Stacking

06.10.2023, 10:22 #1

Hobbyfotograf

Request for Experience Sharing / Discussion

I'm curious to hear about your experiences with stacking/bracketing in macro photography.
- Which software do you use for stacking, and what specific insights do you have, especially regarding post-processing of the final stack?
- Do you stack RAW files or JPEGs?
- Thoughts on manual stacking (using a slider manually or motorized) versus bracketing—what are the pros and cons of each technique?
- Have you tried quick stacking, like 3 to 5 handheld shots, for example with insects?
Best, Ulf

06.10.2023, 13:07 #2

Andreas F

Experte

Hello Ulf,

I stick to my usual approach. If something isn’t sharp with the aperture, then it simply won’t be sharp. I’m still old-school, even with a digital camera, especially when it comes to macro photography. I prefer to spend as little time as possible in front of the computer. Often, even quick editing with Darkroom feels like too much for me.
That said, I do find the possibilities that stacking offers quite fascinating and worth seeing.

Best regards, Andreas

06.10.2023, 14:43 #3

Ulf Simon

Hobbyfotograf

@Andreas F For some photos, the traditional optical depth of field just isn’t enough anymore. I’m thinking about the borderline between macro and micro photography—like slime molds—where achieving a depth of field of about 2 mm requires stacking around 100 shots. When using a microscope objective screwed into a Raynox adapter as a close-up lens, it can even be as many as 300 shots. With good software, the stacking process itself can be done in about a minute. Most of the time is spent selecting the area to be stacked and post-processing the final stack to remove ghosting effects, such as moving antennae or insect legs, or to correct light halos.

06.10.2023, 21:03 #4

Wilfried Voßen

Hobbyfotograf

@Ulf Simon - Hi Ulf - I enjoy macro photography and use Helicon Focus Pro for stacking. I would only recommend electronic sliders. Manual operation takes way too long when you need a lot of shots. Nowadays, many cameras already have a bracketing program built in. I've had good experiences with that. I try to work in RAW format, but depending on the print size, JPG can also be sufficient for a photo.

06.10.2023, 22:20 #5

Ulf Simon

Hobbyfotograf

@Wilfried Voßen
Thanks for the info, Wilfried. I mostly stack subjects that don’t move too quickly, like mushrooms, slime molds, or orchid flowers

I use the bracketing feature on my Olympus MFT. Sometimes in the micro range, with a Raynox attached to the 60mm macro lens. That usually requires at least 100 shots. So far, I’ve been stacking them as JPEGs and then touched up the results a bit in darktable. For stacking, I use Franzis Focus Pro. It’s not quite as fast as Helicon but costs only about a third of the price. It also offers good previews and some built-in correction options. Instead of five different models like Helicon, I only have three, but that’s been enough so far. When I stack RAW files, it gets painfully slow—over 20 images and you might as well go grab a coffee... So I’ve got the basics down.
It’s a different story when I want to work with my full-frame setup. Sony has refused to offer bracketing for years. But I’m not about to ditch my A99-II with 40 megapixels because of that. I have a manual rail with a crank drive from Traumflieger. It works, but it’s fiddly. Automatic rails aren’t very practical out in the field anyway.
And then there’s the issue of insects. Sometimes a quick stack with the camera resting on something works—up to about 10 shots. But the critters usually move around...
Alex Mett’s system is faster, but he uses flash—which is a no-go for me in nature.
Cheers, Ulf

07.10.2023, 07:32 #6

Wilfried Voßen

Hobbyfotograf

Hi Ulf – I don’t use flash at all. Sony is really lagging behind when it comes to macro photography. However, I believe the new Alpha 7r V and the Alpha 6700 now offer focus bracketing. I haven’t really tried much in the micro range yet. I’m not entirely sure what exactly I need to make shooting at higher magnifications like 2:1 or 3:1 as easy as possible. I also prefer to photograph subjects that don’t move. That way, you can take your time to set everything up and light the scene properly.

07.10.2023, 11:53 #7

Ulf Simon

Hobbyfotograf

@Wilfried Voßen
Yes Wilfried, I don’t actually own a flash unit. (At least not one for my current cameras; I think there’s one from the Minolta days gathering dust in a drawer for over 40 years. I used it occasionally for nude and bodypainting shoots back in the film days.) When I need more light (for example, when shooting mushrooms), I use LED flashlights with a diffuser.
Sony: I use Sony A-Mount because of my Minolta lenses. E-Mount was never an option for me since switching would mean a complete system change, and the A to E adapter is just a workaround.
For affordable high magnification, I use Raynox lenses or a microscope objective mounted in a Raynox adapter. This way, the camera’s internal bracketing works as usual. Magnification ranges from 2:1 up to 10:1, depending on the lens and adapter combo. More details can be found at traumflieger.de. Alternatively, for my full-frame setup, I have Zhongyi Mitakon loupe lenses. They’re fully manual, so they only work with stacking on a rail. The quality is good, and they’re reasonably priced. They can achieve up to 5:1 magnification.

07.10.2023, 12:02 #8

Wilfried Voßen

Hobbyfotograf

Hi Ulf – that’s interesting – a microscope objective in a Raynox mount? Which one are you using?

07.10.2023, 12:50 #9

Ulf Simon

Hobbyfotograf

@Wilfried Voßen www.traumflieger.de/shop/Objektive-Zubehoer/Objektive/Mikroskopobjektiv-PLAN-X-Planachromat-4x-NA-0-10-RMS::2688.html?XTCsid=42109448aa5b5aa094befebb53dd36ea

07.10.2023, 13:15 #10

Wilfried Voßen

Hobbyfotograf

@Ulf Simon - Thanks, Ulf, I'll take a look.