Focus Stacking in landscape photography

Waterfall on Island

OM System cameras have focus stacking a unique function, which is useful to increase the depth of field in macro photography. But there is another use case for focus stacking, even though the depth of field normally isn’t an issue.

When is focus stacking helpful for landscape photography?

A popular creative means in landscape photography is to place an object in the foreground as this emphasises depth. Always when you do this depth of field becomes relevant in landscape photography, even though wide-angle lenses have a much bigger depth of field than tele lenses. But in landscape photography the distances are enormous. Therefore closing the aperture doesn’t help. Especially as image quality is getting worse when you use a smaller f-stop than 11.

Original without focus stacking
result after focus stacking

What to consider when using Focus Stacking

In my article “Focus Stacking and Focus Bracketing” I write about the needed settings in detail. In opposite to macro photography you have to consider a bit more. As already said above you should avoid smaller apertures than 11. In case you close it further diffraction will decrease your image quality. In addition, most properly you must experiment a bit with the step size. Which one is fitting depends on the lens, focusing distance and aperture. Therefore a recommendation is hardly possible.

Focus Stacking takes the first image on the focus point you have set. The next image is taken from a closer point and the following will be taken behind the first focus point. Therefore you should not fonearestthe the closest distance which should be sharp, but behind. Also here you must experiment to get the result you would achieve.

Focus Stacking in landscape photography original
Original without focus stacking
Focus Stacking in landscape photography result
result after focus stacking

Additional sources for this topic

In case you would like to get more information about focus stacking in landscape photography you find additional information on the web. Following sources, I can recommend.

  1. OM System Visionäre Peter Baumgartern article “Maximum Depth of field” veröffentlicht.
  2. If you understand German the article of Helmut Kruse “Fokusstacking in der Landschaftsfotografie? Ja Klar!” is worth reading.

3D printed camera accessories

3D Rendering Mirco Four Thirds Gehäusedeckel

Already lost a hot shoe cover or a lens cap? Can happen quite easily. You either buy it quite expensive from the manufacturer or a bit cheaper from a third-party vendor. I bought the other day a 3D printer and ask myself whether I could print the accessories. Here I would like to share my experience, of how I 3D printed camera accessories.

What you need to made photo accessories with a 3D printer

Sliding calliper to measure the original object

Before you can print photo accessory you need the dimensions of the original. A sliding calliper helps you to get those precise enough. I’m using one with digital display. With it, it is easy to get the values which you are using in the 3D software.

Software to generate 3D data

The 3D printer needs 3D data, which you can generate with specialised software. You can find several different types, but I used them for the moment Sharp3D. Professional software, which you cause with some limitations for free. Whether you can accept those or not is up to you. You find detailed information on the website.

Screenshot  Shapr3D software
Shapr3D

The advantage of Sharp3D is, that you get directly in the app a small explanation video on how to use the chosen tool. This helps a lot to learn the software quickly. My 13 year old son and I managed this quiet easily, so you will do it also. In the image above you see the hot shoe cover for an Olympus / OM Systems camera, which is made by my son.

3D printer

For printing you need a 3D printer. Nowadays no problem. You can get one already below 100€. I bought the Monoprice MP10 printer, which cost me 189€. An investment I was willing to make.

Software to prepare printing data

When you have finalised your 3D data, you must prepare them for printing. The object will be divided into layers. Again you can choose between different software, I’m using Ultimaker Cura.

Screenshot of Cura software including 3D printed accessories
Bildschirmfoto der Cura Software mit Objektive- und Gehäusedeckel für die OM System Kameras

This program and the settings are a bit more complex. The settings depend on many parameters. In particular, the filament and the printer type you are using have a huge influence. Also, the resolution is a factor. You must experiment by yourself, there is no other way. This is fun and you will have very fast a feeling of success.

Very important is how you position the objects. As you can see in the image above, the lens cap and body cap lay on their flat sides. A 3D printer is not able to print into the air. Would I lay the object on the other side, I must use supporting layers. It needs not only additional material but is also complicated to remove. Therefore, if possible, the objects should be placed so that there are no cavities downwards.

What accessories can you print with a 3D printer?

