Focus Stacking in Macro Photography - Beginner Tutorial

MICAEL's OLYMPUS MACRO KIT
📷 Camera: OM-1 amzn.to/3Mqizvy
🔎 Main macro lens: amzn.to/4caHazG
🔎 Mini macro lens: amzn.to/3wMN75z
💥 Flash: Godox v350o
⚪️ Diffuser: bit.ly/mwakdiffuser
🔎 Closeup lens: Raynox DCR-250
🎗 This is my camera strap: amzn.to/3LJA2Ny
MICAEL's SONY MACRO KIT
🔎 My favorite macro lens: bit.ly/mwlaowa85 (I always buy Laowa lenses from their website - best price, good service, and fast, free shipping worldwide)
🔭 My favorite wildlife lens: amzn.to/3DM2meZ
💥 Flash: amzn.to/3xhpc9E
🔋 Flash batteries: www.gpbatteries.com/products/...
📷 Sony A7 IV Camera: amzn.to/3BKQ1Ij
🎗 This is my camera strap: amzn.to/3LJA2Ny
⚪️ I use this diffuser: bit.ly/mwakdiffuser
HOW I MAKE MY VIDEOS
For my indoor KZbin videos I currently use these tools that I feel give excellent results and a very simple workflow.
📷 Camera: Sony ZV-E1 amzn.to/3oBzYsc and XLR-K3M handle amzn.to/3ONbTJH
🔭 Lens: Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art amzn.to/3owvJyh
🎤 Microphone: Sennheiser MKH-416 amzn.to/45FbQpu
💡 Light: Godox SL60W amzn.to/42gcNBq with a Godox SB-UE 80cm softbox amzn.to/3qmrxBu
📷 B-camera: Sony ZV-1 amzn.to/3MEO449
💻 Editing: Macbook Pro M2 with Final Cut Pro
🎶 Music: Epidemic Sound: bit.ly/mwepidemic
For outdoor filming I prefer a small and simple setup that makes filming myself very easy and fast.
📷 Camera: DJI Pocket 3 creator combo amzn.to/3GxPwm3
🦵 Monopod that I use as a tripod: Benro A38FD amzn.to/42ibbY1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
00:00 Why do focus stacking?
03:36 How to take the photos
05:24 Focus slider / focus rail
07:25 Handheld stacking
11:00 Automated in-camera stacking
12:58 Picking photos for a stack
14:29 Preparing the photos in Lightroom
18:18 Stacking the photos in Helicon Focus
20:04 Retouching in Helicon Focus
PLEASE TALK TO ME HERE AS WELL:
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Many of the links above are affiliate links, which means that I earn a small commission if you buy something via the links - at no extra cost to you. I greatly appreciate when people use these links, as it is an important income stream to keep this channel alive. ❤️
Thank you for watching my videos. 🥰

[@MicaelWidell]

Thanks for watching! Please also visit my... 🐞 favorite gear: micaelwidell.com/#gear 🐛 lens guide: lensguide.micaelwidell.com 🪳 monthly newsletter: micaelwidell.com 🐜 instagram: instagram.com/mwroll

[@bittertruth6175]

As usual, very comprehensive covering all aspects of focus stacking photography. Excellent tutorial. Thanks.

[@toto_extreme]

Perfect timing for this video! The garden is buzzing with opportunity! Thanks for the helpful tips, Micael!

[@xinqiwang3301]

Thorough tutorial! Intuitive & easy to follow. The rear part out of focus is totally natural. Love it!

[@tiktokfavorite3070]

Great video like always. 2 or 3 years agoI learned macro photogroahy watching your videos, and continue watching all your video. I dont have instagram or other social media platform, so i dont post my pictures anywhere. When i feel lazy to shoot macro, i go back and watch one of your video and it motivates me to go out and take pictures.. I am a lorry/truck driver and drive across united states and when ever i stop at a rest area for my break, i try to go out and take pictures. You could have also included how to focus stalk in photoshop, so beginners dont have to buy an extra software 😊

[@hans6304]

What an awesome journey. Stay safe and keep on shooting! 📸📸

[@MicaelWidell]

I have a separate video on how to focus stack in Photoshop. I could have mentioned it, yes.

