A micro accessory for macro stacking photography

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of micro auxiliary fittings for micro distance stack photography, to solve the pain points of traditional stack equipment such as focusing guide rail, tripod bulky, poor portability, while guaranteeing shooting consistency, its core structure includes mounting component and elastic support rod: mounting component is divided into two categories, docking ring and installation cylinder adapt camera lens thread, fixture can hold cell phone or tablet computer;Elastic support rod 2-4, including long barrel, compression spring, support pad, normal state is supported support equipment, under external force, linearly retract along optical axis, drive focus from the foreground of the object to background, ensure that the exposure parameter is not changed. Support rod can double support inclined support three-dimensional object such as insect, or four vertical support plane object such as coin. Accessory overall miniature portable, easy to operate, can improve stack synthesis success rate and imaging quality, reduce micro distance stack photography threshold.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of macro photography technology, specifically to a miniature auxiliary accessory for macro stacking photography. Background Technology

[0002] The core characteristic of macro photography is its high magnification (usually 1:1 or higher, capable of capturing the compound eyes of insects, the texture of petals, and the details of electronic components). However, this comes with an extremely shallow depth of field (which can be understood as an extremely narrow range of sharpness). For example, when photographing an ant, a single macro photo might only show the ant's head, while its body and legs would be blurred. Similarly, when photographing a small flower, a single image might only show the stamen, while the edges of the petals would be blurred. This problem of "partial sharpness and mostly blurry" cannot be fundamentally solved by adjusting the aperture (even stopping down to the smallest aperture only slightly increases the depth of field and can even lead to a decrease in image quality). The essence of macro stacking is to combine the "sharp parts" of each photo by "overlaying multiple photos with different focal points," ultimately achieving "sharpness across the entire image."

[0003] During shooting, keep the camera and subject in a completely fixed position. Focus manually (or use autofocus on professional equipment), gradually moving the focus from the foreground to the background of the subject, taking a series of photos (usually 5-30 shots, but potentially hundreds for complex scenes). For example, when shooting a coin, the first shot focuses on the edge, the second on the surface texture, the third on the center, and so on, ensuring only a small area is sharp in each shot. Then, use professional software (such as Photoshop or HeliconFocus) to identify the "sharp areas" in each photo, automatically removing blurry parts and stitching all sharp areas together into a complete, fully sharp image. Macro stacking photography consists of two steps: "pre-shooting" and "post-processing." The rigor of the pre-shooting process directly determines the post-processing effect.

[0004] Currently, to ensure that every photo has completely consistent composition and exposure parameters, with only the focus differing, the industry requires external devices for stable movement, such as focus rails and camera tripods. These specialized tools are needed to control the panning of the camera or lens, allowing for more even and stable focus movement. However, these devices are usually large and inconvenient to carry around. Utility Model Content

[0005] To address the aforementioned issues, this invention provides a miniature auxiliary accessory for macro stacking photography. By manually pushing the shooting device forward step by step using an elastic support rod during shooting, the elastic support rod is linearly compressed, thereby driving the linear displacement of the lens. This replaces the mechanical displacement of a large guide rail. In other words, through its small size and simple manual operation, a balance is achieved between portability and stacking stability during handheld macro shooting, enabling the successful capture of continuous shots suitable for macro stacking photography.

[0006] Specifically, this utility model is implemented as follows:

[0007] A miniature auxiliary accessory for macro stacking photography includes: a mounting component for mounting on a lens or shooting device and being securely connected to the lens or shooting device; and at least one elastic support rod mounted on the mounting component and extending in the shooting direction, including an elastic mechanism and a telescopic rod. Under normal conditions, the telescopic rod is stretched by the elastic mechanism, and can retract under the action of an external force. When subjected to a linear external force, the telescopic rod can retract linearly accordingly.

[0008] Furthermore, the mounting component is a docking ring, used to fit through or install on the front end of the lens. Under forward thrust, the docking ring forms a stable connection with the front end of the lens. The elastic mechanism of the elastic support rod is fixedly installed on the docking ring, and the number of elastic support rods is 2-4.

