A beginner's guide to focus stacking

Focus stacking is a shooting method where you take multiple shots at slightly different focus distances ('bracketing') and then blend or 'stack' them into a single image so that more of a subject or scene is in focus. You can combine your images using editing software, or using the in-camera focus stacking tools in Canon cameras.

When you're shooting very close to your subject, you will typically use a wide aperture (low f-number) to let in as much light as possible. However, this gives you a very narrow depth of field, which means that much of the subject or the scene is out of focus. Focus stacking can unlock a world of hidden beauty and intricate detail in macro photography, but it's also ideal for landscapes when you want a scene to be sharp from front to back.

With over a decade of experience shooting for nature publications, professional macro photographer Matt Doogue is an expert at manual focus stacking. However, cutting-edge features inside Canon's EOS R System mirrorless cameras can help you achieve the same result without any editing at all. Using the Canon EOS R7 and EOS R10's in-built focus bracketing and stacking features, it's possible to get mesmerising close-ups with minimal effort.

Choosing the best beginner macro kit is important for focus stacking, but you also need practical ways to use it. In this guide, discover how Matt uses focus stacking for stunning shots of nature – both manually and in-camera. With a few tips on how to shoot macro and the latest Canon EOS R System lineup, you'll soon be capturing powerful pin-sharp photos.

Regardless of the method you use to stack your images, the first stage in the process is to take a series of pictures at different focus settings to capture the full depth of field of the subject you are photographing. This is called focus bracketing, and almost every Canon EOS R System camera has a feature that automates the process, taking a series of shots with the focus distance incremented from shot to shot, which you can then combine.

"The bracketing feature works from the nearest point of focus on your subject," Matt explains. "It automatically changes the focal distance of the lens, taking a shot at each increment that you have chosen in the menu, effectively shrinking the scene."

You will need to ensure your lens is set to autofocus (AF) mode – for lenses without an AF/MF switch, set the AF mode in the camera menu. Using a wide-angle lens means you can crop in to the final image to ensure that the whole subject remains in the frame.

Matt found the focus bracketing menu very easy to set up and use. "Once you have done a few stacks you understand what each option does," he says.

When you're ready, simply press the shutter button to start taking photos. A counter on the top corner of the LCD indicates the number of photos remaining.

The Canon EOS R7 and EOS R10 simplify the process by also stacking your sequence of images automatically in-camera, removing the need for processing work on a computer. "The ability to produce a composite image in camera is a real game-changer," says Matt. "The individual images are saved alongside a depth-composited image, so the result appears immediately. However, as the camera retains the single frames of the stack, you can also still process them yourself or use them individually."

In-camera stacking is available with every exposure mode on the EOS R7. "I would suggest using Manual (M), as this gives you full control of the camera and ultimately how the final image will look," says Matt. "You'll need a faster shutter speed to avoid camera shake when shooting handheld, which can be achieved by setting a higher ISO and wider aperture."

It's a good idea to take a test shot, to ensure you're happy with your settings, and it's also important to keep the camera stable. "I almost always use a tripod with internal stacking as I want to minimise my impact on the movement of the frames," Matt explains. However, this isn't ideal for live subjects. "In those scenarios, having a faster shutter speed and higher ISO helps to combat any unintentional movement introduced by the photographer," he adds. The EOS R7's in-built image stabilisation gives Matt extra leeway to shoot handheld.

The number of frames you need to shoot depends on the subject, but with in-camera stacking, Matt has been able to combine hundreds of frames for subjects as small as a grain of salt. "For landscape stacking, you would naturally use a narrower aperture or wider depth of field, so you won't need to take as many frames – especially as you're capturing larger areas of focus at one time," he explains. He also adds that with macro work, using a too-narrow depth of field when stacking can lead to diffraction – an optical effect which limits the quality of your images – and loss of light.

If you don't have a camera with a built-in stacking function, you can combine your images using software such as Canon's free Digital Photo Professional (DPP), which has a dedicated Depth Compositing tool. "DPP will align and blend the sharpest parts of each image to create a final image with an extended depth of field," says Matt.

Despite embracing the time-saving tech in the Canon EOS R7 and EOS R10, Matt believes that manual focus stacking is still useful. "The traditional method of focus stacking is the hardest but allows more room for creativity, and it's accessible to anyone," he says. "You also have greater freedom over light choices as some of the in-built features don't work with a flash unit."

If your Canon camera doesn't offer focus bracketing or in-camera stacking, it's easy to try manual focus stacking. "The principles are the same, except the user has to take each shot and then process them into a composite stacked image," Matt explains. Manual exposure and focus are key. "Turn off autofocus (AF) and manually focus on the nearest point of your subject," he says. "Use your camera's Live View mode to zoom in on the subject and ensure precise focus if it can do so."

Lighting is important whichever method you choose to use for focus stacking. Not enough light, and the shutter speed might be too slow to freeze movement, but if you add in too much, the result can be harsh. For Matt, "natural light is great at retaining the iridescence and colours of a subject, which can sometimes be made flat by external light sources."

Matt adds external lighting if the daylight isn't adequate. "Constant lights (LEDs) are accessible, lightweight and can be placed anywhere around your subject, leading to more dynamic angles," he says.

Matt's stacking settings don't change much, but he adjusts his aperture depending on subject size, how many stacks are required and the magnification. "My ISO is usually around 320 when using flash, and my shutter speed is around 1/160 sec," he notes.

Canon's focus bracketing menu takes the guesswork out of capturing multiple images, while the cutting-edge in-camera depth compositing function in the Canon EOS R10 and EOS R7 simplifies the process, saving you time by removing the need for post-processing and enabling you to focus on more creative decisions such as composition and exposure. Manual focusing is still a great approach when you need the most control.

Matt believes whatever method you use focus stacking makes the mundane look magnificent. "Focus stacking transforms the ordinary into extraordinary," he says. From macro to landscapes, Canon's easy-to-use focus stacking tools will enable you to capture striking images that are pin-sharp from front to back.


Written by Lauren Scott and Andrea Ball