How to Use Focus Stacking for Macro Photography

Last year, I finally gave in and tried out the focus shift (or focus stacking, whichever term you prefer) on my Nikon Z8 to see if it made much of a difference. Turns out, it does—but it also adds a lot more work to the final image. At the time, I only created a couple of final images—maybe two total—until the spring blooms arrived this year. This was mainly to the amount of work involved in the final image, but once you build up some muscle memory on how to do it, you can get into a flow of creating a great focus stacked final image.

I’m now using a Nikon D850 (older tech, I know), but I can still use the same method. In fact, you can use the focus shift technique with a fully manual camera if you wanted to do so. But focus shift is by far the best method I’ve found for dealing with shallow depth-of-field situations, especially when you want to isolate the background more than you typically can with a stopped-down lens.

What is Focus Shift Stacking?

If you're into macro or flower photography, you’ve probably faced the challenge of getting your entire subject in sharp focus. This is where the focus shift method (also called focus stacking) comes in. Instead of taking just one photo at a single focus point, focus stacking involves capturing a series of images, each focused at slightly different distances. These are then merged using software to create one perfectly sharp image from front to back.

This technique is especially useful when working with a shallow depth of field, where only a narrow slice of your subject is in focus. By gradually shifting the focus through the depth of the subject, you capture sharp details at every layer.

Why Use Focus Stacking in Flower Photography?

When photographing flowers, especially up close, the depth of field is incredibly shallow—even when using a smaller aperture like f/11 or f/16. Stopping down can help, but it also brings in more background detail, which isn’t always ideal when you want to isolate your subject.

That’s why focus stacking in flower photography has become my go-to method. It allows me to get sharp details on petals, stems, and leaf blades without having to sacrifice background blur or bokeh. With focus shift, you get the best of both worlds: clarity and separation. But it takes practice.

Nikon D850 Focus Shift: Key Settings to Use

Last year, I experimented with focus shift photography using my Nikon Z8. The results were impressive, but I didn’t dive deep into using this method until the spring blooms rolled around again. Now in 2025 I'm using a Nikon D850 ("old" technology compared to the Z8) and yes, this “older” camera is fully capable of focus stacking, too.

The Nikon D850 has a built-in focus shift shooting feature that lets you control:

• The number of shots
• Focus step width (how much the focus shifts per shot)
• Interval time between each frame

In fact, even if you're shooting with a manual lens or an older setup, you can still do focus stacking manually—it just takes more time and precision. You can even use this technique with film if you wanted to really slow down the process.

Focus Stacking Workflow: Lightroom to Photoshop

Like I said above, I'm using the Nikon D850 but it works with just about any modern camera. Here’s my typical focus stacking workflow:

• Capture a series of images using the D850’s focus shift mode.
• Import the photos into Lightroom and make minor adjustments.
• Open the series in Photoshop for focus stacking.
• Use the “Auto-Align” and “Auto-Blend” layers options to stack the sharp areas.
• Export the final image back to Lightroom for finishing touches.

This is a simplified version of what I do, but I pretty much follow the exact method in the video below. This might sound like a lot of work for one image, but the results are absolutely worth it.

Sample Images: Iris and Gladiolus Focus Stacks

Take the image of the Iris bloom here as an example. I started with a shot focused near the front of the flower and ended several frames later at the back. The final result came out "mostly" in focus from front to back—though I didn’t quite reach the full depth, I still love the result.

Another favorite from that day was the pink and white Gladiolus below. That image was made from a stack of about 10 shots. I intentionally kept the very front and back slightly soft to draw more attention to the center of the bloom. The stem and leaf blades came out in crisp detail, which would have been nearly impossible to achieve at that distance with just one shot.

Tips for Better Depth of Field Control

• Start your focus in front of the subject and work backward.
• Use a tripod for consistency (this is really a required step).
• Avoid windy conditions—motion ruins stacks.
• Don’t overdo the number of shots. Sometimes 8–12 is more than enough. I often shoot 40-50 images per stack but only end up using about 10 for each final image.
• Use Live View focus on the Nikon D850 for precision. If using a DSLR this helps but all mirrorless cameras are pretty much live use all the time.

Best Camera Settings for Nikon D850 Focus Bracketing

For most of my flower photography stacks, these are the Nikon D850 settings I use:

• Number of shots: 20–30 (depending on subject depth)
• Focus step width: 3–5 (experiment based on lens)
• Interval: 0 to 1 second
• Exposure smoothing: OFF (unless lighting is inconsistent)
• Silent photography: ON (optional, but helpful)

These can vary depending on the lens and subject, but this is a good starting point for most macro photography with focus stacking. If the sun and clouds are coming in and going out of each shot it will make a final stack more inconsistent and harder to get just right all around.

Final Thoughts on Using Focus Shift in Macro Photography

Focus stacking isn’t an exact science. Your results will vary depending on how many images you shoot, how stable your setup is, and what software you use. But if you’re serious about capturing detailed, sharp macro images, especially in flower photography, the focus shift method is a powerful tool.

Video Instructions for Focus Stacking on a Nikon D850

If you’re new to this, I highly recommend checking out the video I’ve embedded below. It’s one of the best and most beginner-friendly guides to using the focus stacking feature on the Nikon D850. It walks you through the entire process, step-by-step, without overwhelming you.

Focus shift may add more time to your post-processing workflow, but the results speak for themselves. One final note on lenses. The lens I used was the Nikon 105mm f/2.8 Macro AF-S (f-mount), but just about anything with AF will work if you want to use the automated capture. If you want to use a MF lens, just take a shot, move focus, take another, move focus, etc. It will work the same.

Nikon has some good information on the method specifically for the Nikon D850 if you want to check that out. Adobe also has some tutorials mostly geared towards landscape but it's good too. If you are into Helicon Software they have a how to as well.

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