the focus point buttons were labeled as FP1 and FP2 instead of 1 and 2, it would be more clear. Now that I know it, it does not matter but at the first attempts it was very confusing.

I tested this with D5100 + Nikkor 18-55 and a LED ring for macro photography. Merging of the frames were done under Digikam using hugin-plugins noticing that I need a more stable tripod.
I am very pleased with qDD, now that I understand how to do it.

Many thanks for all your support
GonzoG
Posts: 469
Joined: 24 Feb 2015, 08:52
Location: Poland

Re: Focus stacking not working

Post by GonzoG »

There are no AF-A, nor AF-C, nor dynamic focus point, not 3D. It's not a discussion, it's a fact.
Your in LV.

Terminology is not consistent - FP1 = Focus Point 1... Who the hell would name Focus Point Focus Point 1??

And for all the confusing (to some) things there is manual. Zoltan spent a lot of time writing it.
polo
Posts: 3
Joined: 02 May 2016, 22:51

Re: Focus stacking not working

Post by polo »

There is no need to be rude GonzoG, I appreciate the work done. It does not mean there is no ground to improve though. As a beginner with qDD I have a "fresh" experience that perhaps could be useful (the out of the forest approach). I have no other way to help this project. Perhaps my experience is not valuable for some and that is ok too. And we can disagree as well without being rude or twisting the contributions.

1) exactly, what you call "a fact" is true under LV, but under camera properties there are again the same options (or quite similar) under "focus and metering". I was clearly talking about the "focus and metering" section, were is a fact that AF-S, AF-C, AF-A, M(fixed)and M options exist. I wrote "camera options" not "Lv". A confusion? well, that was exactly my point. There is ground for confusion if we just say "put your settings on AF-S". I did not know there were two sections with the same AF-S option, and apparently the most important is the Lv. A mistake? perhaps. Needing more experience? for sure. But this could happen to others as well, then my approach was to help other beginners that could fall into the same confusion and be aware of the more than one section with an AF-S option. Here comes an idea, but please do not make fun or use rude language if you disagree... I used the qDD settings that enable Lv automatically when connected to the camera. It works great. I used a USB cable, so no idea if this is feasible with wireless etc. But perhaps just as the application recognized my Nikon and set Lv by itself as soon as turned on when already connected, perhaps the routine could include an instruction that sets Lv/AF-S mode on as well. I am speculating since I do not know if all Nikons use that mode for Lv. But in case they do, then this could be automatized by linking it with the Lv streaming form the camera. It would be one more step that works on its own without the user messing it up by setting other options. Or perhaps adding that instruction then we press "Focus stack" if the camera is a Nikon (assuming they all use that setting for focus stack).

2) There are people unable to resist a critic. I am not sure you are one of them but it seems you confused my intentions of providing a personal experience (n=1) for the chance it may be helpful for others, with somehow not even appreciating the hard work of Zoltan. If that is the case, it is so wrong as in fact I did had the privilege of receiving Zoltan's direct support on this issue by email, he was very patient with me and all the issues were solved together. I also shared the very same recommendations with him in case they are of any use. He was welcoming and had a positive response exchanging emails during a couple of hours. Following his guide I discovered some of my errors. So again, this shows that at least on my experience there was an information quite direct and helpful on the emails but somehow missing or not as clear in the manual and the application itself. Of course I read the manual and it is great. But it does not mean it cannot be improved. As a living project it is a dynamic sync between the app and the manual. More the manual is clear, lesser would be the need of case by case support. As others have shown in this very same forum, even requesting a step by step tutorial for focus-stacking, it seems there is some ground on the focus stacking section of the manual for improving and/or completing. Sometimes just changing some wording, or adding just a phrase can help a lot. It is not a must do, but just a recommendation with my best intentions. Just like my finding that for OpenSuSE Leap, qDD could not run on its own libraries until adding libtbb2. No need to be harassed for trying to contribute. I did not know as well about the different accuracy between the two FP approach v/s Current/FP approach or how many focus steps (10) are significant for most Nikon lenses etc.

