![]() On the other hand, Helicon Focus delivered consistent result from any stack I threw its way. What I found out after a week of working on files is that Photoshop is good most of the time but struggles when there are a lot of dark tones (such as the foreground of this 28-layer stack). What I wanted access to were the RAWS so I could use either Photoshop CC 2022 or Helicon Focus to assemble the frames. In short, I don’t care that the camera does not do the composite as that would be a JPEG file. One of the features I have been asking our engineers for that was included in this camera was the ability to focus stack and have access to the RAW files. I love guiding this workshop and as a bonus this year I got to work with the new Sony a7RV. I have returned from a three week journey to Iceland co-leading two workshops with fellow Sony Artisan Gary Hart. Twenty-eight frames composited with Helicon Focus Captured with Sony a7RV + 100-400mm (shot at 300mm) in Focus Stack Mode. I have used CombineZP, and until the fencing is complete, I shall probably stick with it for now.Focus Stacking :: Photoshop or Helicon Focus? Sunrise-lit Mountain Near Vik, Iceland. However, I have only tried it on the tabletop and not yet in the wild! I have now acquired a video monitor that sits on to of the camera as described here, which does make it simpler. Unfortunately my camera and tablet are incompatible with tethering and remote apps. The lighting is a combination of a LED ringlight and 2-4 smaller LED lights, though I use larger ones now. You can see a typical set-up here at the end of the thread. I use a folded roll of bubble-wrap and a remote shutter release. I have found that getting down to ground level to photograph fungi means that a tripod, however small, just gets in the way. I found that stacking jpegs gave good results, though in the end I did licence my version.Īs well as Photoshop I also have used Combine ZP (a free image stacking program) as an alternative to CS6 and had good results with it.(It provides several different stacking algorithms.)Thanks James. ![]() Licencing costs $48 and allows Raw captures. The unlicenced app is free but only allows JPEG image capture. (The camera can be lowered to within inches of the ground and liveview is then via the tablet, with me standing or sitting/kneeling comfortably) The Android app can be downloaded independent of the Helicon Focus stacking software package. I use the Android version because a tethered tablet is much easier to use in the wild. The Helicon Remote app comes in a number of flavours. my standard workflow is summarised below.ġ) Camera mounted on steady tripod (pretty obvious I know)ģ) Nexus 7 tablet, loaded with Helicon Remote (Android app), tethered and controlling focus stepping on the camera.Ĥ) Photoshop CS6 (or CombineZP) for the image stack.Īs well as Photoshop I also have used Combine ZP (a free image stacking program) as an alternative to CS6 and had good results with it.(It provides several different stacking algorithms.) But I found that I also wanted to have fine control over stepping the focus, I now use an android app on my Nexus tablet. I posted the following recently in a similar thread about stacked shots of Fungi. In particular, it brought out the aphid on the Asparagus that I had not noticed.Īnd the fate of the Asparagus? Very tasty! I found that the Zerene Pyramidal algorithm seemed to give optimal results in each case (although Helicon was much faster). ![]() I tried both Zerene Stacker and Helicon Focus, and the two different algorithms for each. I chose this because it was rather more robust than the dandelion clock. This had appeared in my front garden from a well-established plant that had self-seeded some years ago. My second subject was an Asparagus spear. However, I think that I have it all in focus apart from the plume at the left. The clock started off nicely symmetrical, but after me messing about with it it was rather tatty. This was repeated till the front of the subject was in focus. ![]() I then focussed as best I could on the furthest part of the subject, took a shot, and then pushed the near drinks mat a few millimetres backwards. Two drinks mats were placed flush against a ruler, and the subject placed on the further one. I have had difficulty with focussing from front to back since I do not have any fancy rail to move the camera or subject, so I devised a compromise. However this seems to be less important when using the Pyramid algorithm rather than the Depth Map. The consensus seems to be that the ideal arrangements is to focus from front to back (or vice versa). I have been trying out various Focus Stacking software. ![]()
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