I printed only simple accessories such as a lens cap, body cap and a hot shoe cover so far. However, only a view object cannot be printed with a 3D printer. I already saw a filter holder for the M.Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO which is printed with a 3D printer. In theory, it is even possible to print the cover for the power battery grip, as the flexible filament is also available. Also, wooden accessories or carbon accessories are possible. The appropriate filament is also available for this purpose. As you can see, the possibilities are endless. You just have to let your imagination run wild and think about how best to implement the idea.

My 3D date to print accessories with your 3D printer.

As you can see in the images above I made already some accessories for OM System cameras. In case you own a 3D printer I’m happy when you use them for your own needs.

In case you don’t own a 3d printer, let me know. I can print any part and send it to you. Just write an email, we can discuss the details. When you have your own ideas to realise let me know in the comments. I will have a look and try to make it happen.

What can we expect from the camera industry in 2023?

Bild von den Landungsbrücken.

A lot of people already celebrated, that in 2022 quantity of sold camera raised compared to 2021 (graph below). They already predicted a turnaround from a shrinking to a growing camera market. But we have to consider two factors when we are comparing year on year. First, 2021 was a pandemic year, second, therefore, the supply chain was interrupted. The industry was not able to manufacture or deliver more cameras. Whether 2023 will be for the camera industry a good year or not depends on several factors. Some can be influenced by the industry some not.

CIPA total DSC shipment in 2020, 2021 and 2022

Economic situation

After the covid pandemic in 2021 and 2022 struggled due to supply chain constraints, it seems that 2023 will be much better. For example, some of the semiconductor manufacturers are reporting growing stock and therefore prices are getting lower. This leads to better availability of cameras and lenses. If this leads to better sales numbers or even more important better profit, some additional factors must be considered. One negative factor is the world economic situation. Triggered by the Ukraine war we are facing an energy shortage and inflation is growing. This means also that the living cost is getting higher. Less money is available for additional investments. It is more important to pay rent and food than to buy a camera or lens. In addition, all experts expect that we are getting a worldwide recession, which means a lot of jobs are in danger. People rather save their money than spend it. The economic precondition is not good. Therefore it is important that the camera industry have to be creative to be successful.

Hamburg Standard View, to illustrate the article "What can we expect from the camera industry in 2023?"

Product introductions of the camera industry in 2023

It will be interesting to see what kind of products will be introduced by the camera industry in 2023. In the past, most of the product introductions have been an enhancement of the predecessor and lag real innovations. I’m curious whether the camera industry can launch real innovations in 2023. How about a new business model to earn money? Instead of launching new camera models every year, with only a few improvements, it would be possible to update cameras in the market and get money for it. By the way, this would be also more environmentally friendly than the current strategy. Or some of the features could be provided based on a monthly payment. Similar like the software industry is doing. But looking at the first announcement this year, the Panasonic S5 Mark II, I’m not very optimistic. The camera manufacturers seem to stay with the old strategy and will not take any risks.

Even for lenses, we could not expect much. The technology is already matured and innovation steps are pretty small. OM Digitalsolutions have already announced the development of a 90mm F3.5 Macro, which will be for sure qualitative very good. But will it have also some innovations? Will it show the strength of the Micro Four Thirds? It would be great if it could be compatible with the two teleconverters. Nikon and Canon will for sure concentrate on the most popular focal length. They entered the mirrorless market quite late and must catch up.

Marketing options

I would be surprised in case we see changes in marketing from the big players. They will still play the influencer game to get as much coverage on the web as possible. People trust someone they are following for a while more than the manufacturers even though the influencers are just telling the same with different words. I don’t see that the camera industry already can catch up with the newest trend in marketing and bring information in an analogue way to their customers. They are lacking human and financial resources. It is even worse, as most of the manufacturers are concentrating on digital platforms rather than on real events. This is in my opinion a big mistake. Cameras are highly emotional products and it is important to touch them. You have to discover them with all senses. This is not possible with digital events. Olympus once had a “Photography Playground” to address also people who are not so in photography. The feedback for those events was excellent and even at the last Photokina a part of the show. Unfortunately, the industry is not running such kind of events at the moment.

In Germany, we do have photo festivals (Umweltfestival Zingst / Oberstdorfer Fotogipfel) and the Photopia, which offer you the option to touch cameras without buying them. The advantage is that at those events all manufacturers are present. However, the camera industry has to save money as much as possible. The golden age in the camera industry is gone.

