Focus stacking question: I have been checking out youtube videos on focus stacking. Once I thought I knew what I was doing, I took a bunch of photos to try out. I can follow the guy...

Bloke Loc: Waynesboro, Pennsylvania

I have been checking out youtube videos on focus stacking. Once I thought I knew what I was doing, I took a bunch of photos to try out. I can follow the guy through LR, and export the photos to PS as layers, but that's where it goes crazy.

I don't have the same menus as he has. When I try to align the layers, I don't get the same submenu, it just asks me what part of the image I should be aligning on (top left, top edge, etc.).

Whatever I select at this point, nothing seems to happen, except my cursor changes to a 'no entry' sign, and just sits there. I tried merging layers the way he had, but my final output file is just a single layer, with none of the focus adjustments I worked so hard on!

I have cc, although I haven't run any upgrades on any of the programs since LR started going crazy, so it is possible I am a few months behind. This is one time when I wish Adobe would stop changing the menus and stuff around!

Can anyone give me a clue as to how I can align the layers, or merge them?

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

Bloke wrote:

I have been checking out youtube videos on focus stacking...Can anyone give me a clue as to how I can align the layers, or merge them?

Just get a free copy of CombineZP stacker program and drop your images into it.

Bloke Loc: Waynesboro, Pennsylvania

oldtigger wrote:

Just get a free copy of CombineZP stacker program and drop your images into it.

Ok, thanks for the info. Never heard of that one before... I will certainly check it out.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

Bloke wrote:

Can anyone give me a clue as to how I can align the layers, or merge them?

FAQ: What is Focus-Stacking and What is Involved?
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-155113-1.html

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Thank you Douglas... my Canon SX50 has focus stacking and your reference will be in that info folder when I ready to earn my boy scout merit badge in Micro, Macro, Closeup and even landscape.. Saw an excellent beach photo with volcanic rocks close and dock/house in back ground... three photos stacked. So many tools so little time.

Bloke Loc: Waynesboro, Pennsylvania

Nikonian72 wrote:

FAQ: What is Focus-Stacking and What is Involved?
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-155113-1.html

Thanks, but I understand *that* bit. It's the processing which is uncertain. Most of the tutorials in youtube are done with specific versions of PS, and as I discovered, the menus are different, and I cannot even reach the submenus which the guy use. They don't appear to exist any more... People here have mentioned a couple of different programs, which I have never heard of before.

One problem I haven't hit yet, but expect to... Sometimes, changing the focus, even just a smidge, also changes the overall size of the object... If I scan through my images sequentially, the size is noticeably different in some of them - but not all!

Am I missing something? I am just focusing with the lens. I bought the lens specifically to learn this stuff, but I can't afford to be buying focus 'slides' or whatever they are called, just on spec...

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

Bloke wrote:

...One problem I haven't hit yet, but expect to... Sometimes, changing the focus, even just a smidge, also changes the overall size of the object... If I scan through my images sequentially, the size is noticeably different in some of them - but not all!....

The stacking program adjusts the size and registration for you.

bigwolf40 Loc: Effort, Pa.

oldtigger wrote:

Just get a free copy of CombineZP stacker program and drop your images into it.

Do you have the link. I have both Windows 7 and 10....Rich

Macronaut Loc: Redondo Beach,Ca.

bigwolf40 wrote:

Do you have the link. I have both Windows 7 and 10....Rich

Combine ZP: http://combinezp.software.informer.com
And a YouTube demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B36OStuHjs

martinfisherphoto Loc: Lake Placid Florida

Bloke wrote:

Am I missing something? I am just focusing with the lens. I bought the lens specifically to learn this stuff, but I can't afford to be buying focus 'slides' or whatever they are called, just on spec...

If your shooting True macro and only moving Focusing forward 1/8 inch per slice of focus per each stack you should not really notice a difference in size. Please post some photos in sequence that your trying to stack together, this may help us with your problem.. I should also add, that you need to either focus forward in sequence or backward in sequence. Only in sequence, never out of sequence.

Bloke Loc: Waynesboro, Pennsylvania

martinfisherphoto wrote:

If your shooting True macro and only moving Focusing forward 1/8 inch per slice of focus per each stack you should not really notice a difference in size. Please post some photos in sequence that your trying to stack together, this may help us with your problem.. I should also add, that you need to either focus forward in sequence or backward in sequence. Only in sequence, never out of sequence.

I understand about shooting in sequence ok, it would take a heck of a program to take a bunch of shuffled images and do something with them!

Ok, here is a sequence taken of a coprolite (fossil dinosaur poop...). Not an exciting subject maybe, but I am just trying to figure out what I am doing... I can see the zone of focus moving if I step through them, but they are also getting a bit smaller with each shot. I haven't had a chance to try the suggested program just yet, but hopefully tomorrow...

Thank you for any suggestions. This is my first foray into the macro world, and from what I see posted on here, I have a heck of a long way to go!

(Download)

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

Bloke wrote:

....Ok, here is a sequence taken of a coprolite (fossil dinosaur poop).

Here is a focus-stacked composite image from your individual photos.

(Download)

Macronaut Loc: Redondo Beach,Ca.

martinfisherphoto wrote:

If your shooting True macro and only moving Focusing forward 1/8 inch per slice of focus per each stack you should not really notice a difference in size. Please post some photos in sequence that your trying to stack together, this may help us with your problem.. I should also add, that you need to either focus forward in sequence or backward in sequence. Only in sequence, never out of sequence.

Not that I would recommend anyone to stack out of sequence but, my stacks are never in sequence and Zerene doesn't seem to care. Zerene seems to be able to use the best of each image regardless of what order I put them in. Or course, my stacks are rarely more than 10 or 12 deep. :wink:

EnglishBrenda Loc: Kent, England

Bloke wrote:

Can anyone give me a clue as to how I can align the layers, or merge them?

I have stacked your images in cc6. I don't know what PS you have but this works in cc4 as well. My procedure was:
1. Download your images to Pictures.
2. Open bridge and import them.
3. Select them, right click and send them to camera raw (or PS) where you can make adjustments if you wish.
4. Select images and click on 'open images'.
5. Under file menu go down to Scripts and in pop out menu click on Load files into stack. In pop up box tick 'add open images' and then OK.
6. Select all images listed in panel on right and go to Edit menu and go down to auto align images. In popup box check auto.
7. With images still selected go to Edit menu again and go down to auto blend images. In box check 'stack'
8. Select all images in right panel and select 'flatten images'. You can now sharpen or whatever and save as jpeg with a new name wherever you want.
I hope this helps.

(Download)

martinfisherphoto Loc: Lake Placid Florida

Not the sharpest rock in the crowd, But I don't see any focus bands, looks to have worked.

oldtigger wrote:

Here is a focus-stacked composite image from your individual photos.