About the Image(s)

Japanese Melon Learning Experience

Last week at the end of an Omakase dinner we were offered a small piece of a Japanese Muskmelon.
These delicious melons are revered in Japan as luxury foods and gifts. Once again I was mesmerized by the distinctive netted ring texture. The intricate webbing occurs naturally during cultivation. As the melon inside grows quickly the outer skin splits. The plant heals the cracks by exuding suberin, which I learnt solidifies into a raised, cork-like network pattern. This is what I wanted to focus on in my macro image.
I am presenting two images so you can maybe help me figure out why the iphone one (#1) appears better at achieving the depth objective than the Canon R5 with the 100 mm macro lens using focus stacking and then Helicon focus (#2). I took the image standing above the piece of melon in both cases.
The Canon image has more detail but flattens the melon rinds. I took it with manual focus and 1.4 magnification. I did in camera focus stacking of 30 images and then processed it with Helicon focus (Method B, Radius 13, and Smoothing 7). I used a tripod at 0.5 sec at f/11 (tried f/8 same results) and ISO100.
The one taken with the iphone is softer but has the depth and almost 3D feeling I was looking for!
So am I losing the depth because the focus-staking at high magnification is making everything uniformly sharp? And how could I fix it? Thank you!!!

Main Image: iPhone Pro Max 17

Original 1: Canon R5 with 100m macro lens focus-stacking 30 images