Hamburg Harbour
Harbour Hamburg

Prospects for the camera industry in 2023 and beyond.

Honestly, I’m very sceptical that the quantity of sold cameras will grow in future. On the one hand side, the market is shrinking. On the other hand, the mobile phone industry needs differentiation for the new generations of the phone. The processor performance is not relevant anymore. It is enough for all daily tasks. Mobile phone cameras are the feature which is selling. Sony already announced the end of digital SLR cameras and I think for the majority of the users this is already true. The more subtle among you might say that the DSLR died more than 10 years ago with the introduction of mirrorless systems. However, you forget that Sony’s head of the semiconductor business does not distinguish between DLSR and mirrorless cameras. He was referring to system cameras with interchangeable lenses in general.

What is your opinion?

What do you think about this topic? My thoughts are very personal and I’m happy if you share your thought in the comment. I’m curious and looking forward to having a friendly discussion.

How to update firmware on E-M1 Mark III / OM-1

Once in a while cameras are getting new functions or error are resolved. In both cases a new firmware is provided. Cameras of OM Digitalsolutions is this done either with OM Workspace or mobile with OM.Share. I would like to demonstrate you how to make it with OM.Share. For the moment you can only update the E-M1 Mark III or OM-1 firmware. All other cameras has to be updated with OM Workspace.

Update OM-D E-M1 Mark III / OM-1 firmware with OM.Share

OI.share screenshot to show how to update OM-1 / E-M1 Mark III firmware

Precondition to update the firmware with OM.Share is that you already paired your camera with OM.Share and you must activate WiFi in your E-M1 Mark III or OM-1. Have you done this you can press the gear icon to reach the settings.

In the settings you find camera management.

OI.share screenshot to show how to update OM-1 / E-M1 Mark III firmware v
OI.share screenshot to show how to update OM-1 / E-M1 Mark III firmware

Clicking on it the camera management opens. Here you find information about your camera. You can save your camera settings and you can update the firmware.

When you click on it OM.Share shows you the firmware version installed on your camera and the mounted lens. Pressing “check update” the software verify the latest firmware on the server in Japan.

OI.share screenshot to show how to update OM-1 / E-M1 Mark III firmware
OI.share screenshot to show how to update OM-1 / E-M1 Mark III firmware

Is a new firmware available it will be shown. Underneath you find a button to update the firmware for the camera or lens.

Follow the instruction on the screen to update your camera.

Following is important.

  1. Be aware that your batterie is charged to at least 50%. A fully charged batterie however is much better.
  2. Take care that you never loose power while updating the firmware. This is very important. In case you are loosing power it could happen that the camera has no firmware at all. You will not be able to start the camera anymore then.
  3. Keep an eye on all hints of OM.Share. While updating the firmware OM.Share saves your settings. In case you are not following the instruction of OM.Share it will not be able to install those settings back to the camera.

In case you would like to update the firmware of lenses, make it in the same way.

Update firmware with OM Workspace

Updating the firmware with OM.Share is super. You can update your camera on the way without computer. Unfortunately this is only available for E-M1 Mark III and OM-1. At home you are also able to update your firmware with OM Workspace. First connect your camera with the delivered USB cable. As soon as you switch on the camera a dialog is displayed. You can select how the camera communicates with the computer. Select storage to update the firmware and confirm with “OK”.

OM Workspace screenshot

In OM Workspace you find in the “camera” menu “update” which you have to use to update the camera. Have you pressed it the camera updater starts. Now the process is similar to OM.Share.

OM Workspace screenshot

The camera updater shows whether a new firmware version is available or not. To Update camera / lens just press update. Please follow the instruction on the screen exactly. Press only “next” when you see the big “OK” on the camera screen and if you have switch off / on the camera.

OM Workspace screenshot

In case you are using an E-M1 Mark III or an OM-1 OM Workspace saves your camera settings and reload them after the update process. Older cameras don’t have this option.

Tips for Apple user

In case you are using an Apple computer to update the firmware it could be that your are getting several error messages. The reason for those messages are following.

  1. You are using a USB cable which is transferier the data not correctly. Please use the cable which is delivered with the camera, if possible.
  2. You camera is connected with a USB hup. Please connect the camera directly on the computer.
  3. The security settings of the operating system give OM Workspace not enough right. In case you thing OM Workspace has all rights needed and it is not working, please double check the system settings. Sometime also the firewall could be the reason why OM Workspace is not able to communicate with the firmware server.