[@DrPhotoOnTour]

Wonderful Georgia - Much love x

[@DavidBrown-if8vn]

I'm glad you put this out there. I haven't done stacking, so it was good to run through the entire process, even though I know all the steps, so this acts as a checklist. Thanks!

[@joannaz68]

This is your another excellent video, Micael!! Perfect!

[@MicaelWidell]

Glad you liked it!

[@robintaylor7374]

great video - thanks micael

[@mygreekteacher483]

Amazing lesson, as always. Thank you.

[@matthewjeffres4640]

You are the best! Thanks for sharing this info!

[@MBroam]

Thank you Micael, this should help me get a lot better results!

[@d.k.1394]

Another great video

[@gombau]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! This is the BEST beginners tutorial about macro photography!

[@MicaelWidell]

Glad it was helpful!

[@petersplatt7561]

Thanks for another enjoyable and informative video.

[@annbiswas8138]

So helpful and informative, Micael! Thanks again for posting such a excellent, clear video!

[@MicaelWidell]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@VladimirMikota]

Great! Perfect video, very helpful! Thank you

[@MicaelWidell]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@MK-ni6gs]

Excellent tutorial, thank you very much!

[@MicaelWidell]

You're very welcome!

[@hamzawildlife]

Thanks Micael

[@wendyelle3676]

Thanks for a fantastic vid! I always wondered how folk get a decent focus stacked image when out in the wild!

[@MicaelWidell]

Glad it was helpful!

[@raffaeledicecco3997]

Bravo! Applause.

[@OldGreyGoat01]

Hey @MicaelWidell, yet another great video, thank you for sharing, I love your work 🙂

[@MicaelWidell]

Thanks so much!

[@Trish12303]

Great information Micael! I use Helicon Focus to stack, but I had no idea that the program could retouch like that, thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[@MicaelWidell]

Happy to help!

[@user-pw1le5ek6r]

Thank you so much for all the information! I learn a lot from you, thank you for existing😋

[@MicaelWidell]

Happy to help!

[@keithj30]

Great video. Helped me makeup my mind on using Helicon Focus 👍👍👍

[@MicaelWidell]

Good choice!

[@robin_arianson]

I have purchased a macro lens and flash from Meike MK320. I was inspired by you about the world of macro photography. For me, it was really fun to learn something new that I often do, namely portrait photos with human subjects.

[@laurentbadew6137]

thanks i learning many tips with this video and for helicom!!!! i win a time because of you thanks !!!!!

[@villagekitchen4470]

Thank you for the great explanation. It's very informative and easy to understand. I am waiting to buy a good macro lens for my A7 IV camera.

[@MicaelWidell]

Great to hear!

[@d.k.1394]

What a lovely bug! Gods little creatures are amazing indeed!

[@5RustyBin]

great video Micael - tempted to get helicon now - I use photoshop but it can be very slow albeit good.

[@MicaelWidell]

For big stacks it is great

[@dawiddodex3534]

Best model - George :)

[@3DThrills]

I got one of those $20 focusing rails yesterday. Very rough and choppy movement. I might try the $33 Fotoconic? Or I might just try and make something myself that glides smoothly. I use the Laowa 65mm so I have to work very closely to the subject.

[@TheToySoldierMetaaldetectie]

Tnx a lot im a starter and this is helpfull 😄

[@MicaelWidell]

Happy to help!

[@DobromirManchev]

For the exposure alignment of the stack, i think the easiest way to compare is to look at the histogram of the shots, since our eyes kinda get fooled by just looking at the pictures. At least mine do. The histogram is pretty "fool-proof" since it's just curves and very easy to see them move :P

[@michael516]

Great video. Thanks. Can you recommend a lightweight slider for beginners?

[@MicaelWidell]

I would try the NISI. I think they are a reputable brand. Haven’t tested it myself though

[@ericTrouve-wl3my]

Hi ! What is the optimum aperture to realize a focus stack ? Thanks for such a great explication !