[0009] Furthermore, it also includes a mounting cylinder, the front and rear ends of which are respectively provided with internal and external threads of equal diameter. One end edge of the inner side of the mating ring is provided with a limiting stop, and the mating ring can be fitted into the external thread end of the mounting cylinder, and the mounting cylinder can be inserted into the mounting ring and restricted by the limiting stop; the external thread of the mounting cylinder can be adapted to the internal thread of the lens and installed at the front end of the lens.

[0010] Furthermore, a lens assembly can be placed inside the mounting cylinder, and the lens assembly is screwed into and pressed into the mounting cylinder from one end of the external thread by a clamping ring with external threads. The lens assembly is a magnifying lens.

[0011] Furthermore, the docking ring is provided with mounting ears, and the elastic mechanism is installed on the mounting ears; the long cylindrical rod can be inserted into the mounting hole opened on the mounting ear, and a locking screw extending into the mounting hole is provided laterally on the mounting ear, which can tighten or loosen the long cylindrical rod to adjust the installation position of the long cylindrical rod in the length direction, so as to achieve the purpose of adjusting the relative length of the elastic support rod.

[0012] Furthermore, the elastic mechanism is a long cylindrical rod with a built-in compression spring, the lower end of which contacts the inner end of the telescopic support rod; a support pad is provided at the outer end of the telescopic support rod.

[0013] Furthermore, the elastic support rods and mounting ears are in two sets, and are located on the same side of the docking ring, with an angular distance between the two sets not exceeding 180 degrees; this allows for the possibility of providing dual support points to achieve oblique stable support; it also allows for the combination of four elastic support rods by using two sets of docking rings in conjunction with the mounting cylinder to provide vertical support perpendicular to the object being photographed.

[0014] Furthermore, the mounting component is a clamp capable of holding and fixing to the body of the shooting device, which is a smartphone, tablet computer, or camera.

[0015] The working principle of this utility model: This utility model aims to solve the problem of traditional macro stacking equipment being cumbersome and bulky, such as focusing rails and large tripods, which are inconvenient to carry and have poor portability. It simultaneously meets the core requirement of stacking where the camera and subject are relatively fixed in position, and focus changes during continuous shooting are achieved only through stable, minute displacements. This utility model utilizes the coordinated use of fixed components and elastic support components. Traditional macro stacking relies on focus rails to achieve linear camera movement. This invention replaces the rail with a small, elastic support rod. During shooting, the elastic support rod is placed on a flat surface or platform to provide support. The photographer applies forward force with their arm holding the camera, compressing the elastic support rod and causing it to retract linearly. During this process, the photographer can conveniently and stably control the movement between the lens and the subject, achieving controllable movement. The shutter can be pressed during this movement for continuous shooting. The support provided by the rod and the feedback of the elastic force prevent camera shift, ensuring the lens moves only along the optical axis, i.e., the shooting direction, thus guaranteeing compositional stability. Simultaneously, the movement covers the entire focal length range of the subject, allowing for continuous shooting to obtain several macro photos of the subject with different focal points. This achieves the initial stacking requirement of "multiple photos differing only in focus, with all other parameters identical," facilitating subsequent software stacking and fusion to obtain a single, deep-field macro photograph where the entire subject is sharp.

[0016] Compared with existing technologies, and the beneficial effects:

[0017] (1) Extreme portability: Core components such as docking rings or clamps, along with elastic rods and mounting cylinders, are all miniaturized parts. The length of a single elastic rod is usually only 5-10cm, and the overall weight can be controlled at 50-100g (about the same as an egg). They can be easily put into a pocket or camera bag compartment. The components support disassembly and assembly without taking up extra space, enabling "shooting anytime, anywhere". Whether shooting aphids in dew outdoors or shooting tiny objects indoors, there is no need to carry bulky equipment, greatly expanding the shooting scenarios of macro stacking.

