Gun Bore Picture Techique DOF issues

[Trever1t]

I had decent luck using a fiber optic to light the bore from the chamber, and using a vise and tripod combo to manually focus a little deeper into the bore stopped down completely.

 

[Stradawhovious]

I had decent luck using a fiber optic to light the bore from the chamber, and using a vise and tripod combo to manually focus a little deeper into the bore stopped down completely.

Kind of a double edged sword...... If I focus any deeper, (and this is a MF lens, so I don't really have any choice) I lose the detail on the crown. (For those that don't know what a crown is, it is the very end of the barrel. In this case, the shiny rounded part) The crown condition is as important as the condition of the bore.

 

[Josh66]

I had decent luck using a fiber optic to light the bore from the chamber, and using a vise and tripod combo to manually focus a little deeper into the bore stopped down completely.

Kind of a double edged sword...... If I focus any deeper, (and this is a MF lens, so I don't really have any choice) I lose the detail on the crown. (For those that don't know what a crown is, it is the very end of the barrel. In this case, the shiny rounded part) The crown condition is as important as the condition of the bore.

Wouldn't be an issue with focus stacking though. That is the only way I see to do it.

Say the barrel could be anywhere from 16-24 inches... There's no way you're going to get that much DOF in one shot.



02131115 by J E, on Flickr
That's an AR-10 from the back of the upper receiver. That was f/32 with the 100mm macro. Pretty much just the chamber is in focus - you can just barely see the rifling (those details best seen at 100% - click on the picture to go to Flickr, then click 'Actions', 'view all sizes', 'original'). I have maybe 3 inches of DOF, and the lens is stopped down as far as it will go.

Using a shorter focal length (still macro though) *might* buy you a little DOF, but it wouldn't be much more. Not enough to do what you want anyway.


Focus stacking is the way to go, IMO.

 

[shlaksbro7]

If you want both the bore and the crown to be accuratly portrayed and perhaps the neck and the chamber if you are really serious i reccomend using a bore scope for the interior of the barrel and a seperate picture of the crown. you really cant tell much from trying to look straight down the barrel and pitting is especially hard to notice. check with your local gunsmith to see if you can borrow his because they can get expensive.Good luck.

 

[Stradawhovious]

If you want both the bore and the crown to be accuratly portrayed and perhaps the neck and the chamber if you are really serious i reccomend using a bore scope for the interior of the barrel and a seperate picture of the crown. you really cant tell much from trying to look straight down the barrel and pitting is especially hard to notice. check with your local gunsmith to see if you can borrow his because they can get expensive.Good luck.

Very true. With the firearms I'm more concerned with on this issue, pitting an erosion would be blatently obvious. I would really only be using this for older military surplus rifles that used corrosive ammo. There are three kinds of bores with those... clean and sharp, clean and worn and destroyed by corrosive ammo. Should be pretty easy to get the basic idea with this type of photo.

With the more modern firearms, or those that are corroded from just the elements and poor maintainence, you are correct.... a bore scope is definately the way to go. Tough to tell that kind of damage with the naked eye.

 

[Stradawhovious]

Well, after playing around a bit, I've decided that wihle not impossible, it is impractical. Like the post a couple up said, a borescope is the right tool for the job........ but as impractical as focus stacking the entire length of the barrel for record keeping. The photo in the OP is good enough for government work.

And government rifles.

 

[kundalini]

But why these settings?

This was shot with a 28mm prime, at f/29....

I would think a long foncal length lens would be prefered as well as open up your aperture to the sweet spot of the lens, usually found in the f/5.6 to f/11 range.

Do you have a macro lens?

 

[Netskimmer]

This thread has inspired me to take on a project that I have been putting off for a while now. I have been wanting to get a shot down the barrel of my .40 cal Springfield XDM with a round in the chamber. Since I don't want to risk my head or my camera I intend to load the bullet into the brass with no primer or powder, essentially making a 'dummy' round. The light source and the Dof were of concern but I basically just never got around to making the dummy round. May do this when I get home and download the stacking software to make a few attempts.

 

[baturn]

If you have a dummy round in the chamber, how will you light the bore?

 

[Netskimmer]

That seems to be the last major hurdle I am facing. I've got my dummy round and if I can't get the proper DoF I can use the aforementioned stacking program so now all I need to do is get light down the barrel without throwing too much light on the muzzle. May just have to play around a bit and see what I can come up with.

 

[Stradawhovious]

now all I need to do is get light down the barrel without throwing too much light on the muzzle. May just have to play around a bit and see what I can come up with.

That's going to be rough with the .40 Short and Weak........

Now if you had a Man's caliber like a .45........