[@douglasstemke2444]

One thing I don't get if you are using a rail. as you physically move the camera/lens the subject SIZE should change as well; as you get closer the subject gets bigger. How do you correct for that?

[@d.k.1394]

Great point

[@hans6304]

Same question please, thank you.

[@dougsmit1]

I do a lot of stacks with a WeMacro motorized rail and have really been bothered by this size problem. The secret is to compose loosely or when at the farthest point and then back up to take the series front to back even though the first shots will be smaller than you wanted. The final stacked composition will be determined by the cropping of the back image. Those of us who still use the Laowa and FF cameras Micael recommended before he went to Olympus have to use the distance change method. I understand why he likes micro 4/3 but don't have the money to follow his moves. I don't know about Helicon but Zerene Stacker can reverse the order shot or even sort input images that were shot out of perfect order. Don't get me wrong. Micael is still one of my favorite KZbinrs but I just don't have the budget to follow all of his changes in gear recommendations. I still have my Laowa 85mm and Meike mk320 he recommended and will use them until they or I am finished.

[@emanuelhardaut8253]

You can use auto align layers in photoshop and then auto blend layers to obtain the final image.

[@MicaelWidell]

As @dougsmit1 says, you can compose for the back of the subject. The stacking software will handle the difference gracefully if your photos are properly aligned otherwise.

[@cesurkarakus209]

I need your advice. I'm using my Smartphone + macro lens to take Macro photos. I have two options: 1-Taking RAW pictures: The phone doesn't let me use burst mode, so I have to wait 3-4 seconds between each shot. And 95 out of 100 photos end up blurry. 2-Using the stock camera: The phone allows me to take 30 burst photos in 1-2 seconds. I move my camera while shooting bursts, so capturing the best shot is much easier, but the output is JPEG.

[@myself3209]

Great video, great accent.

[@MicaelWidell]

Thank you! 😃

[@dampradio]

Thanks for a good video! On many (most) of your videos, you operate very close to the subject. What do you think of using av tele macro? Of course the held-the-leaf-method is not compatible with using a telephoto macro, but the risk of scaring off the insect is much less. What are your thoughts around that?

[@MicaelWidell]

Personally I am not bothered by a short working distance. I think it becomes easier to focus in macro when you use a short focal length lens. You can photograph most insects anyway, if you learn to approach them in a good way. Sure, there are some insects that are really hard to photography up close, like butterflies and dragonflies - so a telephoto macro lens can be useful for these.

[@binomair9326]

Hi man great channel , yes you can do auto flash with canon 90D and godox 860III

[@hugobettencourt84]

The flash shots for each frame in auto stacking? Only the v860iii can or the v350 also can?

[@user-dt9tf5ei6h]

❤👍👍Great! Only now I have become interested in macro photography. I sold the Olympus E-M5II a long time ago. My new Canon R10 does not have focus stacking with flash. Epic fail...

[@speedeurXJR]

Thanks for this good video micael. I have om1 and 90 mm macro, godox tt350 with the amazon batteries. When I make a in body focus stacking it flashing very slowly. Do you think I have a wrong setup or I will change to the V350 ? Thx

[@MicaelWidell]

You will get much better performance from the v350. Also make sure you haven't configured a delay between the shots in the cameras stacking settings.

[@gilleslast3561]

Hi Micael, thank a lot for tour dedication to all of those training sessions. I noticed you didn’t clean the flower on the bottom right side 😮

[@DanMusica-un9sv]

Hi Micael, just starting out in the macro world, thanks for another great tutorial, also love your your T-shirt in this video where would a person get that?