[0018] (2) Stable and reliable operation: The core requirement of macro stacking is that multiple photos have only different focus, and the composition, exposure and camera position are completely consistent. If the shooting method is purely manual, it is easy to cause composition shift and focus misalignment, which will eventually lead to "the clear area cannot be stitched together" during post-processing and the image will be ruined. The accessories of this utility model ensure consistency from the root through multiple structural designs. The mounting parts (connecting ring / clamp) are rigidly connected to the equipment (lens / phone). 2-4 elastic support rods form a miniature bracket to stably support the equipment on the shooting plane platform and avoid camera position shift caused by hand shake or slight collision. The elastic support rods only extend and retract along the "optical axis direction". When pushing the equipment, it can only move linearly (without lateral shift) to ensure that the position of the subject in the picture does not change when the focus moves from "foreground to background", thereby directly improving the success rate of post-processing.

[0019] (3) Strong scene adaptability: For SLR / mirrorless cameras: the lens standard thread is adapted through "connecting ring + mounting tube"; For mobile phones / tablets: the body is directly clamped through "clamp" without the need to modify the equipment; When shooting three-dimensional objects (insects, raised petals), the double support rod is used to support the object surface (such as stone, table, wall, etc.), and the support rod supports the equipment from the side to avoid obstructing the object (such as when shooting butterflies, the support rod will not block the wings); When shooting flat objects (coins, chips), the four support rods are used to support the device vertically, and the device is supported vertically above the table, providing better stable support; Through the design of "converter" built into the mounting tube, the magnification can be increased (such as from 1:1 to 2:1) without carrying an extra large converter lens, making it easy to clearly shoot the hexagonal structure of insect compound eyes and the pin details of electronic components, taking into account both "portability" and "high magnification requirements". Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a miniature auxiliary accessory for macro stack photography;

[0021] Figure 2 A half-sectional view of the structure of a miniature auxiliary accessory for macro stack photography;

[0022] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structural installation of a miniature auxiliary accessory for macro stack photography;

[0023] Figure 4 A schematic diagram illustrating the usage of a miniature auxiliary accessory for macro stacking photography;

[0024] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing the displacement along the optical axis during the use of a miniature auxiliary accessory for macro stacking photography.

[0025] Figure 6 An assembly diagram of a structure consisting of two sets of docking rings and mounting cylinders combined into four rods;

[0026] Figure 7 A diagram showing the displacement process of a structure consisting of two sets of docking rings and mounting cylinders combined into four rods under service conditions.

[0027] Figure 8 A three-dimensional view of a double-rod structure for mounting components as clamps to fit and install on mobile phones;

[0028] Figure 9 A three-dimensional view of a four-bar structure for mounting components as clamps to fit and install on mobile phones;

[0029] Figure 10 This is a picture taken in use, showing the device being mounted on a mobile phone using a clamp that adapts to the phone.

[0030] Reference numerals: 1—Lens, 2—Telescopic support rod, 3—Long cylindrical rod, 4—Compression spring, 5—Docking ring, 6—Mounting cylinder, 7—Limiting stop, 8—Lens assembly, 9—Mounting ear, 10—Locking screw, 11—Support pad, 12—Clamp. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0032] Example 1

[0033] As shown in the attached diagram, this utility model provides

[0034] In this utility model, the mounting component is the base of the accessory, and its core function is to stably fix the elastic support rod to the camera / phone / lens 1, preventing the accessory from falling off or shifting during shooting. It is designed in two ways:

[0035] 1. Docking ring 5 and mounting sleeve 6 (for camera lens 1):

[0036] The mounting sleeve 6 directly mates with the internal thread of the camera lens 1 via its external thread, ensuring a secure connection. The mating ring 5 is fitted into the mounting sleeve 6 via the limiting flange 7 to prevent it from loosening. The core logic of this design is to leverage the standard interface of the lens 1's thread to achieve a rigid connection between the accessory and the lens 1, ensuring that the force on the support rod is transmitted synchronously to the lens 1, and preventing the support rod from moving while the lens 1 remains stationary.

[0037] Preliminary assembly:

[0038] 1. The mounting tube 6 is connected to the lens 1.

[0039] Align the external thread of the mounting sleeve 6 with the internal thread of the camera lens 1, and tighten it clockwise to ensure that the mounting sleeve 6 fits seamlessly with the lens 1 (without looseness).

[0040] 2. Assemble the docking ring 5 and the mounting cylinder 6.

