Improving Model Photographs Using Image Stacking Software

[Nbodger]

Thank you Tim @Aire Valley for your contribution and very kind comments

Clearly from the different examples, the 39 stacked images at F10 has delivered the best result for you. I would be interested to see how many stacks at F22 or F29 you need to achieve a similar depth of field as F10? Around 4-5?

To answer the above (hopefully) I have taken two more photographs, slightly different positioning of the camera, somebody who shall remain nameless knocked the tripod.

Now these photographs were all image Stacked at F29, which can be compared with the single shot posted the other day.

The first one has seven images taken at F29 and the second one has only three.



Seven image stack



Three image stack

Both give reasonable results but to me the 39 images stack at F10 is crisper image, now at F29 these require a multi second shutter time, which gives plenty of time for the frame to be contaminated by movement, vibrations or even breathing, you can see some shake in these images either through the dog playing in the room or myself whilst taking the images.

To take at multi second shutter time, you are better taking remotely and being nowhere near the camera

I think this proves that there are no set number of images for a focus merged photograph, it is the positioning, lighting, camera settings etc. as outlined in previous posts by both myself and Aire Valley that set the number.

For me I will stick generally with my F10 setting as it does what I want from a photograph. Also, you are probably best taking more frames than may be required, you can always remove any unwanted ones before processing, but it is more difficult to take additional ones later as you will never be able to set up everything to match the original.

Hope my ramblings and view make sense and are of help

Mike H

[NGS-PO]

For me I will stick generally with my F10 setting as it does what I want from a photograph.

There is a generally accepted reason for this, and without wishing to teach anyone how to suck eggs, it is because most lenses give their sharpest results about two or three stops from the widest aperture.  Unless you are using a particularly fast lens, this will usually be somewhere in the region of f8-f11.

Best

Scott