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focus stacking

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Newest blog posts

2018-10-28 Focus Stacking with the Nikon Z7 Using the “Focus shift shooting” Feature: How To Configure, Plus Examples

2018-08-31 Zeiss Lenspire Articles—Read all 17

2018-08-25 Nikon Z7: Improved Focus Stacking Support

2018-07-15 Reader Comment: Automated Focus Stacking

2018-01-15 Reader Question: Automated Focus Stacking (solution: Nikon D850)

2018-01-14 Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4 Aperture Series and Focus Stack: Icy Boulder in Lee Vining Creek

2018-01-12 iMac Pro: Speed with Helicon Focus

2017-12-17 Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR Examples: Lundy Canyon Just Before the Winter Solstice

2017-12-10 Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR Aperture Series with Focus Stack: West Walker Creek Meadow to Snowy Mountains

2017-12-10 Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR Aperture Series with Focus Stack: Boulder Escapee from Rockfall

View all related blog posts...

Pages at other diglloyd sites:

See also 8 pages at macperformanceguide.com

2018-08-09 2018 MacBook Pro: Focus Stacking with Helicon Focus, 28 X 45-Megapixel Nikon D850 TIF

2018-08-09 2018 MacBook Pro: Focus Stacking with Zerene Stacker, 28 X 45-Megapixel Nikon D850 TIF

2018-03-07 2017 iMac Pro: Zerene Stacker

2018-03-07 2017 iMac Pro: Helicon Focus

2016-05-26 Zerene Stacker: Good Example of a Program that Uses all the CPU Cores

Depth of Field Mitigations

Increasing Depth of Field by means other than stopping down..

1. Example: Focus Stacking For Infinite DOF (Wagon)

Focus Stacking Overview

Bypass the limits on depth of field and diffraction..

1. Overview of Focus Stacking
2. Focus Stacking = ONLY Solution for Full Resolution with High-Res Digital
3. Focus Stacking Gains in Sharpness vs Single Frame, File Size as a Proxy Measurement
4. Automated Focus Stepping for Stacking (Nikon D850 in Particular)

Focus Stacking Shooting Tips

Best practices for shooting stacking frames..

1. General Shooting Tips for Focus Stacking
2. Tips for Focusing for Focus Stacking
3. Choice of Aperture for Focus Stacking
4. Why Lens Performance Matters for Focus Stacking

Focus Stacking Post-Processing

Post-Processing software and Technique..

1. Overview of Focus Stacking Software/Processing
2. Zerene Stacker: Retouching Stacked Images

Focus Stacking Examples

Examples of Focus Stacking..

1. Example: Near-Macro Focus Stacking (Shimano Cassette)
2. Example: 3-Frame Stack (Warm and Cool Aspen, Nikon D810)
3. Example: Medium-Far Range (Two Bristlecone Logs on Hillside)
4. Example: Stacking at 135mm (Unicorn and Cathedral Peaks)
5. Example: Near Far at 28mm (Hardy Pine View of Unicorn and Cathedral Peaks)
6. Example: Vista at 85mm (View North in Blue Dusk from Pothole Dome)
7. Example: Handheld (Dana Lake)
8. Example: Close Range to Distance at 18mm (Backlit Boulders)
9. Example: Subject Movement (9050 Pine Creek Rd Waterfall)
10. Example: Extreme Range Perfection (Weathered Bristlecones)
11. Example: Dual Not-Quite-Enough Examples (Bristlecones Near to Far)
12. Example: Shallow Stack for Sharpness in Narrow Zone (Blue Engine on Green Machine)
13. Example: Two-Frame Stack (Spuller Lake, Zeiss Loxia 35/2)
14. Example: Two-Frame Stack (Huge Boulder, Sony 85/1.4 GM)
15. Example: Getting Close to 50 Megapixels in Real Photography (Spotted Boulder, Canon 5Ds R)
16. Example: Getting Close to 50 Megapixels in Real Photography (Lundy Beaver Pond, Canon 5Ds R)

Nikon D850 Focus Stacking

Unprecedented support for focus stacking in full-frame DSLR..