3) You confused or twisted but at least made fun of what I said about the focus point buttons. There are two sections with focus points on the main focus stack window. The one on the right, with the buttons with titles of "Start" and "end", having Current, FP1 and FP2 options. If you read my post without making fun of it, you will notice I did agree with that part. The confusion was noticed from the lower left section of the layout, with the two buttons without titles but just a single number inside "1" and "2". After reading on the forum, the manual and the support of Zoltan, I figure it out what they were and specially their direct relationship with the FP options on the buttons for the top right section. Needing more experience or a mistake? perhaps but this can happen to other beginners as well. Therefore, my intentions were as simple as to suggest to replace the labeling of the two lower left buttons that have only a number as label, for "FP1" and "FP2". Of course the manual helps but when you need to explain what "1" states for somewhere else, it means that the layout or the design of the app has areas that could improve since it has not reached a self explanatory status. A critic? yes, it is a button with only a number on it. But the critic is not to Zoltan or yourself but to a specific issue with the label design of these buttons. There is a huge difference between criticizing a product or an action, from doing it to the person that made the product or the action. If you do not separate the two, you will feel "attacked" every time your product or action receives a critic. Of course there will be areas impossible to make self-explanatory on the application. But just a number as a button label, leaves space for improvement since it can lead to confusions and it is not self explanatory. "Consistent" means the way a subject is referred is constant on all the sections of the design. "FP1" on the upper right section is not the same as "1" on the lower left section. "FP1" on both sections, the buttons as well as the options on the right that refers to these buttons, would be consistent. Gonzo, you may disagree with me, and I am fine with it. It is not the big deal. But it does become when you make fun of people investing their time in trying to help others with the only way they can: sharing their experience in case it matches theirs. Precisely because they like the work done on the project by Zoltan, you and who knows how many other contributors. A recommendation is just that. You can agree or not, but there is no need to be ironic.

qDD is a great project. It has been a while since I have been wiling to try it and after Zoltan's help, I was able to use it and see its huge potential. I congratulate and I am very thankful to all the people involved. For those using linux with KDE, I did the focus-stack merging with the blending tool of Digikam that uses Hugin http://hugin.sourceforge.net/ and Enfuse http://enblend.sourceforge.net/. I had mixed results depending of the number of frames. Perhaps I should start the protocol for focus stack with a step of calculating the number of frames needed depending on lens DOF, distance range to the subject etc. It seems to me that this frame number is very critical for the best final result.

kind regards and keep the great work
gps
steftec
Posts: 4
Joined: 11 Nov 2015, 18:28

Re: Focus stacking not working

Post by steftec »

Hi Guys.
I'm using QDslrDashboard with the TP-Link router on my D700 and D300s. And im happy with that solution. I've read all posts on this topic, tried out several times. Focus bracketing dont work for me on both cams. In one of the posts on this topic means hubaiz is workin on a solution for D700 (if im right the same problem is also on D300 & D300s). Any news or solutions on that?

Greetz
Ingo_G
Posts: 9
Joined: 09 Nov 2015, 19:56

Re: Focus stacking not working

Post by Ingo_G »

Hello

Just try to set the menu-points a1 and a2 to the options "Release". Then it should work.

Best regards
Ingo
steftec
Posts: 4
Joined: 11 Nov 2015, 18:28

Re: Focus stacking not working

Post by steftec »

Ingo_G wrote:
Just try to set the menu-points a1 and a2 to the options "Release". Then it should work.
Hi. Thx for the response. I've tried it. But the focus didnt changed. Settings: Number of pics:5, Focusstep: 300, Direction: Infinity, Start on FP1 (with no FP2), Shutterpriority: Release. I get 5 identical pics.

Greets
GonzoG
Posts: 469
Joined: 24 Feb 2015, 08:52
Location: Poland

Re: Focus stacking not working

Post by GonzoG »

There is no focus control with D700 and D300/s. Zoltan is working on this issue.
samantha1
Posts: 4
Joined: 06 Jan 2021, 08:54

Re: Focus stacking not working

Post by samantha1 »

good morning i'm going crazy too with nikon d3s, try all but what am i wrong ?, the lens does not focus by changing position, all set on afs, sigma macro lens 100 f2.8, help me, it's making me pass the desire to use this thank you program
ashleylose07
Posts: 1
Joined: 03 Aug 2021, 09:33

Re: Focus stacking not working

Post by ashleylose07 »

I have the same Problem as you with D300s and Focus Stacking. spice money login teatv
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