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Topcor RE 100mm f/2.8 still life
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 11:20 am    Post subject: Topcor RE 100mm f/2.8 still life Reply with quote
I'm experimenting with still life photography. Still struggling with the lighting a bit, there's a lot to be learned. Lens is Topcor RE 100mm f/2.8, camera Sony A7R2.

TopcorRE10028Teapot by devoscasper, on Flickr


PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 12:52 pm    Post subject: Re: Topcor RE 100mm f/2.8 still life Reply with quote
caspert79 wrote:
I'm experimenting with still life photography. Still struggling with the lighting a bit, there's a lot to be learned. Lens is Topcor RE 100mm f/2.8, camera Sony A7R2.


The technical part seems perfect to me, and the lens is beyond doubt. For the more properly artistic part, the result is already very pleasing, but if the idea is to recall pictorial still lifes, I would say that more extensive areas of shadow, particularly in the background, could help


PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 1:22 pm    Post subject: Re: Topcor RE 100mm f/2.8 still life Reply with quote
Ultrapix wrote:
caspert79 wrote:
I'm experimenting with still life photography. Still struggling with the lighting a bit, there's a lot to be learned. Lens is Topcor RE 100mm f/2.8, camera Sony A7R2.


The technical part seems perfect to me, and the lens is beyond doubt. For the more properly artistic part, the result is already very pleasing, but if the idea is to recall pictorial still lifes, I would say that more extensive areas of shadow, particularly in the background, could help


Looks great. One path for additional progress might be focus stacking which I never practised.


PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 2:40 pm    Post subject: Re: Topcor RE 100mm f/2.8 still life Reply with quote
lumens pixel wrote:
Ultrapix wrote:
caspert79 wrote:
I'm experimenting with still life photography. Still struggling with the lighting a bit, there's a lot to be learned. Lens is Topcor RE 100mm f/2.8, camera Sony A7R2.


The technical part seems perfect to me, and the lens is beyond doubt. For the more properly artistic part, the result is already very pleasing, but if the idea is to recall pictorial still lifes, I would say that more extensive areas of shadow, particularly in the background, could help


Looks great. One path for additional progress might be focus stacking which I never practised.


True, definitely worth considering!


PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 2:56 pm    Post subject: Re: Topcor RE 100mm f/2.8 still life Reply with quote
Ultrapix wrote:
caspert79 wrote:
I'm experimenting with still life photography. Still struggling with the lighting a bit, there's a lot to be learned. Lens is Topcor RE 100mm f/2.8, camera Sony A7R2.


The technical part seems perfect to me, and the lens is beyond doubt. For the more properly artistic part, the result is already very pleasing, but if the idea is to recall pictorial still lifes, I would say that more extensive areas of shadow, particularly in the background, could help


Thanks, yes you're right. This background turned out to be too light. But a darker one is on its way.


PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 6:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Should the lace be out of focus?
I think I'd prefer it if everything was equally sharp … except maybe the background.
Just my tuppence worth … Smile


PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 6:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
kypfer wrote:
Should the lace be out of focus?
I think I'd prefer it if everything was equally sharp … except maybe the background.
Just my tuppence worth … Smile


Yes, you're absolutely right. Hence the suggestion about the stacking software. F/11 is not enough to obtain enough DOF, and I like to avoid smaller apertures.


PostPosted: Fri Sep 23, 2022 2:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I like the compression of depth due to the 100mm lens.

That was always one of my favorite Topcors!


PostPosted: Mon Sep 26, 2022 1:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Found out how to do focus stacking in Photoshop without the use of dedicated stacking software. Used 4 pictures taken at f/5.6 to do the stacking. For whoever is interested:

- File > Scripts > load file into stack
- Use: select 'files' --> select your images you want to stack > OK
- Each image will be assigned to a separate layer
- Select all layers in the layers panel
- Edit > auto align layers > auto align > OK
- Edit > auto blend layers > select 'stack images', check 'Seamless Tones and Colors' and 'Content Aware Fill Transparent Areas' --> OK

This is the result (btw, lens in this case is Canon EF 100mm f/2):

CanonEF10028stilllifeflowersStackedsmall by devoscasper, on Flickr


PostPosted: Mon Sep 26, 2022 1:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Great results, congrats! For me both images look very good.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 26, 2022 1:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Better. Background doesn't distract anymore.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 26, 2022 1:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Like 1 small Like 1 small Like 1 small


PostPosted: Mon Sep 26, 2022 7:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
D1N0 wrote:
Better. Background doesn't distract anymore.


