QDFS: Workflow

In this post I'll provide a little more clarity on using QDFS and illustrate one of the ways QDFS can help you get perfect multi image exposure and focus bracket sets with your Canon M3.

The script has the following button mapping:

Rather than repeat what each function means, as I have described this in previous posts, let's look at how we can use the ETTL/ETTR features with focus bracketing.

Having decided the scene needs two exposures, one for the highlights and one for the shadows, eg by using the ETTR/ETTL functionality to survey the scene, the captue workflow looks like this: 

That is, after setting the Canon side for a single image and QDFS X bracketing to Canon

• Set focus for the nearest object of interest
• Press [RIGHT] to obtain an ETTR exposure for the highlights
• Press [M-Fn] to grab an image
• Press [LEFT] to obtain an ETTL exposure for the shadows at the current focus
• Press [M-Fn] to grab an image
  
• Use the QDFS depth of field scale to refocus
• Press [M-Fn] to grab an image
• Use the QDFS depth of field scale to refocus
• Press [RIGHT] to obtain an ETTR exposure for the highlights
• Use the QDFS depth of field scale to refocus
• Press [M-Fn] to grab an image 
• Press [LEFT] to obtain an ETTL exposure for the shadows at the current focus
• Press [M-Fn] to grab the final image at the required infinity blur (shown on the DoF scale)

Note the above workflow may also be initiated with an ETTL.

The following test example is of a four focus bracket set, captured with the above workflow, showing the ETTR/ETTL pairs, ie 8 exposures.

After pre-processing with PureRAW 2, I first used Lightroom to create an 'HDR' merge of each ETTL/ETTR pair. I then did a round trip with the four, exposure merged, images to Helicon focus (I could have also used another focusing stacking App or even Photoshop), resuluting in an image that, after a little bit of LR post processing looks like this:

I hope the above has provided a little more insight into the functionality and power of QDFS, especially for those that wish to use a, tech/script augmented, manual approach. 

As usual I welcome any feedback on this post or any of my posts.