Focus stacking

Samko

Hey.

I just wonder how your work flow is when you want to focus stack a landscape photo, so everything is sharp and at the same time need to bracket for the HDR ?

sevencrossing

http://forum.nikonrumors.com/discussion/2848/what-is-the-best-focus-stacking-software/p1

Ironheart

Focus stacking landscapes can be more problematic than with macro. If you are using a consumer zoom, and even some high-end primes, you will soon become familiar with the term "focus breathing". Basically from a workflow perspective you process the HDR bracketing first, and then the focus bracketing. General wisdom is that proper hyperfocal technique will win out over stacking, but to each his own.

proudgeek

I'm not sure how you'd focus stack a landscape and shoot it in HDR. You're essentially changing two variables with each image: the focal plane and the shutter speed.

WestEndFoto

Yeah, unless you need to get that rock six inches in front of the lens in focus, you don't need to focus stack. Well, that would be at 14mm, but even at longer focal lengths, the principle still applies.

Ironheart

I'm not sure how you'd focus stack a landscape and shoot it in HDR. You're essentially changing two variables with each image: the focal plane and the shutter speed.

You have to do both. If you want three focus stacks, and three exposure brackets, you need 9 photos. You process the HDR first and then the focus stack. Not hard, but time consuming.

Samko

Yes i want to have everything in focus. Its just a little bit hard if I focus on the for-mid-background that is 3 exposures, and on every focus do a bracket of 3 exposures thats is 9 shots i will need to stack.

Or is it possible to overexposure the foreground (in focus) do a correct exposures in the middel (in focus), and a under exposure on the backround (in focus). Background could be a sunset. That would be 3 exposures.

Samko

@Ironheart

Then i need to create 3 HDR photos, and merge the 3 HDR photos ( focus stack ) . Hmm doubt the IQ going to be nice and sharp after all that. Im new at this but i need to learn it.

Vipmediastar_JZ

I'm not sure if this is a good suggestion Camranger does both HDR and Focus stacking but I'm guessing seperately not together but reaching out them might be a great idea. I have no experiene with it but I'm considering it or an alternative. Camranger

Ironheart

@Samko, you have just hit upon the crux of the issue and why you don't see more folks doing this. The amount of sharpness lost during the HDR processing makes the focus stacking a bit less sharp in the end. I think that folks that have gone down this path have determined you get better and more in focus with proper hyperfocal technique (see my comment above) than you do with focus stacking on top of HDR. Also, you tend to wind up with hyper-realistic photo where everything is in focus that is actually hard to look at and for your brain to process. Also, you wind up with no focal point (pun intended) for the eye/brain to latch onto. This is of course subjective, but you understand what I'm saying.

Samko

Ou yes, i know what ur thinking. When i did HDR just to learn it, it was wierd for me to look at a shaddow area and you can see everything. And i guess its the same with every detail in focus, its like to much info on one sight. But maybe somebody like that style of a photos.

I just wanted to learn it and maybe never use. I have been taking photos for a year now (d90), and love it. Want to lear it all , but i should focus on something else and learn the more important things like composition and light to improve, rather then focus stack and HDR .

Thanks for answers.