[@MicaelWidell]

It’s from Design by Humans if I remember correctly

[@EolicoJM]

OM System (and olympus lastest mid/pro cameras) can do focus bracketing (in-body focus stacking) generating a simple picture in jpeg, Canon Rf mount has "depth composite" which generates a bracketing as well in a picture. Panasonic Lumix could do it with "post focus" but they changed the processor and newer cameras only do focus stacking Other brands only do focus stacking like the video

[@stuartblink]

You can focus bracket with Fujifilm cameras and use flash. It works well with a Godox V flash with an AK diffuser. If you need more time to allow flash to recharge you can set a delay between 1 and 10 seconds between each focus bracket picture. The Fujifilm can also auto bracket if you set your front and back focus manually- it’ll then automatically calculate the number of steps. The individual photos need to be stacked in separate software such as Zerene (my preferred) or Helicon. I wish it had in cameras stacking computation such as OM systems. Although the stacking software does allow a huge amount of control for editing artefacts.

[@peterjackhandy]

And you don't even need to set your front & back focus points manually - Just use back-button focus, set them & let the camera select the number of frames - Simples. Ideal for fungi & bugs out in the woods.

[@stuartblink]

@@peterjackhandy I was doing it manually - this could save me a lot of time 🙂 Thanks

[@CarivD]

I use Helicon as a plug-in in Lightroom. Import automatically back as a dng file. I only do handheld. Unfortunately I can't take photos with just one hand, but Helicon is really great!

[@Oleg_Ivanov]

Focus stacking is my favorite feature in om-1 system. 😅 But your the method may be useful for me in some other cases...

[@MarttiSuomivuori]

Just a thought...how would exposure time stacking look like with waterfalls or ocean waves? I do not mean HDR but the blur.

[@ucuc742]

first I want to thank you for this tutorial. I have a question. May can I take macro photography with crop Sony camera (a6400)? I have a Laowa 58mm 2:1 and godox v350s.

[@MicaelWidell]

Sure. A crop sensor works great for macro. The only difference is that your insects will appear 50% larger in the frame than on full frame.

[@dinosarrus]

You have to give Helios more RAM in the settings for beeing fast. The default settings are to low in RAM for a fast work.

[@szymczak1987]

Hello. Is the Helicon software sufficient in the Light version, or is it worth paying extra for the Pro version?

[@MicaelWidell]

I don’t remember the differences

[@steveking6204]

In my experience, Helicon Focus works great with RAW files. And the output DNG file is easier to work with in Photoshop.

[@MicaelWidell]

Interesting. Perhaps it differs depending on computer and graphics card. On my Macbook Pro M2 it is like 100x faster to work with TIFF files than DNG in Helicon

[@terrygoodfellow1876]

Yes I use Windows 11. I prefer to export DNG to Helicon and save as DNG back to Lightroom. I find that quite rapid. One trick I learned was to save all of the algorithm options ... A B C .... then do a stack from these three. The difference can be successful because each of the original stacks created by the different algorithms can have marginal but marked differences in different areas of the image. The stack created from the different stacks can incorporate the best from the best.

[@CapitanHarlockisback]

Could you use a continuous burst of pictures (let’s say 6 frames per second) in manual focus stacking?

[@MicaelWidell]

Sure, if your camera and flash can handle it

[@dariofedes1049]

Hey mate! Great content! Just one question: what is the diffuser you are using in 0:37 ? Would you recommend using it? I’m considering buying a diffuser and I am a bit lost 😅 By the way, I just started making macro photography some weeks ago and I discovered your channel and it’s being really useful to me, so thank you for creating this. ❤ P.S.: your photos are awesome!

[@MicaelWidell]

Hi! The diffuser you are referring to is the Pope Shield. I no longer recommend it to people because the company that makes them is extremely unreliable - often the shipping times are several months, and some people report never receiving their diffuser. Better to pay a bit more and get better service. I recommend the AK diffuser. See link in video description.

[@DeathCoreHet]

Michael, hi! I have a question. When I read about aps-c sensor, everyone writes that the aperture equivalent is greater than a full frame. for example ff 2.8 = 4.2 aps-c. 1 question, does this provide an advantage at magnifications greater than 1:1 to increase DOF at the same aperture as full frame? Question 2: Does this increase diffraction? I understand physics well, but for some reason I just can’t understand whether the size of the sensor affects DOF and diffraction in macro photos.

