Focus Stacking in a Box
The Nikon D800E is proving to be a real game changer for me and
I will tell you why. Since, for some reason, it seems I can push
aperture beyond f/11 with some lenses and the result has a pretty
good depth-of-field. Of course, bokeh becomes a problem as in:
there isn’t much, but the allure of a one-shot photo with no artifacts
and decent DOF field is tempting.
And, of course, with live subjects there is no contest. Live critters
can seldom be focus-stacked, except on rare occasions or very
early on a cold-ish morning.
I find myself asking the question, what is it that I want? Am I so
addicted to stacking that the process itself is a big part of the
appeal (which it is) or am I just after photos. The answer is both.
Aside from the process, it is true that the effects of focus stacking
on the finished photo itself is part of the charm of that technique.
The process of photography for me is very healing, but that process
is not limited just to focus stacking. Any repetitive technique is
something I can respond to. Putting the process aside for the
moment, as for the resulting photo, I don’t care what process is
used as long as the finished photo captures what I am after, usually
with some emotional character.
This shot taken with the Nikon D800E, f/13, 500th, ISO 400 is a
two-layer stack, but I have dozens of good single shots which tells
me that the single-shot D800E photo will replace some part
(perhaps a good part) of my photos. There is no reason to stack if I
can get what I want with a single shot. I include a couple of single
shot photos below.