[0041] Insert the limiting flange 7 of the docking ring 5 into the other end of the mounting cylinder 6 until the docking ring 5 is locked by the limiting flange 7 (to prevent the docking ring 5 from sliding), thus completing the base fixing.

[0042] 3. Installation and length adjustment of the flexible support rod

[0043] Insert the long rod 3 into the mounting hole of the mounting lug 9 of the docking ring 5, and adjust the extension length of the long rod 3 according to the height of the object being photographed;

[0044] Tighten the locking screw 10 on the mounting ear 9 to fix the long cylindrical rod 3;

[0045] Check telescopic support rod 2: Under normal conditions, telescopic support rod 2 should be able to be extended by the compression spring 4, and should retract linearly when pressed (without jamming).

[0046] II. Clamp 12 (for mobile phones / tablets / small cameras):

[0047] For devices without standard threads (such as mobile phones), the support rod is directly fixed to the device body through a clamping structure, which also achieves a rigid bond between the support rod and the device, ensuring that the supporting force is stably applied to the device.

[0048] Preliminary assembly:

[0049] 1. Fixture 12 is fixed.

[0050] Open the clamping arm of clamp 12 and clamp it in the middle of the phone / tablet (avoiding the camera area). Tighten the locking knob of clamp 12 to ensure that clamp 12 does not slide relative to the device.

[0051] 2. Installation of flexible support rods

[0052] Fix the long cylindrical rod 3 of the elastic support rod to the mounting lug 9 of the clamp 12, and adjust the length of the support rod to ensure that the support pad 11 can contact the object being photographed.

[0053] Overall structural principle:

[0054] The elastic support rod, through the combination of an elastic mechanism (composed of a long cylindrical rod 3 and a compression spring 4) and a telescopic support rod 2, simultaneously achieves stable support and linear adjustment of the focal point. The principle is as follows:

[0055] 1. Stable support under normal conditions: The compression spring 4 built into the long rod 3 is in the top support state under normal conditions, pushing the telescopic rod 2 to extend outward, so that the support pad 11 at the end of the rod is in close contact with the fixed plane (such as a table). At this time, 2-4 rods form multi-point support (similar to a mini tripod), which can place the lens 1 diagonally above the subject, avoiding the equipment from shifting due to hand shake or slight collision during shooting, and ensuring the composition is fixed.

[0056] 2. Linear displacement during focusing: When the focus needs to be adjusted (from the foreground to the background), a slight push on the camera along the shooting direction (optical axis) will overcome the spring force of the compression spring 4, causing the telescopic support rod 2 to retract linearly along the inside of the long cylindrical rod 3 (because the support rod only extends and retracts along the optical axis, there is no lateral offset). At this time, the camera only moves slowly along the optical axis, and the focus switches from the foreground to the background, while the composition and exposure parameters remain completely unchanged, perfectly matching the requirement of stacking multiple images with only different focus. During this process, simply press the shutter to start continuous shooting. The support pad 11 directly contacts the shooting platform and can be made of materials such as rubber to increase friction, preventing slippage when the support rod is in place and further ensuring the stability of the equipment position.

[0057] Third, in this embodiment, the number and layout of the support rods can be flexibly adjusted. The core logic is to meet different shooting needs in order to support and improve stability.

[0058] Double support rods (on the same side, angle ≤180°):

[0059] Two sets of support rods are set on the same side of the docking ring 5, forming an oblique support suitable for shooting three-dimensional subjects (such as insects, raised petals). The camera can be set up obliquely from the side to avoid the support rods obstructing the subject.

[0060] Four supports (combination of two sets of docking rings 5 ​​and mounting sleeves 6):

[0061] By combining two sets of docking rings 5 ​​with the same mounting cylinder 6, four support rods are symmetrically distributed to form vertical support, suitable for shooting flat subjects (such as coins, electronic components). The camera can be suspended vertically directly above the subject, ensuring a straight and unobstructed shooting angle. In specific operation, the two docking rings are placed back to back (the limiting edges 7 face each other, respectively fitted onto the lens end and the mounting cylinder 6 end), the orientation of the telescopic support rods 2 is adjusted, and they are reassembled and reinstalled. The length is adjusted so that all four are at the same height.

