Once you have your subject, camera setup, and lighting in place run through the following steps to get started with focus stacking: And since you’ll have the camera mounted on a tripod, you can get away with using slower shutter speeds, as well. For clean and detailed results, set the ISO to the lowest setting. Widell sets his lens to f/5.6 because that is where his lens performs great. This value can differ on every lens but you can safely go with aperture values somewhere around f/5.6-f/11. Then, select an aperture value that will deliver sharp results. Taking Photos for Focus Stackingįor consistent results, turn the camera to manual mode. Widell uses Helicon Focus, which is an application dedicated to focus stacking.
Software for Focus Stacking: Since you will need to merge the images together to reveal the sharpest areas, you’ll need to use some kind of software. If you don’t have one, you can use your camera’s 2-second self-timer option. This way, you eradicate any chance of introducing camera shake when pressing the shutter button. Remote Shutter Release: For the best possible results, use a remote shutter release. If you’re shooting outside on a sunny day, natural light may suffice. Widell uses a Godox LED light, but you can use any other light source of your choice. Lighting: If lighting isn’t sufficient, you’ll need some artificial lights. The only movement it should make should be via the macro slider. Tripod: For focus stacking, you cannot simply move the camera. Widell uses a basic macro slider from Velbon. This way, you get to take multiple images with the lens focusing on different planes every time. Macro slider: A macro slider allows you to move the camera back and forth with slight movements. Widell uses a Laowa 60mm f/2.8 macro lens. Macro lens: True macro lenses have the ability to recreate life-size images (1:1) of subjects on the sensor. The result is a sharp image that has a depth of field greater than that in the individual images. The shots are later processed using software to display only the sharpest parts of the image. In this video, photographer Micael Widell talks about focus stacking to help you get started with macro photography:įocus stacking involves taking a series of shots, with each shot focusing on a different plane of the subject. But how do macro photographers take detailed macro shots of their subjects? Well, you can use a technique called focus stacking for that purpose. A lens’s depth of field is greatly reduced when the subject is very close to it. When it comes to macro photography, getting your subjects tack sharp from front to back is a real challenge.
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