Results of my first trial using Combine ZM. As this is a free program it is fitting to post results in Macro On The Cheap.
Link
http://www.hadleyweb.pwp.blueyonder..../combinez5.htm
Refer to Leifs thread on Helicon Focus as that is a similar program.
The subject is a fridge magnet 4 inches long at around 30 degrees to the camera. Lens aperture of f4 and 4 frames taken at various points of focus. A bit of a hard test as due to the angle, the total dof required is 2 1/2 inches.
The most obvious thing when trial focussing was the effect of magnification change. I have overlaid frame 4 on frame 1 and the difference is very obvious. Frame I focus point is on the eye, and frame 4 on the tail. A composte of those two frames is attatched to give an idea of the dof at f4.
How do I think it did ? Very well. I should have taken a further frame as it is a bit soft behind the side fin. One area on the top fin does not contain the detail in frame 4 and appears smudged, but otherwise I am impressed. Due to the magnification effect of focussing I think it would be hard/impossible to combine these manually in Photoshop. Nothing fancy done in the program just a staight stack of the four images.
Lens was 55 micro so nothing fancy in terms of a focussing rail.
All images are full frame.
Don