[0062] The mounting lug 9 of the docking ring 5 is equipped with a locking screw 10. The position of the long cylindrical rod 3 in the mounting hole can be adjusted by tightening or loosening the screw. The core logic is to adjust the total length of the support rod: when the height of the subject is different (such as a petal 5mm high vs. a seed 2mm high), the support rod can be shortened or lengthened according to the shooting requirements to ensure that the support pad 11 is just close to the subject, so as to adjust the length most convenient for shooting.

[0063] Preferably, a lens assembly 8 (converter) can be placed inside the mounting tube 6 and fixed by a clamping ring. The core logic is to increase the magnification. Macro stacks require a high magnification (1:1 and above). The converter can help the lens 1 further magnify the details of the subject (such as insect compound eyes, component pins), eliminating the need to carry an additional large converter lens 1, thus balancing portability and image quality requirements.

[0064] The above-described specific examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this invention. Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains can make various simple deductions, modifications, or substitutions based on the concept of this invention.

Claims

1. A miniature auxiliary accessory for macro stack photography, characterized in that... include: Mounting components are used to mount the lens (1) or shooting equipment and to securely connect to the lens (1) or shooting equipment; At least one elastic support rod is installed on the mounting component and extends in the shooting direction. It includes an elastic mechanism and a telescopic support rod (2). Under normal conditions, the telescopic support rod (2) is supported and extended by the elastic mechanism. Under the action of an external force from behind, the telescopic support rod (2) can retract. When subjected to a linear external force, the telescopic support rod (2) can retract linearly accordingly.

2. The miniature auxiliary accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting component is a docking ring (5), which is used to fit through or install on the front end of the lens (1). Under the forward thrust, the docking ring (5) forms a stable connection with the front end of the lens (1). The elastic mechanism of the elastic support rod is fixedly installed on the docking ring (5), and the number of elastic support rods is 2-4.

3. The miniature auxiliary accessory according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a mounting cylinder (6), which has internal and external threads of equal diameter at its front and rear ends. The inner edge of the mating ring (5) is provided with a limiting stop (7), and the mating ring (5) can be fitted into the external thread end of the mounting cylinder (6). The mounting cylinder (6) can be inserted into the mating ring (5) and limited by the limiting stop (7). The external thread of the mounting cylinder (6) can be adapted to the internal thread of the lens (1) and installed at the front end of the lens (1).

4. The miniature auxiliary accessory according to claim 3, characterized in that, The mounting cylinder (6) can be fitted with a lens assembly (8), and the lens assembly (8) is screwed into the mounting cylinder (6) from one end of the external thread by a clamping ring with external threads. The lens assembly (8) is a magnifying lens.

5. The miniature auxiliary accessory according to any one of claims 2-4, characterized in that, The docking ring (5) is provided with a mounting ear (9), and the elastic mechanism is installed on the mounting ear (9); the elastic support rod can be inserted into the mounting hole opened on the mounting ear (9), and a locking screw (10) extending into the mounting hole is provided laterally on the mounting ear (9). The elastic support rod can be tightened or loosened by the locking screw (10) so as to adjust the installation position of the elastic support rod in the length direction and achieve the purpose of adjusting the relative length of the elastic support rod.

6. The miniature auxiliary accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic mechanism is a long cylindrical rod (3) with a built-in compression spring (4). The lower end of the compression spring (4) contacts the inner end of the telescopic support rod (2). The outer end of the telescopic support rod (2) is provided with a support pad (11).

7. The miniature auxiliary accessory according to claim 5, characterized in that, The elastic support rods and mounting ears (9) are both in two sets and are set on the same side of the docking ring (5). The angular distance between the two sets does not exceed 180 degrees. This is to provide the possibility of double support points to achieve oblique stable support. Alternatively, the four elastic support rods can be combined by using two sets of docking rings (5) in conjunction with the mounting cylinder (6) to provide vertical support perpendicular to the object being photographed.

8. The miniature auxiliary accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting component is a clamp (12) that can hold and fix the camera on the body of the shooting device, which is a smartphone, tablet computer or camera.

Images