Macro Manoeuvres In The Sunshine

– Partner Content –

Everyone’s lives changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. As photographers, with minimal warning, we had to find fresh ways to enjoy our cameras during lockdown.

Many photographers found an interest in nature and macro shooting, and that included me. I spent time enjoying butterfly photography in a nature reserve that was a ten-minute walk from home. That interest broadened as the summer wore on and damselflies and dragonflies became targets for my lens too, and I spent many hours wandering around with my macro lens and newly acquired ring flash.

My interest in butterflies, damselflies and dragonflies has continued in these post-pandemic days and while I’m no expert on these insects I soon learnt to tell the difference between a speckled wood and a ringlet, and a four-spotted chaser and a migrant hawker.

WILL CHEUNG: OM System OM-1 with M. Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 at f/8 and ISO 400. Seven focus bracketed shots with focus differential set to 5.

I was thinking about this year’s shooting activity when I came up with a radical plan, partly inspired after I interviewed a chap called Geraint Radford for a magazine feature. He’s an OM System ambassador and a macro expert and he got me enthused by the potential of the in-camera focus stacking feature available in several Olympus/OM System cameras as a way to achieve a decent depth-of-field but with a good degree of control. Being able to stack up to 15 individual images at f/4 or f/5.6 would mean good sharpness in the subject and still ensure the background would be nicely blurred. Shooting at f/16 might give a similar depth-of-field but it’d also sharpen up the background and that is not always a good thing.

After checking out some YouTube videos and pictures taken with focus stacking, I thought the OM System OM-1 would deliver what I wanted.

Of the many cameras I have owned over the years, I don’t recall ever buying a camera for one specific feature or to shoot one subject. Buying decisions are usually made based on a product’s many characteristics and shooting potential, so this was a slightly oblique approach. For the first time, I decided to invest in a camera for just one feature – well, almost.

I bought my film Olympus OM-1 nearly 50 years ago, so another OM-1 was long overdue and while its in-body focus stacking skill was a key attraction, Pro Capture, high-performing AF, fast blackout-free shooting and the light weight of the kit were other key plus points. I have cameras with focus bracketing but being able to focus stack and check the effect in-camera within seconds is a feature I don’t have. The OM-1 produces a stacked JPEG with separate RAWs and JPEGs also saved for in-computer stacking.

A new OM-1 body costs around £1979. A search on MPB’s website showed there was a selection of ‘as new’ samples available at £1719. There was a cheaper model at £1629 which was rated as excellent.

On MPB’s site, the product pictures show the actual sample for sale and looking at the excellent condition model, I noticed there were some light scratches on the rear monitor. Nothing serious, but I decided to spend the extra £90 on an ‘as new’ model and add my own light scratches.

I added a camera to my shopping basket to get the process started. My plan was to pay for the new camera by trading in a selection of imaging kit that I wasn’t using. To be honest, the exercise was also partly driven by a need for a serious down-size across all aspects of my life.

WILL CHEUNG: OM System OM-1 with M. Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 Zuiko macro lens. Exposure 1/250sec at f/2.8 and ISO 400. Ten focus bracketed shots with focus differential set to 8.

Every item I had to sell appeared in the drop-down menu as I typed in the name. I expected that with the lenses but even an old Gitzo carbon-fibre tripod came up as a suggestion as I keyed in its name.

I had around a dozen items I wanted to part-exchange and once completed, I submitted the list and got an offer within seconds – on the website and via email. Good news, MPB offered me enough to pay for the OM-1, plus a macro-oriented photography trip later in the summer.

I started the buying/selling process on a Wednesday; the kit was packed and ready for courier collection on Thursday; and an email to confirm receipt of my kit arrived on Friday afternoon. On Saturday morning, I was sitting in front of the TV watching the coronation of King Charles III when an email arrived with a confirmed final offer. The only correction was a slightly raised offer on the carbon tripod. I confirmed the deal and added my bank details as the King was crowned.

Early the following week I saw that the cash had appeared in my bank account, and the OM-1 arrived on Wednesday. So, it literally took just over a week to complete the whole deal and that was over a bank holiday weekend.

WILL CHEUNG: A four-spotted chaser in close-up done by in-camera focus stacking. OM System OM-1, M. Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 Zuiko macro lens. Exposure 1/200sec at f/5.6 and ISO 400.

My original aim was to buy the OM-1 together with the Olympus 60mm f/2.8 macro lens. MPB did not have stock and the situation, close to a month later as I write this, remains the same. That’s not MPB’s fault of course, but just the way it is with pre-loved kit.

However, the good news is that my partner had earlier this spring put in an order for the new OM System M.Zuiko ED 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO lens, and it had recently arrived. That meant her 60mm macro lens was free for me to borrow until I manage to sort out my own lens situation, but the point is I have been able to enjoy the OM-1.

Focus stacking is not a feature that suits every subject or situation, but I have already been exploring its usability and practicality. It’s not infallible and I have often had the warning that the focus stack was not achievable. This might be due to me not being very stable, the subject moving or being blown around, or me simply being too ambitious. However, when it works, it’s awesome and I’m really looking forward to enjoying the focus stacking much more this summer.

News From MPB:

Emily Lowrey: Shot with Panasonic Lumix DC-GH6 with Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 25mm f/1.2 PRO. Exposed at 1/50sec and f/1.2 and at ISO 640.

The micro four-thirds (MFT) system is the smallest interchangeable lens camera system currently on the market, so there are obvious benefits when it comes to bulk and gear weight.

In terms of camera brands, MFT is supported by OM Digital Solutions (formerly Olympus) and Panasonic while there are more options when it comes to third-party lens brands and names include Laowa, Leica, Samyang, Sigma and Voigtländer.

Recently posted on MPB’s content hub is the Kit guide: Why use micro four-thirds lenses? written by photographer Emily Lowrey. In the feature, Emily looks into the pros and cons of using MFT kit supported by a selection of inspiring images. It’s a great read and full of advice for image creators thinking of switching to the smaller system.

To enjoy Emily’s feature click here.