I used a different background here which is much further behind the subject. It makes it easier to control background shadow and light independently from the subject.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 26, 2022 10:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I think better results could be had by moving back to increase DOF and cropping to same frame.

The top flower looks fuzzy.

Both images are most excellent imho, but I think you can and will eventually do better.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2022 5:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
visualopsins wrote:
I think better results could be had by moving back to increase DOF and cropping to same frame.

The top flower looks fuzzy.

Both images are most excellent imho, but I think you can and will eventually do better.


I just looked at the original size file, but I don't see fuzziness. But some red tones are difficult to render and therefore seem to show less texture.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2022 3:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
caspert79 wrote:
visualopsins wrote:
I think better results could be had by moving back to increase DOF and cropping to same frame.

The top flower looks fuzzy.

Both images are most excellent imho, but I think you can and will eventually do better.


I just looked at the original size file, but I don't see fuzziness. But some red tones are difficult to render and therefore seem to show less texture.


Like 1 Like 1


PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2022 4:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Like 1 Like 1 Like 1 Fine work and an excellent lens, always liked it!!


PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2022 11:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Both images “pop” off my screen and are quite compelling IMO. Very nice. Can you discuss the lighting and any other technical aspects of getting these results?


PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2022 7:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
xaprb wrote:
Both images “pop” off my screen and are quite compelling IMO. Very nice. Can you discuss the lighting and any other technical aspects of getting these results?


Thank you.
I don't quite remember the setup of the first image, but the second I do remember.

Big softbox on the left side, pointing to the right. Background board on the table behind the subject. A black board is blocking the light on the left half of the background. Focus stacking used in Photoshop to get adequate DOF.

Here are two more recent still lives with improved setup (lens Canon EF 100/2):
CanonEF100f2StillLifeSmall by devoscasper, on Flickr

CanonEF1002StillLifeFruitsSmall by devoscasper, on Flickr

Here, a background drop is used instead of a board. There is space between the table and background drop to create separation and to better control background lighting (to create contrast with shadow side of subject). Softbox on the left. Background lighted with seperate flash. In the last image, the flash is covered with thin paper to make the effect softer. Focus stacking in Photoshop.


PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2022 2:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Like 1 Like 1 Like 1 excellent composition, colors & sharpness. Great lens, too!


PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2022 2:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
caspert79 wrote:
Found out how to do focus stacking in Photoshop without the use of dedicated stacking software. Used 4 pictures taken at f/5.6 to do the stacking. For whoever is interested:

- File > Scripts > load file into stack
- Use: select 'files' --> select your images you want to stack > OK
- Each image will be assigned to a separate layer
- Select all layers in the layers panel
- Edit > auto align layers > auto align > OK
- Edit > auto blend layers > select 'stack images', check 'Seamless Tones and Colors' and 'Content Aware Fill Transparent Areas' --> OK

This is the result (btw, lens in this case is Canon EF 100mm f/2):

CanonEF10028stilllifeflowersStackedsmall by devoscasper, on Flickr


Impressive results , and in this case , it's not because the lens that much ,but more the settings of the light, colours , miss en place, etc ,and edition of course. I've been trying same thing on macro shots (8-16 images with not good results, byt the images with only 4 shots would be easily to get better results. Is there any recommendation relating how many shots to put together to get less failures?


PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2022 7:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
kiddo wrote:

Impressive results , and in this case , it's not because the lens that much ,but more the settings of the light, colours , miss en place, etc ,and edition of course. I've been trying same thing on macro shots (8-16 images with not good results, byt the images with only 4 shots would be easily to get better results. Is there any recommendation relating how many shots to put together to get less failures?


I guess it depends quite a bit on the amount of focus breathing a lens has. I was not able to eliminate artefacts when using the Yashica ML 55/2.8 for example. The same problem with the Tokina 100/2.8 (internal focus version). With the Canon EF 100/2 no problems whatsoever. Today I received a simple 240mm macro slide that will hopefully make my other lenses work as well for this purpose. I don’t know if there ‘s an optimum amount of images to put in a focus stack, but in my last image I used 15 pictures at f/8 with no problems whatsoever:

https://www.flickr.com/gp/55691955@N05/2f81w043c6

But again, this was the Canon lens that I mentioned.


PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2022 7:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Interesting I've been using micro 55mm 2.8 on FF, but same lens on APSC only 4 shots worked better
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