1. Nikon D850 'Focus Shift shooting' feature for Easy Focus Stacking
2. Examples of Focus Stacking using Nikon D850 'Focus Shift shooting' for Focusing

Pentax K-1

36-megapixel full-frame DSLR with SuperRes Pixel Shift Mode..

1. Focus Stacking in SuperRes Mode (Pair of Pears)
2. Focus Stacking in SuperRes Mode (Ultegra Cassette)

Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art

A whopping 4/3 stop faster than other lenses in its range..

1. Aperture Series + Focus Stack: Dead and Live Aspen, Dusk
2. Aperture Series + Focus Stack: Precocious Cluster of Yellow Aspen Leaves
3. Focus Stack: Two Aspen at Beaver Pond, Sunset
4. Aperture Series + Focus Stack: Boulder View to Sub-Peak of Mt Conness

Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art

Sigma’s best portrait lens..

1. Examples, Focus Stacking: Eastern Sierra (Nikon D850)

Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art

Fastest 135mm lens yet, with ultra high performance..

1. Aperture Series: Rodin Burghers of Calais, with focus stack (Nikon D810)

Nikon AF-S 60mm f/2.8G Macro

Comparing the new Nikon 60mm to its predecessors, and the Coastal Optics 60/4 APO..

1. Examples: Focus Stacking

Fujifilm GFX Image Quality

Image quality assessments..

1. Real World Dynamic Range: Lundy Canyon Boulders and High Clouds

Fujifilm GF 32-64mm f/4 R LM WR

Mid-range zoom lens equivalent to 26-53mm f/3.3..

1. Focus Stack @ 33mm: Sunlit Picnic Table in Snow Squall
2. Focus Stack @ 32mm: Barroom Interior
3. Aperture Series @35mm + Focus Stack: Decrepit Truck

Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR

Moderate wide angle equivalent to 37mm f/2.3..

1. Early Winter Examples in Eastern Sierra
2. Examples: Lundy Canyon Just Before the Winter Solstice
3. Aperture Series with Focus Stack: West Walker River in Noon Shade, Upstream View
4. Aperture Series with Focus Stack: Boulder Escapee from Rockfall
5. Aperture Series with Focus Stack: West Walker Creek Meadow to Snowy Peaks
6. Aperture Series with Focus Stack: Indian Rock
7. Aperture Series with Focus Stack: Iced-Over Beaver Pond
8. Aperture Series with Focus Stack: Frozen Beaver Ponds to Forest
9. Aperture Series with Focus Stack: Lundy Lake, Green Ice at Dam End
10. Aperture Series with Focus Stack: Low and Close Viewpoint, Beaver Dam Pond
11. Aperture Series with Focus Stack: Aspen Against Mountain at Dusk
12. Aperture Series with Focus Stack: Light-Colored Boulder Amid Sage and Boulder Field

Hasselblad HC 50mm f/3.5 II

High performance moderate wide angle.

1. Examples: Saddlebag Lake Area, Conness Lakes Area

Hasselblad XCD 30mm f/3.5

25mm equivalent..

1. 4-Frame Focus Stack (Frosty Table)

Milvus 25mm f/1.4

Highest performing 25mm from Zeiss ever..

1. Examples: Focus Stacking in Yosemite High Country and White Mountains
2. Examples: Focus Stacking in Dana Lakes Area
3. Aperture Series + Focus Stack: Waterfall Icicles
4. Aperture Series + Focus Stack: Healthy BristleconeBark

Milvus 35mm f/1.4

Highest performing 35mm from Zeiss ever..

1. Aperture Series: Icy Boulder In Lee Vining Creek

Milvus 100mm f/2M

The classic 100/2 Makro-Planar improved..

1. Examples: Focus Stacking

Otus 28mm f/1.4 APO-Distagon

Fast high performance APO wide angle..

