Macro Exercises #3 Focus stacking

[Ahzdeeen]

Hey everyone, I've been lurking for a while now, while I saved up the money for a camera...now I've got a Nikon D80 with a Sigma 105mm f2.8 EX DG, and an SB-600 for a flash. Got home today and found our beta had jumped out of his bowl while we were out, and well, I had to use him to practice focus stacking, only had the camera for 6 days now, so expect to see more of me. Did a little post-proccessing, like cropping out some blur, but nothing major.
First Image:

Final Product:

[Skippy]

Originally Posted by Ahzdeeen

Hey everyone, I've been lurking for a while now, while I saved up the money for a camera...now I've got a Nikon D80 with a Sigma 105mm f2.8 EX DG, and an SB-600 for a flash. Got home today and found our beta had jumped out of his bowl while we were out, and well, I had to use him to practice focus stacking, only had the camera for 6 days now, so expect to see more of me. Did a little post-proccessing, like cropping out some blur, but nothing major.
First Image:
Final Product:

Wow well done Ahzdeeen, you managed to bring back heaps of detail with your stacking.

The comparison shots really speak for themselves.
You'll be hooking on this technique before ya know it
Thanks for sharing .... Skippy
.

[Lord Vetinari]

Good stack :)
Brian V.

[Unbrok3n]

I dont shoot RAW, but im thinking about starting. When doing focus stacking does it make sense to shoot RAW? It doesnt seem like it would...
Thanks! I cant wait to try out this technique!

[Unbrok3n]

Im having a little trouble with the process (sorry if this thread is too old...)
But when I try to combine images I get a final result of like the second image overlapping the first. Im guessing this is because they werent taken in exactly the same spot? Is that the case? Do you need a tripod and have the images taken in exactly the same spot without moving? Sometimes I use a monopod...
Thanks, I appreciate any help.

[Lord Vetinari]

Hi, Unbroken.

Not necessary to shoot RAW for any pics but I just find the exposure latitude useful for macro shooting even if I'm focus stacking.

As far as it not working, it does sound as if the shots have too much movement between them. I don't use a tripod for mine, but often I'm resting the lens on the same surface as the bug which helps keep the POV constant.

Brian V.

[Unbrok3n]

Ya, I figured that was my problem. I just got extension tubes for my tokina 100mm macro, so Im definitely going to have to start learning focus stacking :)
Is the program you recommended in this thread still what you would recommend?
Thanks.

[Alexrex]

Hi everyone,Im having a few stacked macroshots,for example:
first shot second shot third shot fourth shot
Final result

[Techsnap]

Brian, thanks for a great tutorial - I work with your son and he gave me the link to them.

Tried this out over the weekend with some coins and got some good results. It'll certainly help with my photography evening class project on details in nature - I'm getting a lot of inspiration from your fantastic images.

Just got to find a willing subject to do something 'real-life' now like your insects.

Thanks again!
Chris

[Lord Vetinari]

Good one Alexrex :)

Hi Chris- Yes Robert mentioned you were getting interested in macro :)- amazing coincidence!

If you haven't seen them there's lots of hints and tips etc in the discussion points here http://www.flickr.com/groups/macroviewers/

Brian V.

[Unbrok3n]

I know im kind of bringing this thread up from the grave, but im starting to do a lot of serious stacking, and I have some questions. When I try to do a stack with like 5 or 6 frames, even after doing it manually, there seems to be a lot of overlapping on the outside of the image. You can see it towards the top of the frog by the eye...i dont know if youd call this halos...
SHould I be doing something more specific when I choose the points? Also, this wasnt taken with a tripod so each pic could be a little off. Any help is appreciated...i have dozens of groups of pics I want to stack...and I want to make sure im doing it right! Thanks

http://provethesunshine.smugmug.com/...47_aXjwP-M.jpg

[Corehead]

I SECOND the motion--I mean, I heartily support Andy's kind request here!

