> > On 8/23/2013 3:17 PM, Johnie Stafford wrote:
> >> Has anybody used both Focus Magic and Helicon Focus? One of the
> >> things I will be photographing a lot is Model Railroad layouts and
> >> those really need a focus stacker to give better results.
> >>
> >> Johnie Stafford
> >> McKinney, TX
As Chuck points out Combine Z is not out of anyone's budget range, i.e.
FREE. The current version only handles 8 bit files which is a
significant downside, but it overall works well
if the raw files (or scanned film for that matter) are processed well.
The user interface is a bit clunky and make sure you find the more
comprehensive menu. The default smoothing radius is quite small
leading to sharper images but the transition zones are visible at high
mag inspection unless fussed with. I usually export the file to PS.
FM can be used nicely after stacking as in
processing any image. Moose has skillfully pushed its boundaries to
help "alter" the plane of focus but FM with the deconvolution appears
to excel at fixing minor perturbations.
I am glad Chuck mentioned Alan Hadley is working on a 64 bit version.
The "pyramid" stacking algorithm freezes in 64 bit windoze but I bet
would be OK in a virtual machine.
The other methods are usually OK anyway for most images. Oh, don't
forget to turn the default sharpening waaaaay down. Let me know if you
can't find where that hides.
Zerene Stacker is well thought of as well and does handle 16 bit files
and runs in 64 bit.
I have been thinking about trying some "macro landscapes" using a wide
angle to go from about 1:4 to infinity but haven't quite sorted how to
keep the entrance pupil stationary (almost certainly required for this)
and still getting infinity focus on a bellows w/o mount surgery. I
think Jeff K mentioned some T mount lenses might work. The "field of
dreams" shot reminded me
of that.
Stacking'em, Mike
Oh, here is from the Yahoo users group. I haven't checked in many
months:
"Sorry about the delay answering some posts, I have had other
commitments due
to a family problem.
I have now stopped adding new features to CombineZM and CombineZP, in
favour
of work on the upcoming new program, so I will not be adding any feature
requests to the older programs.
Hopefully this request, and many other things on peoples wish lists,
plus
known bugs like the .tiff saving problem on Win7 will be solved with
this
new version.
The new program will be targeted at newer machines with multicore CPUs
and
plenty of RAM, it will be 64 bit and with floating point pixels (better
than
16 bit).
The feature list for the program is growing, it is involving a lot of
work
to add the new stuff but I think it will be worth waiting for.
Large parts of the program are now working, but it would not be fare to
expect anyone to try it as there is still a lot to add and parts that
are
there may change as I add new features, and Image Magick version 7, one
of
the libraries the program uses is only at an alpha testing stage..
In case anyone is interested I am adding most of the functionality that
is
in the VTK "Visualization Tool Kit" and OCV "Open Computer Vision"
libraries. These will enable graphing, interactive 3d modelling (like CT
scans etc.), automatic object recognition and tracking (some in real
time
using a web cam etc.), and many other advanced image processing
features.
There are many new tools for retouching and analysing existing images,
and
drawing aids for adding to (including labelling etc.) existing or new
images. And of course you'll still be able to focus stack.
Please be patient, it is on the way but no definite finish date yet.
P.S. I am sorry if it upsets any commercial software houses, but it will
still be FREE :-)
Alan"
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