I would think creative bouncing of a speedlight is in order for that one...... You might also try a macro ringlight depending on how far back you are from the muzzle for the shot.

Also being the stickler for safety I am, in addition to using a dummy round in the chamber, you might consider removing the striker for the shot. Only takes a moment, but then even a live round wouldn't fire (not that I would support using a live round....... I don't)

Overkill, maybe..... safe? Definately.

Just sayin'

 

[Netskimmer]

now all I need to do is get light down the barrel without throwing too much light on the muzzle. May just have to play around a bit and see what I can come up with.

That's going to be rough with the .40 Short and Weak........

Now if you had a Man's caliber like a .45........



I would think creative bouncing of a speedlight is in order for that one...... You might also try a macro ringlight depending on how far back you are from the muzzle for the shot.

Also being the stickler for safety I am, in addition to using a dummy round in the chamber, you might consider removing the striker for the shot. Only takes a moment, but then even a live round wouldn't fire (not that I would support using a live round....... I don't)

Overkill, maybe..... safe? Definately.

Just sayin'

A guy that carries a .45 that favors overkill hmm...

I don't think removing the pin is necessary, with no primer or powder the round is basically a hunk of inert metals. There is no possible way for the round to discharge. Besides, what if a zombie burst though the door! Poppin' in a fresh mag and racking a hot round would take far less time without having to reinstall the pin. You don't want me to get my brains eaten do ya?

I like the idea of a macro ring light. I am wanting to get into macro anyway but I'm probably too far away with the current setup (shooting from across a bedroom with zoom lens) and I can't put money into a flash of any kind at the moment. Maybe in a month or so...

 

[Stradawhovious]

A guy that carries a .45 that favors overkill hmm...

I don't think removing the pin is necessary, with no primer or powder the round is basically a hunk of inert metals. There is no possible way for the round to discharge. Besides, what if a zombie burst though the door! Poppin' in a fresh mag and racking a hot round would take far less time without having to reinstall the pin. You don't want me to get my brains eaten do ya?

My gosh, where to begin with this one.......

#1. Zombies eat Human Flesh They don't favor brains specifically. That's what makes them so dangerous. If they did only eat brains, outbreaks would be over as soon as they begin. Kind of self extinguishing.

#2, like I said... removing the pin would be a complete failsafe. Yes, using an inert round is safe enough, provided that's the one that makes it into the chamber, and you don't accidentally grab a live round.

Whodathunk that a gun nut would be paranoid, right?

#3. if you have one gun disassembled, and don't have another one in condition one, right next to your easy chair.... then it's your fault if the zombies get you, not mine.

Good luck with this, please let me know how the pic turns out.

 

[Netskimmer]

A guy that carries a .45 that favors overkill hmm...

I don't think removing the pin is necessary, with no primer or powder the round is basically a hunk of inert metals. There is no possible way for the round to discharge. Besides, what if a zombie burst though the door! Poppin' in a fresh mag and racking a hot round would take far less time without having to reinstall the pin. You don't want me to get my brains eaten do ya?

My gosh, where to begin with this one.......

#1. Zombies eat Human Flesh They don't favor brains specifically. That's what makes them so dangerous. If they did only eat brains, outbreaks would be over as soon as they begin. Kind of self extinguishing.

#2, like I said... removing the pin would be a complete failsafe. Yes, using an inert round is safe enough, provided that's the one that makes it into the chamber, and you don't accidentally grab a live round.

Whodathunk that a gun nut would be paranoid, right?

#3. if you have one gun disassembled, and don't have another one in condition one, right next to your easy chair.... then it's your fault if the zombies get you, not mine.

Good luck with this, please let me know how the pic turns out.

1. Damn! I always liked the idea of them just eating brains, makes me less of an appealing target.
2. The dummy is the only round in the mag so I would be difficult to accidentally load a hot one.

*** GUN NUT AND PROUD!!!***

3. You got me on that one. I actually had one holstered at 5'oclock position while I was taking the shots. Then there's the loaded 12ga by the bed...

Will let you know if I make any progress. It's past my bedtime, I'll talk to ya later.

 

[Stradawhovious]

But why these settings?

This was shot with a 28mm prime, at f/29....

I would think a long foncal length lens would be prefered as well as open up your aperture to the sweet spot of the lens, usually found in the f/5.6 to f/11 range.

Do you have a macro lens?

Not really. I have a "macro" lens, but not a dedicated macro lens. The initial settings and lens selection were kind of an experiment to get the deepest DOF possible, and still be albe to see the bore. (Well, in my mind that's how it worked out anyways....) I agree that a longer lens, and more suitable aperture setting would probably be better.