OM System OM-5 an upgrade without innovations?

This week OM Digital Solutions introduced the second camera under the brand OM System. One year after the introduction of the new brand, it become apparent how OM Digital Solutions sees its own future and which target group the brand is addressing. But is the OM System OM-5 an upgrade without innovations or are there news which we haven’t seen from Olympus / OM Digitalsolutions yet? I would like to share here my thoughts and not the technical details, which I had after the introduction of the OM-5

OM System OM-5 schwarz
Image from OM Digital Solution

My assessment about the OM System OM-5 technology

The outside of the OM-5 is identical with the E-M5 Mark III. Only the silver variant has a black instead of a silver on / off switch. The advantage is that a E-M5 Mark III user who upgrades doesn’t have to learn how to use the camera again. A critique, the change in usage of successors, which you can read in a lot of forums, is therefore invalid. But also a lot of the inside has not changed. Instead of utilising the new menu system, the OM-5 comes with the one from its predecessor E-M5 Mark III. Both is one of the critique points in the media. In my opinion there is a good and a bad side. On on hand the well known handling stays the same, on the other side innovation and process is not possible. To decide whether this is good or bad is on your side.

Process without process

Beside the design and user interface a lot of hardware components are the same as of the E-M5 Mark III. Sensor. Wifi, autofocus system, battery and interfaces has not renewed at all. Only image processor and built-in image stabilisation has been updated. Both are the base of the new functionality of the OM-5. This are computational functions as Live ND and handheld HighRes shot. Both functions need the higher performance of the TruePic IX and are therefore not possible by a simple firmware update of the E-M5 Mark III.

The improved image stabilisation enables longer exposure times without tripod, but is not as good as the stabilisation of the OM-1. This is for sure to differentiate the to models. All of this is in the class of the OM-5 innovative. Looking on the available technology is this state of the art or even old technology. The sensor for example is already available since available and for sure not the newest techology in the market. The sensor has been introduced 2016 and is therefore 6 years old, which is for sensors a very long time.

OM System OM-5 silber
Bild von OM Digital Solutions

My rating of the OM System OM-5

The OM-5 is no flagship model, where the price is not that important, but should be the profit contributor camera for OM Digitalsolutions. The sold quantities must be higher to have a healthy user bace for OM System cameras. Therefore the development cost and manufacturer cost has to be balanced. As in other industries OM Digitalsolutions is using already available components. The R&D cost are already paid.

Principally nothing wrong with this, but the question is who is the traget group of this camera. Users who already have a E-M5 Mark III do have only few reasons upgrade to the new camera. The news are, in my opinion, not big enough. Users of other camera brands are not highly motivated to change. There are some features which are not available at the competition, but this is not enough. Users of other brands has to change the lenses as well. This generates additional costs and the price of the camera is not cheap.

The Panasonic users are the only remaining ones. At least those who own a Micro Four Thirds system. In addition there are the E-M10 Mark IV and PEN E-P7 users. Those users are the ones in danger to leave the camera industry. Cameras of smartphones are getting better and the majority of the E-M10 Mark IV and PEN E-P7 users do not understand the advantage to change lenses and use different focal length. I doubt, that those users will pay the price for the OM-5

Conclusions


In my opinion it will be hard to sell the OM System OM-5. It is a camera between the flagship model OM-1, which has the news features, and the much cheaper E-M10 Mark IV. Users, who want to have the latest features will by the OM-1. Is price priority the E-M10 Mark IV is the choice. This phenomenon is not unique for OM Digital Solutions, but shows the big issue of the camera industry. After years of massive innovations and the development of new sensors is now the development of camera technologies limited. Nowadays it is not possible anymore to introduce every 1-2 years big innovations steps, which makes technic fans happy.

Detailed technical reviews of the OM System OM-5

  1. Mirrorless Comparison has a nice comparision between E-M5 Mark III and the OM-5 as well as a comparison of the OM-1 with the OM-5
  2. A classic website for reviews is Dpreview who writes about their first impressions of OM-5.

Your opinions counts.

I’m happy about your opinion. Please leave it in the comments. I will read them and looking forward to discuss them with you. How is the future of the camera industry in general and how do you see the future of OM Digitalsolutions.