First attempt at focus stacking C&C required

[Craigie]

I have just received my Kaavie Pro 4 Way Focusing Rail Slider and was eager to try it out.
This is my first attempt to take multi pictures with the view of stacking them in PS (blend layers).
I took 19 separate images by moving the focus rail in small increments.
#1 is the first image I took with focus on the front of the coin.
#2 is the final image after blending in PS.
Kit used Canon 1100D, Canon EF 100mm 1:2.8 USM macro lens, Manfrotto 055 tripod, Manfrotto pan and tilt head, Kaavie focusing rail and a Polariod ring macro light, used off camera.
Camera set on manual and manually focused first image.
The camera was connected to my laptop with live view and for remotely taking the shots.
C&C most welcome
1 first image. f11, .5sec, ISO 100, FL 100mm


2 final image. f11, .5sec, ISO 100, FL 100mm

[Shadowman]

A bit more face would have been more interesting but nice effort.

[pnodrog]

Gary you seemed to have mastered your new equipment and the technique. Well done.

I know you Scots love money but I am sure there will be other subjects you can now pursue. I look forward to seeing more stacked images - not just a stack of money....

[Black Pearl]

Looks to have worked well.

I know from using Helicon Remote that a larger aperture and LOTS of smaller slices tends to produce a better final stack as any slight error is either cancelled out or can be cleaned out easier.

[JBW]

this will sound odd but have you considered less focus at the rear to match how we see?

[Craigie]

A bit more face would have been more interesting but nice effort.

Thanks John, comment noted .

[Craigie]

Gary you seemed to have mastered your new equipment and the technique. Well done.

I know you Scots love money but I am sure there will be other subjects you can now pursue. I look forward to seeing more stacked images - not just a stack of money....

Thanks for your positive comments Paul.
It is something I intend working on.

[Craigie]

Looks to have worked well.

I know from using Helicon Remote that a larger aperture and LOTS of smaller slices tends to produce a better final stack as any slight error is either cancelled out or can be cleaned out easier.

Thanks Robin, will try your suggestion in my next attempt.

[Craigie]

this will sound odd but have you considered less focus at the rear to match how we see?

Hi Brian, not sure what you mean, is it less focus on the BG or less focus on the rear of coin .

[JBW]

Hi Brian, not sure what you mean, is it less focus on the BG or less focus on the rear of coin .

towards the back of the coin

[Black Pearl]

this will sound odd but have you considered less focus at the rear to match how we see?

The whole point of focus stacking is to get everything sharp from front to back. It is a great technique to play with and can return some truly (if not truly natural) results.

[JBW]

The whole point of focus stacking is to get everything sharp from front to back. It is a great technique to play with and can return some truly (if not truly natural) results.

I would suggest the finer hand is to get what you want in focus to the degree you want?

[Black Pearl]

I would suggest the finer hand is to get what you want in focus to the degree you want?

And if you can't get what you require in focus due to the extremely limited depth of field inherent with macro and micro photography?

[JBW]

And if you can't get what you require in focus due to the extremely limited depth of field inherent with macro and micro photography?

that's where f.s and other techniques come into play. The trick is to find ways to create what you want.

[DanK]

The whole point of focus stacking is to get everything sharp from front to back.

I disagree. I think the point of focus stacking is to get what you want in focus to be in focus, and that might not be everything. Several years ago, a friend criticized one of my flower macros, saying that it would have been stronger to let petals in the back go out of focus to highlight more the areas I wanted people to focus on. I tried it, and he was right. My taste runs toward having everything in focus, but sometimes that's not what I want. All a matter of taste. Stacking is just tool to get what YOU want.

[Craigie]

Thanks Brian, Robin and Dan for your views on photo stacking sharpness.
In my case, I will practise getting everything in focus, when or if I get competent at that. Then I will attempt various section of an image out of focus.

[Mike Buckley]

The amount of depth of field is an artistic choice whether focus stacking or not.

have you considered less focus at the rear to match how we see?

The human eye sees everything in focus, so I don't understand that matching how we see means intentionally limiting the depth of field.

[bje07]

Beautiful result for a first trial

[JBW]

The amount of depth of field is an artistic choice whether focus stacking or not.



The human eye sees everything in focus, so I don't understand that matching how we see means intentionally limiting the depth of field.

Depth perception is partly the result of distant objects being less well defined?

[Mike Buckley]

Depth perception is partly the result of distant objects being less well defined?

That's true in a two-dimensional object such as a photograph but not when a three-dimensional scene such as this one is viewed by the human eye.