1. Examples: Focus Stacking

135mm f/2 APO-Sonnar

Beautiful bokeh, razor sharp, superb color correction..

1. Focus Stacking: Ultegra 11-32 Cog Cassette

Zeiss LensSpire Articles

Articles written for Lenspire.ZEISS.com..

1. Depth of Field Challenges: Bypass the Limits with Focus Stacking, Near or Far, Macro or Landscape
2. Getting Started with Focus Stacking
3. Harnessing Wide Angle Lenses: Perspective and Impact

Medium Format

Articles written for MediumFormat.com..

1. Maximize Image Quality with Shot Discipline, Part 2: Depth of Field and Diffraction, Focus Stacking (December 2018)

Nikon Z7 Overview, Setup, General

Setup, IBIS performance, focusing..

1. Configuring the Focus Stacking aka “Focus Shift” Feature on Nikon Z7

Nikon Z7 IBIS and Focusing

Setup, IBIS performance, focusing..

1. Evaluated: Nikon Z7 Automated Focus Stacking aka Nikon “Focus Shift” Feature

Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 G

Extreme wide angle zoom..

1. Aperture Series @ 13mm: Pescadero Creek Side Pool (with Focus Stack)
2. Aperture Series @ 12mm: Pescadero Creek, Upstream (with Focus Stack)
3. Imaging Performance @ 12mm, Single Frame vs Stacked: Pine at Morgan Lake
4. Imaging Performance @ 24mm, Single Frame vs Stacked: Downed Tree, Last Kiss of Sunlight

Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM

Pro-grade f/2.8 wide angle zoom..

1. Evaluating Imaging Performance @ 17mm, Single Frame vs Stacked: Bristlecone Log Low View
2. Imaging Performance @ 17mm, Single Frame vs Stacked: Flowers Amid Bristlecones
3. Imaging Performance @ 16mm, Single Frame vs 3-Frame Stack: Flowers in Meadow to High Peaks, Dusk

Blog posts, reverse chronological

2018

2018-10-28 Focus Stacking with the Nikon Z7 Using the “Focus shift shooting” Feature: How To Configure, Plus Examples

2018-08-31 Zeiss Lenspire Articles—Read all 17

2018-08-25 Nikon Z7: Improved Focus Stacking Support

2018-07-15 Reader Comment: Automated Focus Stacking

2018-01-15 Reader Question: Automated Focus Stacking (solution: Nikon D850)

2018-01-14 Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4 Aperture Series and Focus Stack: Icy Boulder in Lee Vining Creek

2018-01-12 iMac Pro: Speed with Helicon Focus

2017

2017-12-17 Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR Examples: Lundy Canyon Just Before the Winter Solstice

2017-12-10 Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR Aperture Series with Focus Stack: West Walker Creek Meadow to Snowy Mountains

2017-12-10 Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR Aperture Series with Focus Stack: Boulder Escapee from Rockfall

2017-12-10 Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR Aperture Series with Focus Stack: Aspen Against Mountain at Dusk

2017-12-08 Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR Aperture Series with Focus Stack: Low and Close Viewpoint, Beaver Dam Pond

2017-12-08 Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR Aperture Series with Focus Stack: Indian Rock

2017-12-08 Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR Aperture Series with Focus Stack: Across Green Icy Lake to Blue Mountainside

2017-12-07 Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR Aperture Series with Focus Stack: Lundy Lake, Green Ice at Dam End

2017-12-07 Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR Aperture Series with Focus Stack: Frozen Beaver Ponds to Forest

2017-12-07 Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR Aperture Series with Focus Stack: 'Light-Colored Boulder Amid Sage and Boulder Field'

2017-12-06 Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR Aperture Series with Focus Stack: 'West Walker River in Noon Shade, Upstream View'

2017-12-04 New Article on Zeiss Lenspire Site: “Getting started with Focus Stacking – How to achieve more detailed images”

2017-12-04 Focus Stacking and Stitching: Ralf Graebner and his 'Change' series using found-on-the-street NYC quarter-dollar coins

2017-11-18 Reader Comments: Lenticular Clouds Shot with Nikon D850, Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4

2017-11-14 The Significance of Automated Focus Stepping for Focus Stacking (Nikon D850)

2017-11-14 Deep Stacking with the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Using Nikon D850 'Focus shift shooting'

2017-11-13 Stacking at f/1.8?!