Steve-o

Originally Posted by Andy

Brian

May we have your permission to have this live permanently on our Tutes site at http://dgrin.smugmug.com ?

[rnickl]

Losing a bit from the edge of the frame is inevitable. As you move closer to the subject to change your focal point you'll lose edge of the frame you had in the first shot.

You can minimize it with a steady hand but you'll still need some cropping with even a perfectly aligned set of shots. The only time I've been able to avoid crop is with a solid color background that meats all the sides of the frame.

Rick

[Unbrok3n]

Originally Posted by rnickl

Losing a bit from the edge of the frame is inevitable. As you move closer to the subject to change your focal point you'll lose edge of the frame you had in the first shot.

You can minimize it with a steady hand but you'll still need some cropping with even a perfectly aligned set of shots. The only time I've been able to avoid crop is with a solid color background that meats all the sides of the frame.

Rick

I dont mean the edges, I know cropping is inevitable. I mean on the edges of the actually subject (in this case the frog)
In ever stack with 3 or more frames ive done, every thing seems like its off...like the edges of things inside the picture are doubles, or tripled, etc.

Is there something im missing maybe??

[Lord Vetinari]

Originally Posted by Unbrok3n

I know im kind of bringing this thread up from the grave, but im starting to do a lot of serious stacking, and I have some questions. When I try to do a stack with like 5 or 6 frames, even after doing it manually, there seems to be a lot of overlapping on the outside of the image. You can see it towards the top of the frog by the eye...i dont know if youd call this halos...
SHould I be doing something more specific when I choose the points? Also, this wasnt taken with a tripod so each pic could be a little off. Any help is appreciated...i have dozens of groups of pics I want to stack...and I want to make sure im doing it right! Thanks

http://provethesunshine.smugmug.com/...47_aXjwP-M.jpg

Hi - yes they are what I call halos - you tend to get them on high contrast edges. Whilst they can be reduced by better alignment when taking and processing the stack I often still get them in my stacks.

You either have to manually clone the halos out or you can use the healing brush tool in PS to paint the same in focus part from the original stack slice onto the stacked picture.

Brian V.

[Unbrok3n]

OK, I will try that. I havnt done a lot of cloning or healing, but I will experiment.
Is there a way to improve processing the stack? Like when you choose the points or something?
I really appreciate your help!

[GOLDENORFE]

Originally Posted by Unbrok3n

OK, I will try that. I havnt done a lot of cloning or healing, but I will experiment.
Is there a way to improve processing the stack? Like when you choose the points or something?
I really appreciate your help!

it just takes practise to get the frames better aligned when taking them.
czp aligns alot better than older version czm by the way.
you can also take a frame with good sharp outline and use layer mask to show good edge through over stacked image, easyer than clone ing sometimes.
phil

[rnickl]

Pardon my poor reading comprehension skills, you did say around the subjects eye :)

Like Brian said you end up with these on occasion and you need to clone them out. I have been getting decent results using auto align. I did download the newer CombineZP software and there is a stacking macro called "Pyramid Stack" which seems to do a better job with halos than the other methods.

For me it just seems to be a bit of a crap shoot when these halos come up. I've had a couple shots aligned very well off tripod but needed a lot of work after stacking. Then again I've had bad hand held shots where the subject even moved and had to do very little touch up work. I have noticed deeper stacks seem to be a bit more prone to halos.

Rick

[Unbrok3n]

Thank you everyone! I am going to see what results I can get

[Unbrok3n]

For some reason I just cant get a decent stack.
Ive tried dozens of times, and with different sets. I downloaded combinezp, and even tried the pyramid stack, and still get these results. I am doing it in manual mode the way that is described at the beginning of this thread...Id appreciate any help.
Heres was happens every time:

http://provethesunshine.smugmug.com/...90_vtgA7-L.jpg

and the images were shot on a tripod..
Thanks!