I know a clean stack is always better but still, impressive recovery.

Would you mind elaborating roughly how you attacked this one?

Edit:
I'm sure my monitor is not calibrated perfectly but I see lots of noise in the background on the last one

Thanks Lauriek

It seems impossible to be able to stack the antennae as they are so long and always moving. I am wondering if a larger aperture frame for just them with a bit of levels/exposure tweaking would help.

Super crisp stacks, they make me want to take pictures of flowers without bugs on, almost :D The 3rd has an Urta Barth vibe, really tranquil http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z1V1EsZVIZY/TFlvkQgsxLI/AAAAAAAAAL4/4XsZA2ZHWl4/s1600/uta_barth.jpg And thanks for the Stereo, I love to scroll down after a good ima...

So it seems I have run out of pitfalls to trip up on and finally producing some images I am not ashamed to post :) Feedback and criticisms much appreciated on all aspects, no need to be gentle. I'd love to be able to create stacks that didn't look like stacks, larger DOF but still selective. All tak...

Beautiful shots, the light is just perfect on the first two portraits.

Superb

That's really helpful, thanks again.

Apologies for asking dumb questions, I think I understand now - sensor sizes and keeping track of all the other variables is a nightmare for a noob.
I will try some mpe shots with a friends larger sensor so hopefully it will sink in.

Thanks
Liam

Thanks Brian, that explains it.

Can the 430ex get enough light on the subject at 5x mag to add the 2x the right way round?

Do you get 1:1 with the mpe zoomed out all the way on the 5D or less mag?

Thanks, your help is appreciated

Well I thought I spotted one but you got the other 3 past me, really clean stacks. What effect has a reversed teleconverter? I was considering a 2x for the mpe I just got as the working distance is brutal after using 100mm macro and extension tubes. Also, can the 430ex get enough light on the subjec...

Stunning shots LordV, love the way the colour on the back is shown in the last one.

Wot no stacks

Found plenty long bodied 1.8 degree hybrid steppers from 20 to 40 quid but there are no 0.9 versions actually made according to a very knowledgeable gent I spoke to at total control systems. He warned me away from cheap chinese motors and offered me the square smaller bodied 0.9 degree NEMA 11 for £...

I think a NEMA 11 will fit as the bolt hole distance (23mm) and the shaft diameter are spot on. Other sizes shaft will fit but not with the bolt holes. It looks like I will be limited to 1.8degree instead of 0.9 degree which would give me 400 increments per mm, 2.5micron I think. It's way more accur...

AndrewC, or anyone that can help really The linear stage arrived today and is pretty smooth with no noticeable slack or slop. There's 2 numbers listed on the side and the end but alas google doesn't bring me up any data sheets or anything. It looks as though the stepper motor shaft fits into a round...

Wow, what a lot of information :D Thank you. Had to read a few times throughout the day and a couple after tea for it to sink in but you answered a couple of other things for me too. I have used a mix of those stacking techniques but it is useful to draw those finer distinctions. That muddy terminol...

I realize you can pick any image to retouch from of course but an edge to touch up is always a decent way from the background it sits on, especially in large stacks. Then you have the issue of waiting for the retouch tool to load up that image before you can actually work. I know you can save at any...

Here seems like a good place, your answers may be of help to others also. Be gentle though, i'm still in the asking stupid questions stage. I realize I have far from perfect stacks and ZS wasn't designed for this but your 'trick' does indeed produce exactly what I was looking for, I feel a tad silly...