[@MicaelWidell]

You don't really get an advantage with a smaller sensor because you are limited by the diffraction anyway. How much you notice diffraction depends on how small your pixels are and how great magnification you are shooting at, so the sensor size doesn't really matter. With that said, an advantage of smaller sensors is that it is easier to get very very close, as your image is essentially cropped.

[@DeathCoreHet]

Thank you!

[@DBqFetti]

11:32 Just had it tested for you. Build in Focus Stacking with flash works with Nikon. I tried it on my Z6. You must use the mechanical shutter, it won't work with the electronic shutter. Cannot help me anyway since i am using Laowa manual lenses :'(

[@MicaelWidell]

interesting! so the flash fires on every photo? is it fast (like several shots per second) and does it work well for macro?

[@DBqFetti]

@@MicaelWidell I have a Godox V1. In TTL mode it is too slow. You can set the camera to 1 second (or longer) intervalls, which works, but is lame. But manuel mode works fine. Can't tell for other flashes. And I have only manual lenses for macro where the camera cannot adjust the focus. Ill test it later with a Raynox on a normal lense and give you feedback.

[@DBqFetti]

@@MicaelWidell Ok, i had a little experiment setted up. It worked just fine with up to 30 pictures taken (didn't try more). Didn't count them. It stops when it reaches the focus end earlier. I took a record with my phone. Unfortunatly you cannot see the shifting focus because the phone overexposed the camera display. But you can tell that the image exposures are all equaly. So every flash was shot. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qmbbe42ig9iFd6ssi=jwAi4vwHHCEsxuyB I can upload the pictues if you wish.

[@jamie6692]

How do you get the flash to sync with the shutter at frame rates faster than 1/50 s with your OM-1? My E-M1.2 only does focus stacks with the electronic shutter that can't sync faster than 1/50 s, any faster than that and I get black bars in the image from the rolling shutter effect. Is there a way around this?

[@MicaelWidell]

There is no way around this. Your cameras has an upper limit of 1/50 s for bracketing. The OM-1 is the only camera where that limit is 1/100 s.

[@listen_to_english_audiobooks]

I don't know how you get such good results in Helicon Focus. I've tried this tool several times and I've always got a photo with many blurred lines accross the photo.

[@listen_to_english_audiobooks]

When I do these same thing in Adobe Photoshop, I get good clear result!

[@MicaelWidell]

Might depend on the subject, begin with simple subject without a lot of antennas and legs :) And focus really hard on keeping the camera and the subject steady, and keeping the same angle towards the subject throughout the stack.

[@davidmoore4940]

DSLR owner here. I am finding it difficult to determine when an eye is in focus when using my OVF. How often do you use EVF "focus peaking or the manual focus with magnify" feature with your mirrorless camera(s)?

[@MicaelWidell]

I use these features a lot. But it is possible to train yourself to nail focus without them.

[@rantonvideo]

Great tutorial. Perhaps you should have explained that on Olympus cameras it is appropriate to set a flash charging time of 0.1 sec and that in order to maintain this high charging speed for all the frames of the stacking, the flash must be powered by an lithium battery. Greetings from Italy.

[@LisaTom.Photos]

My charging time is set to zero, you only need to change it if you are using a non-Olympus flash. I use the fl700wr flash, which doesn't have a lithium battery (yet?!)

[@rantonvideo]

​@@LisaTom.Photos The Recycle Time of lithium battery is significantly better: Olympus FL700WR Approx. 1.5 to 2.5 Seconds - Godox V350: Approx. 0.1 to 1.7 Seconds. This is essential for sequences of focus bracketing and focus stacking.

[@LisaTom.Photos]

@@rantonvideoI routinely Focus stack using the fl700 flash using 10-15 stacks and there is no wait time. I keep the charge time at 0 (unlike Godox where I have to enter a charge time). The 15 images are each 1/100 sec and the entire set of stacks is like 1/4 of a second. I am using manul flash and not at full power, so recycle time is fast. The OM cameras sync better with the Olympus flashes. Yes, I would prefer a fl700 II for the environment and for the total longevity vs AA. and many of the Godox flashes no longer talk to OM cameras for computational technologies, they final high res or the final focus stack does not work.

