Focus Stacking

[Don Kuykendall_RIP]

Well since no one asked about this photo and how it was done I though I would give a little more info on it.

If you notice it has a lot more depth of field than you can get with one shot. It is actually many shots blended into this one. Here are the shots that make up this photo.

If you look carefully you will see that the focus point is different on each one of the shot. Tomorrow I will list the step in Photoshop on how to do this if anyone is interested.

 

[Chris3000]

I figured it had to be focus stacking but have never tried it myself as i just got myself a copy of PS a few days ago. Had no idea you needed that many shots either! Exited to see your steps on how to do this

 

[rocketman122]

OH COOL!

the different exposures was accidental or the camera freaking out?

 

[Jonathan]

OH COOL!

the different exposures was accidental or the camera freaking out?

You can get software that, with your camera plugged into ("tethered to") your camera, will change the focus a specified number of steps (and vary other things like ISO) automatically. It will deliver the photos to you and then you use the software to blend them together as Don has done. I've tried it a few times and am still learning but it's cool! That's how people get those really crisp insect shots or colourful space scenes.

 

[wud]

Looking forward to seeing how they are stacked together

 

[pictaker64]

indeed,pretty cool..not something I have ever tried,or probably would,but looking forward to how you do it,just in case

 

[Jonathan]

When I get to my Mac I'll upload some seed photos and the finished blend. From memory, one set took 19 individuals shots to make the final cut but, like I said, I'm new to this.

 

[SteveL54]

Nice shot.
Very interested to know how this was done.

 

[BackdoorArts]

Focus stacking, particularly when you get into it with macro photography, can drive you nuts. You can be so absolutely careful and then there's that one slice that you miss that screws up the shot. Automated software, as Jonathan mentioned, can really help solve that. But you have to be careful what camera you use, because 15 full-res images from my D800 made my Mac scream for mercy.

I certainly have some uses for it, but thankfully not too many. An important technique to know. A similar technique that I am rather interested in getting down first, is the Brenizer Panorama, which stitches together multiple images shot at wide open aperture to create the look of a razor thin DoF (see examples here). Thankfully Photoshop does a great job in the heavy-lifting area of these exercises.

 

[480sparky]

Getting a Focus Rail really helps. Or a StackShot if you wanna pony up.

 

[BackdoorArts]

Yeah, I have a set of rails and they are definitely more consistent than tweaking the focus ring. Still need to make sure you know your DoF at the aperture and distance and then be certain not to move so far that you don't overlap and lose a slice. The StackShot seems to be a great solution, and one that I'd probably prefer to the software-based controls, if I did enough of that stuff. A couple product photography gigs and it would pay for itself.

 

[RockyNH_RIP]

Don, nicely done.... I have not jumped into this yet other than a couple of simple tests...

Pat in NH

 

[wornish]

Nice job Don.
I have tried focus stacking a bit on macros. It can be hit and miss sometimes you think you have all the points in focus and then Photoshop decides not to pick the specific area you wanted.
I find that fewer shots actually works better than more. Interested to see if Dons technique is the same as I use.
Nikons Camera Control Pro software allows you to remotely select the focus point in Live View by simply clicking where you want it to focus on, makes life a lot easier.

 

[Don Kuykendall_RIP]

I did use DigiCamControl. The automated control that did work with my D5100 did not work with my D7000 so I did use the live view on the computer to control focus and capture.

 

[Jonathan]

My first attempt I trashed. For my second attempt, I manually took these photos (camera on tripod, me turning focus ring a small bit at a time using LiveView to help):





















I treated it a bit like a rolling bombardment across a battlefield. Then, using the free trial of Zerene Stacker (Mac) I ended up with this:

The resultant file size is humungous so you have to save it as a jpg or similar and all the component layers get baked in.

 

[480sparky]

Focus stacks all:

Pie pan

Zipper

Key ring

Cable release

Toothbrush bristles

Phillips screw

Hole in a button

Cat's claw

SOS pad

End of a paperclip

A partially burned kitchen match

Walnut shell

Salt on a cracker

Bread

Velcro

Meat tenderizer

Hair scrubber

Felt marker tip

 

[Jonathan]

My third try was using a trial of HeliconRemote and Helicon Focus (I wanted to tether my D7100 and have my computer control the focus points. I also this time remembered to set the in-app ISO to a better value). I took 103 photos comprising 3.4GB (which I am not posting)! This was the result (again, after the layers were baked in):

You can see I'm getting a bit better. I then decided to buy a year's license of those two tools.

 

[Jonathan]

My latest attempt required 59 files at 1.56GB and yielded this:

I need to do as wornish says and take fewer photos and see that works. Less may well be more, and I want to use this technique to great really crisp macros and need to use it to get colourful, deep astrophotographs. I seem to want to snap at the two extremes!

 

[Don Kuykendall_RIP]

My first attempt I trashed. For my second attempt, I manually took these photos (camera on tripod, me turning focus ring a small bit at a time using LiveView to help):

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I treated it a bit like a rolling bombardment across a battlefield. Then, using the free trial of Zerene Stacker (Mac) I ended up with this:

View attachment 75237

The resultant file size is humungous so you have to save it as a jpg or similar and all the component layers get baked in.

Still have lots of areas not in focus. You will have to use a higher Aperture or shoot more photos.

 

[Jonathan]

Still have lots of areas not in focus. You will have to use a higher Aperture or shoot more photos.

Spot on with both. I had the camera on auto everything but focus! It seems you have to know your onions for these here things to function optimally.