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Old 19-02-16, 09:33
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sassan sassan is offline  
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Default Tutorial: How to Focus Stack

In macro photography, due to high magnification, the depth of field (DOF) is highly narrow. So you really can not show much of your subject despite the best macro setup, flash light and lens. For eg the eyes of insect you try to focus is sharp, when the head, antenna, neck body, legs and tail are all out of focus.
So what is the solution? STACK FOCUS.
Yes that is you take multiple images from far to near, each showing a part of your subject in focus, then utilizing the power of your computer, Stack them all together to have a single well focus image from front to back!

In response to a good question from Postcardcv, I decided to write an answer in form of a small Tutorial for all who like to Macro but like to have that magical look with very deep field of view rather than a paper thin plane of focus that if you do macro, you know it is the norm for macro, despite smallest and narrowest F stop.

LINK to Original question:
Quote:
Originally Posted by postcardcv View Post
Found a fly this morning so popped it in the fridge for a few minutes to slow it down and then grabbed a few shots of it. Definitely need to get my head around focus stacking. Can anyone recommend any decent software for it?
Sure.
I can give you two!

Only before that, I can't over emphasis on how important it is to have a steady series of images. That is solid tripod. Non dancing model. Even use cable release to not move camera with shooting as you gently turn the focus ring of lens (In manual mode obviously) with other hand, without any camera move.

Take as many pictures as needed and if length of focus is long, you obviously need more. Problem with more images is your computer needs more time to handle them. Too few images and merge may not be enough smooth.

It is wise to start your first trial on a few inanimate objects arranged rightly from near to far, even if this is not macro setup, under good light, rather than real insect that adds its own challenges such as motion and light needed.

1) Assuming you have no software at all, and you do believe "All the good things in our life are for free", then to best of my knowledge, this software fulfills all the criteria and in fact this is the exact one that in lab people use it for even microscopic specimen photography, use for focus stack.
CombinZM - click here to go directly to download site and make sure to download the right file.

Instillation is easy and without adware or nonsense sponsored ones but as usual pay attention on every Yes you click.
I haven't used it for ages so I am not very good to help you as to how to use it, but it is straight forward and just follow the top bars and all should be fine. Software is capable even allowing to stack via video however you need to master it.
Again can't over emphasis the importance of steady series of images.

2) If you like Photoshop as much as I do (And I believe we all do) and knowing that you already own Photoshop, you may as well use that old friendly ware. I can definitely help you better here and step by step.

Its actually easier than what you think. Only make sure to have a good aligned set of images though software will do some alignment adjustment.
Here is what you need to do:

- Create and Open a new folder and save all the images that have sequence of focus, in that.
RAW is fine but please save yourself the headache and do the initial photo adjustment in LR and have smaller size jpg, to get things faster, unless your computer is top of the line with super doper CPU GPU etc.

- File > Scripts > Load Files into Stack... CLICK.
1.jpg
IMG-1

- On the pop up window, under Files, chose "Browse" to get into folder you created and Select all the images by: click on first image, then Shift + click on last to highlight and select all the files.
2.jpg
IMG-2

- Make sure to have checked the box "Attempt to Automatically Align" and click on OK. If you have few files, it should take only a minute or two, otherwise time to have first coffee or tea!
3.jpg
IMG-3,

-Now once done, you should see all layers in PS.
5.jpg
IMG-5

- Select the top one, go to bottom and Shift + Click to select all.
4.jpg
IMG-4

... continued in next post
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Last edited by sassan; 19-02-16 at 09:58.
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