Meet Arsenal, the smart camera assistant.

[Cslucas34]

I just ordered one of these units a few minutes ago, y’all peaked my interest. The only reason I got it was for the time lapse ramping and the “long exposure” functions simply because I think it might let me do some LE shots I normally wouldn’t because of filters on certain lenses not being compatible.

 

[Pa]

I just ordered one of these units a few minutes ago, y’all peaked my interest. The only reason I got it was for the time lapse ramping and the “long exposure” functions simply because I think it might let me do some LE shots I normally wouldn’t because of filters on certain lenses not being compatible.

Sent you a PM.

 

[Mike Buckley]

When comparing the two images regarding only the focus quality of the subject, I detect no difference. Very impressive! Thanks for supplying the images and your impressions of using the two systems.

[Using Arsenal] You can record a maximum of 20 exposures.

If that's the most number of exposures in all situations, that's a surprising limitation and one I would not be happy with. Though Olympus cameras make only 15 exposures if focus stacking is also turned on, the camera will make up to 999 exposures if the focus stacking is turned off. Does Arsenal also make more exposures if you don't configure it to automatically stack the bracketed shots?

 

[Mike Buckley]

I just ordered one of these units a few minutes ago

Like Jim, I also sent you a PM.

 

[Pa]

When comparing the two images regarding only the focus quality of the subject, I detect no difference. Very impressive! Thanks for supplying the images and your impressions of using the two systems.

Did you find either image preferable for other reasons?

If that's the most number of exposures in all situations, that's a surprising limitation and one I would not be happy with. Though Olympus cameras make only 15 exposures if focus stacking is also turned on, the camera will make up to 999 exposures if the focus stacking is turned off. Does Arsenal also make more exposures if you don't configure it to automatically stack the bracketed shots?

It's just a limitation for focus stacking. There doesn't seem to be any way to avoid creating the stacked jpeg, so I consider it a hard limit.

 

[Mike Buckley]

Did you find either image preferable for other reasons?

I strongly prefer the second image (the one made with the Z6) because of the interest in the fabric. Also, in the first photo there is some sort of shadow or maybe even an artifact resulting from focus bracketing or stacking located immediately behind the subject that I don't like. Perhaps your lighting and/or fabric changed between the two shots and perhaps the change(s) caused one or both differences.

 

[Pa]

I strongly prefer the second image (the one made with the Z6) because of the interest in the fabric. Also, in the first photo there is some sort of shadow or maybe even an artifact resulting from focus bracketing or stacking located immediately behind the subject that I don't like. Perhaps your lighting and/or fabric changed between the two shots and perhaps that change caused one or both differences.

I agree. The light changed. I was doing this in a room with lots of windows and it was sunny outside when I did the first (D750) stack, producing shadows. By afternoon, when I got to the Z6 exercise, the clouds had rolled in producing much more even lighting.

I also slightly increased exposure too much in my post processing in the first stack.

 

[Mike Buckley]

I am reviving this thread (having gone about 9 months without use) because Arsenal 2 is now on a Kickstarter crowd-funding program that ends tomorrow. At the time the original Arsenal was launched, it was the most heavily funded camera gadget. Now that award goes to Arsenal 2 with nearly $4 million raised. Clearly, this concept is appealing to a lot of people.

For details about the offering, see https://petapixel.com/2020/09/24/th...istant-has-raised-3-7-million-on-kickstarter/

EDIT: The video at the Kickstarter website is really impressive. I don't have a need for the product but some of its advertised capabilities are really cool. As an example, I can especially imagine people traveling to cities (once the COVID crisis is solved) and using the device to produce photos of iconic landmarks with the people automatically removed from the scene. That capability is not in the original Arsenal. For those who didn't like in the original Aresenal that the focus-stacked file was a JPEG, you now have the choice of saving a DNG file.

The product is expected to ship in June 2021.

 

[Pa]

I bought one of the original ones but haven't used it in several months. I find that with my Z cameras and the free Cascable app on my iPhone I can do essentially everything I wanted to do with the Arsenal device.

I found that every time I tried to use it I would have to wait an hour or more for it to download and install an update.

I've been getting e-mails about this Kickstarter campaign but have been discarding them. Based on what you say above I'll give it a look-see.

 

[Mike Buckley]

@Pa -- Just as a point of curiosity, the website explains that the standard and pro versions of Arsenal 2 are three times and five times faster, respectively, than the original Arsenal. It also says those versions are 300% and 500% faster, respectively. Wouldn't it be correct to say that they are 200% and 400% faster? If I have a dollar and you have five dollars, I would say that you have 400% more dollars than I have. Am I wrong about that?

 

[Palouse]

@Pa -- Just as a point of curiosity, the website explains that the standard and pro versions of Arsenal 2 are three times and five times faster, respectively, than the original Arsenal. It also says those versions are 300% and 500% faster, respectively. Wouldn't it be correct to say that they are 200% and 400% faster? If I have a dollar and you have five dollars, I would say that you have 400% more dollars than I have. Am I wrong about that?

I'd say you need to work harder!

 

[Mike Buckley]

I'd say you need to work harder!

Ever since I retired, the only thing I've ever worked hart at is making dang sure I never work hard.

 

[Pa]

@Pa Wouldn't it be correct to say that they are 200% and 400% faster?

Yes.

% change = (new - old}/old x 100 = (5 - 1)/1 x 100 = 400.