2017-11-13 Depth of Field Akin to f/128: an Incredible Near-Far Focus Stack with the Zeiss Milvus 18mm f/2.8

2017-11-11 Which is Better, Food or Water? (or wine) — Sony Alpha A7R III Pixel Shift vs Nikon D850 'Focus shift shooting'

2017-11-11 Late Season Shooting in the Eastern Sierra

2017-11-08 Reader Comment: Zeiss Milvus 25mm f/1.4 vs Nikon AF-S 24mm f/1.4 (manual focus vs autofocus)

2017-11-08 Nikon D850: Validating 'Focus shift shooting' in the Field: Does it really work well?

2017-11-07 Zeiss Otus 28mm f/1.4 APO-Distagon: Some New Focus Stacking images (Nikon D850)

2017-11-07 Zeiss Milvus 25mm f/1.4 Aperture Series + Focus Stack: Healthy Bristlecone Bark (Nikon D850)

2017-11-06 Zeiss Milvus 25mm f/1.4: a Few More Eastern Sierra Examples Added

2017-11-02 Zeiss Milvus 25mm f/1.4: Aperture Series + Focus Stack: Waterfall Icicles (Nikon D850)

2017-11-01 Zeiss Milvus 25mm f/1.4 Stacking Examples: Glacier Canyon and Dana Lakes (Nikon D850)

2017-11-01 Will we See Firmware Updates from Sony and Nikon for Pixel Shift and 'Focus shift shooting', respectively?

2017-10-30 Images Added for Various Lenses

2017-10-29 Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art Aperture Series + Focus Stack: Boulder View to Sub-Peak of Mt Conness

2017-10-29 Scenes Where Focus Stacking Makes all the Difference

2017-10-28 Critical Tip on Focus Stacking Focusing, Particularly with Nikon D850 Autofocus

2017-10-27 Nikon D850: 'Focus shift shooting' Feature Most Important Feature since Live View; Focus Stacking is the ONLY Solution to Full Resolution Images

2017-10-26 Nikon D850 vs Nikon D810: Comparing Night Shots

2017-10-25 Nikon D850: 'Focus Shift Shooting' at Close Range

2017-10-24 Zeiss Milvus 25mm f/1.4 Aperture Series: Colorful Green Boulder, Dusk (Nikon D850)

2017-10-24 Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Aperture Series: View Over Conness Creek Drainage to Saddlebag Lake (Nikon D850)

2017-10-24 Nikon D850: 'Focus Shift Shooting' Feature is a Reason by Itself to buy the Nikon D850 — Saves Time, Guarantees Peak Quality

2017-10-22 Zeiss Milvus 25mm f/1.4 Examples: Yosemite High Country (Nikon D850)

2017-10-22 Zeiss Milvus 25mm f/1.4 Aperture Series: Stunted Aspen, Last Light on Granite Bowl (Nikon D850)

2017-10-22 Zeiss Milvus 25mm f/1.4 Aperture Series: Large Boulder, Waterfall, Last Light on Canyon Ridge (Nikon D850)

2017-10-16 Reader Comment: Focus Stacking + Time Efficiency with Photography

2017-10-13 Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4 Aperture Series: Low View of Bristlecone Trunks (Nikon D850)

2017-10-10 Nikon D850: 45 megapixels + Zeiss Milvus 35/1.4 + Focus Stacking Can Make Incredible Detailed Images.