[@Monik74nina]

Good evening , I updated my Sony A1 to firmware 2.0 and it gave me a lot of problems. I just updated to the new version 2.1 and the problems are still the same. Do you have a solution? One of the main ones is that I don't have a connection to the mobile and I can't use anything from creators. Thank you.

[@MicaelWidell]

I think you should ask Sony, not me

[@Hari_Kumar04]

Hi sir, can we do photo stacking on iphone!? I dont hv laptop

[@MicaelWidell]

I don't know any such software. But it might exist.

[@slyne1000]

Micael, where can you find the stacking software?

[@MicaelWidell]

www.heliconsoft.com/heliconsoft-products/helicon-focus/

[@jpl5007]

The problem with moving the camera vs zooming is that you are changing your perspective if ever so slightly when you are moving the camera, which makes blending in post harder.

[@MicaelWidell]

Not a problem in real life though, as the software handles this

[@terrygoodfellow1876]

Yes at small magnification it's not a really big problem. But if the stack is deep AND the magnification factor is large AND the subject contrast is low THEN the software often struggles because even minute advances towards the subject make large differences in the angle of view. Cosine sine and tangent from High School mathematics.

[@AllTernative90]

focus bracketing works with flash on alpha 6700. the minimal shutter without HSS is 1/160s. it works quite well in my opinion //edit: only 2 pictures per second though, so its far worse than OMs

[@MicaelWidell]

interesting! so the flash fires on every photo? is it fast (like several shots per second) and does it work well for macro?

[@AllTernative90]

@@MicaelWidell the Godox V350 does not fire on every photo, but it may be faulty, as you mentioned before yourself (at times only 6/10 images with flash). I'm looking for a replacement and then I'll probably be able to verify this. The Godox V860iii does fire on every shot and focus bracketing works well with it, although it takes only 2 images per second. I'm not sure how much faster it is with OM systems.

[@AllTernative90]

I have to backpedal a bit. Its only 2 images per second but it works. However I just tried a regular series of images and the camera can do 11 per second with flash, however not as a focus bracket. So yeah, it works, but I guess it's better to not use it as its way slower compared to regular hi speed shooting

[@user-pw1le5ek6r]

What is the name of this software? Can Ai tools reach this level of accuracy without messing around?

[@MicaelWidell]

Helicon Focus

[@christopherwarren1824]

I think the Nikon has focus stacking

[@dennismwallentin296]

Micael, focus bracketing and using flash is doable on Canon RF when using Autofocus. OM System is not the only system that is capable of doing it. I have tested it/using it on both FF and APS-C of Canon RF.

[@MicaelWidell]

Strange, I heard from other people that the flash will only fire on the first frame in the stack on Canon RF. So the flash fires on all frames for you? And how fast is it? Several shots per seconds as in Olympus?

[@dennismwallentin296]

@@MicaelWidell Please accept my sincerely apologize for making a statement that is not true. I have borrowed a friend's OM-1 with several Zuiko lenses. Since then I have been moving between my Canon R6/R/50 and the OM-1 making extensive tests. Somehow I managed to mix the systems 😵‍💫 Thank you for pointing out the mistake in a friendly way. As for Canon's setting "ETLL" there is an option to use the flash for either the first picture or for all pictures. No matter which option is selected we only get the output "first picture" which I consider to be a bug in the software.

[@ericTrouve-wl3my]

Hi ! What is the optimum aperture to realize a focus stack ? Thanks for such a great explication !

[@MicaelWidell]

Depends on the magnification and your requirements for sharpness. On the OM system I typically do stacks at an aperture between f/7.1 and f/9.

[@ericTrouve-wl3my]

Hi ! What is the optimum aperture to realize a focus stack ? Thanks for such a great explication !

[@terrygoodfellow1876]

Use the sweet spot of your lens. Normally about two stops down from wide open. Then use the "right" number of stacks rather than trying to use the minimum number with wide depth of focus.