User's Manual

Detailed User Guide 33

support for Nikon cameras depends on your camera model (out of Live View enabled Nikon cameras,

Nikon D3 is not supported due to camera limitations).

Usage

Use the following workflow to get the most out of Focus Stacking with the Promote Control:

1. Switch your Promote Control to the "Focus Stacking" mode.

2. Connect your camera to the Promote Control using a black USB cord as described in the Connections

section. Shutter cable connection is not required.

3. Turn your camera on.

4. Enable automatic focus on your camera. This will allow Promote Control to drive lens focusing

mechanism as required.

5. Make sure your camera lens focusing range covers the entire focus stacking range required by your

subject. Some lenses may have a focus range limiting switch that may need to be set to the "Full"

position.

6. Disable Mirror Lock-Up mode on your camera. Promote Control cannot ensure correct functionality

in Focus Stacking mode with Mirror Lock-Up enabled.

7. If your Canon camera is set up to enable automatic image preview when images are being taken,

please set the image preview duration to no longer than 2 seconds. You may also need to completely

turn off image preview when using Focus Stacking mode. A long image preview may interfere with

image acquisition in Focus Stacking mode. The Promote Control will warn you if this is the case, and

prompt to set Image Preview to a shorter time. On Nikon cameras this should not be an issue.

8. IMPORTANT: If your camera has a Live View specific "AF Mode" setting (such as Canon 5D Mark III

in its "SHOOT4" setting bank), make sure it is NOT set to "Face detection Live Mode". Either regular

"Live Mode" or "Quick Mode" should work fine for Focus Stacking.

9. Change "Step" setting on Promote Control from "None/Reset" to "Small". You may use a different

focusing step size if appropriate. You may want to experiment with the step size to pick the ideal

step for the currently used lens.

10. Your camera will activate its Live View mode. A Canon EOS camera will display the currently framed

image on its rear LCD, while a Nikon camera will not (this is a limitation of the Nikon camera

firmware).

11. Use your camera lens focusing ring to pre-focus the camera where you want to begin focus

stacking.

The Promote Control shows a focusing range in the following form:

+000...+000