2017-10-05 Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4: Examples, Eastern Sierra

2017-09-24 Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4 Distagon: Excellent for Focus Stacking

2017-09-22 Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art Aperture Series: Focus Stacking Versus Single Frame

2017-08-29 New Article on Zeiss Lenspire Site: “Micro Contrast and the Zeiss 'Pop'”

2017-08-27 New Article on Zeiss Lenspire Site: “Zoom or Prime Lens? Normal Lenses”

2017-08-19 Sony 12-24mm f/4 G @ 24mm: Single Frame Performance at f/11 vs Focus Stacking at f/11 (Downed Tree, Last Kiss of Sunlight)

2017-08-19 Sony 12-24mm f/4 G @ 12mm: Single Frame Performance at f/11 vs Focus Stacking at f/11 (Pine at Morgan Lake)

2017-08-09 Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM: Single Frame Performance at f/9 vs Focus Stacking at f/9 (Flowers Amid Bristlecones)

2017-08-09 Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM: Single Frame Performance at f/9 vs Focus Stacking at f/9 (Bristlecone Log Low View)

2017-05-22 New Article on Zeiss Lenspire Site: “Zoom or Prime Lens? A series by Lloyd Chambers”

2017-05-11 Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art Aperture Series with Focus Stack: Rodin Burghers of Calais

2017-05-11 Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art Aperture Series with Focus Stack: Quadrangle at Dusk

2017-04-13 Fujifilm GF 32-64mm f/4 @32mm Focus Stack: Barroom Interior

2017-04-11 Fujifilm GF 32-64mm f/4 Aperture Series @35mm + Focus Stack: Decrepit Truck

2017-04-10 Fujifilm GF 32-64mm f/4 Focus Stack: Sunlit Picnic Table in Snow Squall

2017-03-03 Hasselblad X1D + Hasselblad XCD 30mm f/3.5 Aperture Series: Mosaic

2017-03-03 Hasselblad X1D + Hasselblad XCD 30mm f/3.5 Aperture Series at Night

2017-02-16 New Article on Zeiss Lenspire Site: “Zoom or Prime Lens? A series by Lloyd Chambers”

2016

2016-11-22 Zeiss Loxia 85mm f/2.4: Focus Stacking with Moving Water, and Other Examples

2016-11-01 Approaching Potential Sensor Resolution: Focus Stacking at 50 Megapixels (Lundy Beaver Pond, Canon 5Ds R)

2016-10-29 Approaching Potential Sensor Resolution: Focus Stacking at 50 Megapixels (Spotted Boulder, Canon 5Ds R)

2016-10-21 Late October Photo Tour in Yosemite or Eastern Sierra

2016-10-15 Why Lens Performance Matters for Focus Stacking

2016-09-23 September/October Photo Tour on Focus Stacking (or Other Things), Yosemite Area

2016-09-04 Focus Stacking with Sony 85/1.4 GM: Getting that Impossible Depth of Field for Landscape Scenes

2016-08-28 Focus Stacking: Banishes Depth of Field Limitations for Many Field Images

2016-08-09 August Photo Tour on Focus Stacking, Yosemite Area

2016-08-04 My Articles on the Zeiss Lenspire Site

2016-07-19 An In-Depth Look at Focus Stacking in 'Making Sharp Images'

2016-07-15 Depth of field and Sharpness: Conventional Thinking is Unrealistic Going Forward, Focus Stacking is One Solution

2016-06-09 Focus Stacking with the Zeiss Otus 28mm f/1.4 Distagon for Outdoor Scenes

2016-06-02 An Expert at Focus Stacking Comments on the Pentax K1 and Its Image Quality

2016-05-22 Bellows Systems for Nikon, Canon, Leica, Sony: Why Consider Them?

2016-05-20 Zerene Stacker for Focus Stacking

2016-05-19 PENTAX K1: Focus Stacking in SuperRes Pixel Shift Mode, 'Ultegra Cassette'

2016-05-19 Nikon D810 + Zeiss 135mm f/2 APO-Sonnar: Focus Stacking 'Ultegra Cassette'

2016-05-18 PENTAX K1: Focus Stacking in SuperRes Pixel Shift Mode, 'Pair of Pears'

2014

2014-05-21 Increasing Depth of Field via Focus Stacking (Wagon, 280/4 APO)