Focus Stacking with a Raspberry Pi – One year On
It is more or less a year since I got my focus stacker working, and there have been many developments and changes to the set-up during this time.
What’s good?
- Interfacing with the RPi using a laptop running MobaXterm is straightforward and the built in editor is really handy
- The concept of moving the specimen and not the camera works well – the moving parts are very light weight with hardly any inertia, and vibration is not an issue.
- The Componon 28mm lens is a dream – so sharp
- Continuous lighting using a light box lit from below is a simple solution to provide even diffused lighting
- The whole focus stacker rig works, and produces very acceptable extreme macro images
- It has kindled an interest in entomology and insect anatomy
What’s not so good?
- Getting real time into the RPi automatically – should be easy!
- Setting up the specimen is still fiddly – but not as difficult as it was before the jack and the rack
- Cleaning and mounting the specimens – and there is nothing that can be done about that other than doing it!
What next?
Fix RPi real time – somehowDONEBuild a bigger light box to give more room around the specimen for adjustmentDONE- Take more stacks
- Improve my insect identification and understanding of insect anatomy
And then?
- A 3-axis (of spin) specimen mount – motorized – remote controlled – ha ha!
