Focus Stacking
How Focus Stacking Works
Section titled “How Focus Stacking Works”In macro photography, depth of field is extremely shallow. A single frame can only have a thin slice of the subject in focus. Focus stacking solves this by:
- Taking multiple photos at different focus distances
- Aligning the frames to correct for movement and focus breathing
- Analyzing which regions are sharpest in each frame
- Combining the sharpest regions into one fully focused composite
Stacking Methods
Section titled “Stacking Methods”Pyramid Blend
Section titled “Pyramid Blend”The default method. Works by decomposing each frame into spatial frequency bands (a Laplacian pyramid), selecting the sharpest band at each pixel location, and reconstructing the final image.
Best for: Most subjects. Smooth transitions, minimal artifacts.
Depth Map
Section titled “Depth Map”Computes a depth map from the focus stack, determining which frame has the best focus at each pixel. Uses this map to select pixel values from the optimal frame.
Best for: Subjects with fine detail — insect antennae, hair, textile fibers, and other structures where per-pixel sharpness matters more than smooth blending.
Settings
Section titled “Settings”Alignment
Section titled “Alignment”- Enabled by default — corrects for focus breathing (magnification change), camera movement, and rotation
- Disable only if your frames are already perfectly aligned (e.g., from a motorized rail with no focus breathing)
Other Parameters
Section titled “Other Parameters”Additional tuning parameters are available in Settings > Stacking. The defaults work well for most situations — only adjust these if you’re seeing specific artifacts in your results.