Mushrooms & other Fungi

[Don W]

EM1 II, 60mm Macro, STF-8 Flash

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[Thai-Mike]

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[roboroto]

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[Harvey Melvin Richards]

All stacked in camera.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

EM120135-1 by Harvey Richards, on Flickr

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

EM120145-1 by Harvey Richards, on Flickr

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

EM120215-1 by Harvey Richards, on Flickr

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

EM120195-1 by Harvey Richards, on Flickr

 

[Bushboy]

Handheld in camera focus stack.
f3.5 differential 8

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[retiredfromlife]

Handheld in camera focus stack.
f3.5 differential 8 View attachment 901111

Very nice and hand held.
How big is the mushroom head in real life?

When you hand hold a stack do you use a support of any kind or lean the camera against something ?
Every time I have tried a hand held stack it has failed miserably.
The only time it has worked for me is with the TG5. No luck at all with the EM1.3

 

[Bushboy]

My cam only stacks 8 pics. I think these were going down at 1/30 or 1/50sec. Crank up your iso until you get good shutter speed. Try shooting less pics, for the stack, I’m sure your cam allows the number of pics to be selected? These are easy. Just jam the camera on the ground, touch screen auto focus. Fire away.
These mushrooms are small, maybe 4 or 5mm across. The 30mm is easier than the 60. Much easier.
Here is another from this arvo.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

I was actually looking for the tiny ground orchids that are flowering at the moment.
Keep trying to get your shutter speed up. Out of about 20 pics this arvo, only two failed to stack. And I only got one keeper... this one

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

I lit it from behind with a torch because the light was so low. But sometimes you don’t have to, like this one a few moments later.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Plenty of these around for practicing on..

 

[retiredfromlife]

My cam only stacks 8 pics. I think these were going down at 1/30 or 1/50sec. Crank up your iso until you get good shutter speed. Try shooting less pics, for the stack, I’m sure your cam allows the number of pics to be selected? These are easy. Just jam the camera on the ground, touch screen auto focus. Fire away.
These mushrooms are small, maybe 4 or 5mm across. The 30mm is easier than the 60. Much easier.
Here is another from this arvo. View attachment 901131 I was actually looking for the tiny ground orchids that are flowering at the moment.
Keep trying to get your shutter speed up. Out of about 20 pics this arvo, only two failed to stack. And I only got one keeper... this one View attachment 901132 I lit it from behind with a torch because the light was so low. But sometimes you don’t have to, like this one a few moments later. View attachment 901133 Plenty of these around for practicing on..

Some good points, I have been trying with the max 15 image stacks the EM1.3 takes. I guess that probably doubles my chance of failure compared to 8 images. I have been trying with the 60mm but I have the 30 as well so will try that lens next time.

As you say the 30mm is a very good lens

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

Some good points, I have been trying with the max 15 image stacks the EM1.3 takes. I guess that probably doubles my chance of failure compared to 8 images. I have been trying with the 60mm but I have the 30 as well so will try that lens next time.

As you say the 30mm is a very good lens

It's been a while since I have tried handheld stacking, what I found is body position and stability matters greatly, works best to literally sit down on the ground and support both of your hands either on your knees (if you sit cross-legged) or on the ground, and 3 point contact with the EVF is more successful then using the 3" screen.
Shutter speed matters a lot because why you can rely on the amazing IBIS the IBIS can get "tired" with multiple shots because your body can't stay concentrated on being mobile for too long, as an effect while you try to sit in one position on the Y-axis so you don't affect the depth of the focus stacking and the IBIS try to correct the X-axis your body will struggle and start being confused how much it can correct. Shutter speeds double the FL increases your chance of getting sharp shots and lowers the total cost in time of the stacking.

