Canon M6 M2 focus stacking bracketing

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dolmadis
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Canon M6 M2 focus stacking bracketing

Post by dolmadis »

Hi All

For those with a Canon M6 M2 please.

Can you expand please on the "Official" list below published by Canon in August 19 that are compatible with Focus Bracketing?

I did read that there may be others but I have not been able to find a follow up on Google.
EF-M28mm f/3.5 Macro IS STM
EF-M15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM
EF-M18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM
EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM
EF24-70mm f/4L IS USM
EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
EF180mm f/3.5L Macro USM
EF-S35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM
EF-S60mm f/2.8 Macro USM
EF-S18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
Any more EF or EF-S lenses that you may have tried as is and as a tube lens?

Thank you

John

Adalbert
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Re: Canon M6 M2 focus stacking bracketing

Post by Adalbert »

Hi John,
EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM (with Mitties)
EF-M 22mm 1:2 STM (with DCR-250, macro only)
Best, ADi

dolmadis
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Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:51 pm
Location: UK

Re: Canon M6 M2 focus stacking bracketing

Post by dolmadis »

Thanks ADi.

I am surprised that there has been so little experimentation so far with other lenses on such a useful utility.

Best, John

dolmadis
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Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:51 pm
Location: UK

Re: Canon M6 M2 focus stacking bracketing

Post by dolmadis »

Hi ADi

Is this the 22mm you are referring to please? (Thanks).

https://www.dpreview.com/products/canon ... non_m_22_2

John

Adalbert
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Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 1:09 pm

Re: Canon M6 M2 focus stacking bracketing

Post by Adalbert »

Hello John,

For the internal FB of the M6M2 I mostly use the
EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM but it is already on your list.

Yes, the pancake 22mm is perfect for the M6M2.
And with the DCR-250 makes a small macro (43 filter thread fits great.)

Best, ADi

dolmadis
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Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:51 pm
Location: UK

Re: Canon M6 M2 focus stacking bracketing

Post by dolmadis »

Hi ADi

Thanks. That 22mm option with DCR 250 is a great one and I will be looking to find a good copy.

I have a 100mm 2.8 (macro) USM but it is Non L.

So it looks that I shall have to go looking for a deal on 70/200 L IS USM or 100 L USM.

Best, John

dolmadis
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Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:51 pm
Location: UK

Re: Canon M6 M2 focus stacking bracketing

Post by dolmadis »

Adalbert wrote:
Fri Jun 04, 2021 9:45 am
For the internal FB of the M6M2 I mostly use the EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM but it is already on your list.Best, ADi
Hi again ADi

As I have a decision to make between the 70/200 L and the 100 L (budget would not take both !) may I just ask what has caused you to mostly use the 100 L for internal focus bracketing and assuming you are using this as a tube lens which objectives work best in that pairing.

What pairings are good for the 70/200 L?

Thank you, Best, John

Adalbert
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Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 1:09 pm

Re: Canon M6 M2 focus stacking bracketing

Post by Adalbert »

Hello John,

The key question is what you want to do with it.

The internal FB of the M6M2 is great but more suitable for small magnifications.
At high magnifications FB produces nasty artefacts (crosses) that are difficult to remove.

I have two Canon lenses that I use frequently for stacking:
1.) EF100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM
2.) EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM

Both lenses are perfect as a tube lens for the stacking with a rail up to 50x / 0.80 or even 100x microscope lenses.

However, when it comes to focus bracketing, things look different.
With the Mitu 5x it still works wonderfully.
But with the Mitu 10x, start the problems with the artefacts.

So, I can recommend the two Canon lenses as a tube lens for stacking with a rail without any hesitation.
Raynox DCR-150 can also do it, but it is much cheaper.

But when it comes to the focus bracketing, I wouldn't recommend spending extra money for that.
It's a lot of fun but only if you don't have to buy expensive lenses for it.

Please test first, the lenses you already have.

Best, ADi

Lou Jost
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Re: Canon M6 M2 focus stacking bracketing

Post by Lou Jost »

A limiting factor I have found for focus bracketing is the depth of the stack. At high m, there will not be sufficient focus throw to make a stack, or you will have to use the tube lens at close-focus settings that may be affected by focus breathing. Remember that step size needs to be BIGGER when using focus bracketing at large m. This may seem counterintuitive but it is true.

dolmadis
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Re: Canon M6 M2 focus stacking bracketing

Post by dolmadis »

Thanks ADi and Lou.

I had not experimented with internal Focus Bracketing because I assumed that the official Canon List of compatible lenses was a limited list . 

I had no wish to blunder and have a repair bill with a locked up camera. 
 
But it now seems that the Canon List is a marketing list.

So I tried 4 lenses on the M6M2. Just to see if a series of images could be created with them.

EF 100 2.8 USM
EF 55-200 4.5/5.6 II USM
EF 40 2.8 STM
EF-S 55-250 4/5.6 IS

They all worked with the FB function.

I note that it is only useful up to say 5X for technical reasons.

I read on another post that Lou has used a QV 2.5 on an Olympus FB in the field.

What are the thoughts on a 5X QV on the EF 100 2.8 USM ?

Thanks for all the help ADi and Lou.

Best, John

Lou Jost
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Re: Canon M6 M2 focus stacking bracketing

Post by Lou Jost »

What are the thoughts on a 5X QV on the EF 100 2.8 USM ?
It depends on the depth of the subject and the amount of focus throw in the lens. It may also depend on how much focus breathing there is in the lens. Macro lenses have a longer focus throw and so they can do deeper subjects. I set the lens to infinity and move the camera so that the farthest part of the subject is in focus, then I focus closer until the nearest part of the subject is in focus, and then run the stack. This way you will know whether your focus throw is enough to do the job, and you will be favoring the long end of the focus range, which is the best portion of the range when using infinity-corrected objectives on the tube lens.

dolmadis
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Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:51 pm
Location: UK

Re: Canon M6 M2 focus stacking bracketing

Post by dolmadis »

Hi Both

Thanks for the inputs.

(this is fun)

Have you encountered any need to purchase large Gb, fast R/W (more than R 100 / W 45), UHS-II SD cards instead of UHS-I?

Best, John

Lou Jost
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Re: Canon M6 M2 focus stacking bracketing

Post by Lou Jost »

Yes, fast cards help a lot!

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