Macro stacking in Photoshop

Question

Although I am not new to macro photography with a SLR using either extension rings or bellows to take good pictures on 35mm film, however I am new to using a dSLR. I have a Canon EOS 760D and use extension rings, bellows and magnification lens filters. I also have a canon 60mm USM macro lens which I now use nearly all the time for macro work. I get pretty good single pictures but struggle with deep depth of field. I take a series of picture and load them in to my stacking software, press the button and wait expectantly. What I get is a single picture but of all the pictures superimposed on each other but getting bigger or smaller, no picture of all the pictures becoming one with deep depth of field. I also use Lightroom, Elements 13 & Photoshop 13. Can the 760D be used to stack?? What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

I'm not sure about the other software, but in Photoshop it's a 2-stage process...

1. File Menu > Automate > Photo Merge...
   Leave as Auto, set to Files, choose your source images via the Browse... button, uncheck Blend Images Together [which annoyingly resets itself every time] then OK.

[This seems to be about where you got to already]
Whether you're changing focus, zoom, or using a focussing rail, the images will be different-sized as you step back. The import will stack so the subject stays aligned, but the edges will always have errors.

Once the pictures have imported, each to a separate layer, then

2. Shift-select all the layers, then Edit Menu > Auto-Blend Layers
   Set to Stack Images - seamless colours & content-aware fill I usually leave on.
   Hit OK.

If you're lucky & have sufficient contrast, you can get a very nice focus stack.