In terms of priority I formulate focus stacking something like this:
ISO value + f-stop + Number of Shots = Shutter Speed value

*Where I try to keep ISO under 3.200 depending on the amount of available light but I am usually aiming at ISO 250 IF it's very bright or ISO 1.000 if it's medium brightness and ISO 3.200 if it's really dark AND when I can sacrifice the other values.
*The f-stop is 2nd most important for control of DoF, where the more I can have the fewer shots I need for the stack and the quicker it can be done. Also, the f-stop is influenced greatly by the subject size and working distance as it influences the DoF one can work with. f 2.8 can be very hard to work with because it has the least amount of DoF as well as working at a 1:1 / minimum focus distance and with such a small aperture you will need quite possibly more than 5-10 shots to get your subject if it's smaller then your fingernail (I got used to using this as a comparison measurement because it's quite universal, it's quite easy to imagine AND compare directly and it applies in any language and cultures). Preferable to work with is f 5.6 to f 8 which lowers the number of images you need by about half, while f 11 to f 16 is useful ONLY with flash or in direct sunlight and requires 1 to 5 images depending on the other values.
*Number of shots dictates the speed of the stacking and a higher risk of sticking error or a complete fail. Doing handheld is difficult from all points of photography and it can be very tiring on one's patience and physical body. A Joby's Gorilla Pod might be a small investment/consideration worth having if you find yourself shooting shroomies often and this low to the ground. Also, the number of shots can be affected by subject movement, be it wind or ground shacking or you like watching stuff grow
*Lastly Shutter Speed, I consider this one only after I have dealt with all the other values, which leave fewer options on which to choose and simplifies the process. What I mean by that is either Either I rely on IBIS and go lower than 1/FL or I have enough light to go 2/FL. Unless the subject is moving this setting is the least you need to worry about compared to the other values.

 

[Carbonman]

All stacked in camera.

View attachment 900977 EM120135-1 by Harvey Richards, on Flickr

View attachment 900978 EM120145-1 by Harvey Richards, on Flickr

View attachment 900979 EM120215-1 by Harvey Richards, on Flickr

View attachment 900980 EM120195-1 by Harvey Richards, on Flickr

Where's Jasper's nose?

 

[DeeJayK]

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Almost posted this in the pareidolia thread.

- K

 

[Bushboy]

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[Harvey Melvin Richards]

The last 3 weeks brought amazing monsoonal rain, so I took a hike to a place where I had found many different mushrooms almost 20 years ago. I stumbled a loop and was not finding anything. About 2/3'rds of the way though the hike I spotted this giant cluster (2 feet wide) that was lit up by the sun, glowing like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

EM120513-1 by Harvey Richards, on Flickr

Many more were found in the immediate vicinity.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

EM120552-1 by Harvey Richards, on Flickr

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

EM120514-1 by Harvey Richards, on Flickr

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

EM120511-1 by Harvey Richards, on Flickr

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

EM120533-HDR-1 by Harvey Richards, on Flickr

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

EM120560-1 by Harvey Richards, on Flickr

 

[Harvey Melvin Richards]

Where's Jasper's nose?

No Jasper, but when it gets warm, Ziva will often be found in shady damp areas, much like a mushroom.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

EM120515-1 by Harvey Richards, on Flickr

 

[Bushboy]

Couple from yesterday. We have had crazy heavy rain too...!

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[Harvey Melvin Richards]

I couldn't get close enough to see if these had a stalk. Similar ones I have seen in the past have no stalk and feel like human flesh.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

EM120523-1 by Harvey Richards, on Flickr

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

EM120525-1 by Harvey Richards, on Flickr

 

[Brodhall]

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[Panolyman]

Dryad's Saddle.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

This appears to be "growing" on the stump of an old sycamore tree at the entrance to our friend's property.
It currently measures over 14 inches across and apparently reappears ever year.

 

[Avondale87]

Dryad's Saddle.

View attachment 902443

This appears to be "growing" on the stump of an old sycamore tree at the entrance to our friend's property.
It currently measures over 14 inches across and apparently reappears ever year.

Interesting.
Looks like it is accompanied by stinging nettle?

 

[ColorBlind]

Haven't had a real monsoon in the mountains in a few years. This summer has been wet so far, and the mushrooms are prolific.

Amanita muscaria

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Amanita muscaria - on Flickr

Amanita muscaria

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Amanita muscaria - on Flickr