I stack all the time with a hand held MPE, up to 20 photos at one time, only because it's so boring doing more than that, and usually unnecessary as the DOF isn't too bad usually. You need Zerene stacker of course, Rik's fantastic programme. Other than that, I can't see any difficulty with stacking, other than to be steady and slow in taking your photos as you move in to change your DOF. If the stacking subject appears in too many widely varying places in each photograph, then the stacking programme can't deal with it. Maybe this is your problem?
What technique for stacking did you use? Just hand focus stacking (ring or rocking?) or a tripod mounted macro rail (what type?)
Also perhaps camera, lens, settings?
Thanks
John
Hi John
With this one I used my D800E, 90mm Tamron +DCR250. My technique was handheld (standing) and then taking photos right to left like a panorama moving slight left and in as I went ensuring I got all parts of the Robber fly. I even checked in camera and took ones that I may have missed. I then arranged in PS and then blended in PS CS5.
Scott Murray wrote:Here is my first attempt at photo stacking handheld
Looks good. The image shows an assortment of halos and soft spots like we commonly see in PS focus stacks, but those are almost unavoidable given the way this collection of images was shot. I say "collection of images" instead of "stack" because it sounds like the viewpoint was shifting around and some of the images were shot out of order. PS is actually a good tool for focus blending a collection like that because the problems it leaves tend to be areas of lost detail that are fairly innocuous, rather than streaks, ghosts, and echoes that are more easily seen.