John,
Your comments show a very defensive position with regard to focus stacking, constantly hiding behind your handheld, no crop and preferred composition BS, then attacking anyone that doesn't follow your self-defined "rules" as "inferior". Don has shown some very attractive stacked insect images IMO, and hope will post more in spite of your "rules"!
Maybe your lack of ability, or technique, or equipment, or whatever limits focus stacking for you,
Nope, cause anyone can focus stack. It's easy if all you're doing is just stacking without concerning yourself with composition and lighting, and that's why most people gravitate toward it
If "anyone" can focus stack lets see your focus stacks, you certainly qualify as "anyone"!!
BTW focus stacking for some subjects with highly reflective surfaces, lighting can be very difficult, even more so than a single shot.
but this is a highly effective means for everyone else to produce stunning images of all sorts of subjects when DoF and diffraction are barriers. Many of these images are ascetically pleasing and technically precise and correct, take a look at Levon Biss and his work, which he did for the Oxford Muesum.
https://fstoppers.com/bts/10000-photos-go-making-these-stunning-three-meter-insect-prints-127799
Take a close lok at his images, because he's an actual photographer. Those shots are not only well composed but the lighting is spot on -and that's why people like his images.
You bet, he's a real photographer, understands DoF and diffraction limitations and is using focus stacking to create a stunning result :-O
The detail is just icing on an already tasty cake...
Wrong, the detail is what makes this image, why it's viewed at 3 meters, and that's EXACTLY why he is using 10,000 images to render this final image. The stunning detail and sharpness is what makes the image, and I can guarantee he's not shooting F66!!
This is what's called Stack & Stitch where multiple image sessions in X&Y are stacked in Z, then "stitched" together in a 2D panorama. Extremely difficult, requires tremendous skill and knowledge, not to mention a complete understanding of DoF, Diffraction, image perspective, and very detailed lenses characteristics. So in way like focus stacking on steroids :-O
Like you said, I'm sure "anyone" can do this. Care to give it a try ;-)
BTW this thread is about "Alternate Stacking Concepts for Extreme Macro Use", for folks in the know involved in focus stacking at the Extreme, let's keep it to that topic or not comment. Constructive criticism is welcome and encouraged, but your biased self-defined anti-stacking "rules" of macro photography are not!!
Best,
I don't have an anti stacking rules, and don't care if you or anyone else focus stacks. It's just another tool in a macro shooter's tool box. But it is not, nor will it ever be, "the tool" for shooting macro...
Sure you do, you've already stated those "self-proclaimed rules" against focus stacking many times!! Here's your quote from this morning, just in case you have short term memory loss!
"Both of which were most likely judged by someone who also focus stacks and doesn't care about composition or lighting..."
You made this absolutely absurd comment without even viewing the images mentioned!!
No one here that's done focus stacking has ever said that stacking is the only method for macro work, it's another very powerful tool allowing knowledgeable unbiased folks to work around DoF and Diffraction limitations just like Levon and others have, and will continue to do!
So lets move on to the intent of this thread to allow folks to engage and experiment in Focus Stacking for Extreme Macro with a more DIY low cost approach.
Best,
