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10/16/2013 12:13:16 PM · #1 |
I've recently started using focus stacking for my macro shots. I use CS6 - photomerge. I notice that the focus on each layer is sharp but when I photomerge I lose the sharpness on the entire image.
Anyone have a better way to do this or an explanation as to why this may be happening? |
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10/16/2013 12:26:23 PM · #2 |
Originally posted by Trotterjay:
I've recently started using focus stacking for my macro shots. I use CS6 - photomerge. I notice that the focus on each layer is sharp but when I photomerge I lose the sharpness on the entire image.
Anyone have a better way to do this or an explanation as to why this may be happening? |
Are you aligning the layers before merging? |
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10/16/2013 12:34:14 PM · #3 |
| ive had similar issues with that issue - i'm not sure about cs6 as i haven't felt compelled to shell out the money, but in paintshop pro x4 there is a "align images based on (border/details)" option that i have to use any time i do this (basically any time that you're not setup on a tripod and using a remote to ensure no physical shifting of the camera between shots). |
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10/16/2013 01:14:47 PM · #4 |
I have actually been doing focus stacking for at least 10 years. I used to use third-party software, but today I find that Ps does a great job with less futzing around. I regularly use this feature for work. The process for Ps is as follows:
- Save your images in a single folder
- Open Ps and choose File>Scripts>Load Images Into Stack
- In the dialog, browse to and choose the files you want to include. Note that you can choose "Folder" form the drop-down, then select a folder if you want to use all files in a folder.
- Click OK, and your files are loaded into a single Ps document as layers
- Select all the layers (click the top one, hold shift, click the bottom one)
- Select Edit>Auto-Align Layers. Leave the projection setting on Auto. Click OK, and the layers are automatically aligned (may take a little while)
- Select Edit> Auto-Blend Layers. Make sure that the "seamless tones" box is checked. Click OK, and a layer mask is created for each layer that reveals only the in-focus areas.
As with panoramas, the quality of the output depends on the quality of the input, specifically that you have all the focus planes covered adequately, and that you haven't shifted the point of view between shots. I use this all the time to enhance DoF when doing imaging through a microscope. If you think macro lens DoF is narrow, try microscopy! I regularly stack 20 to 40 images, and the time to create the stacked shot is typically a couple minutes.
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10/16/2013 01:27:54 PM · #5 |
I'm sure Kirbic's suggestion is good, but I would not dismiss third party software. The one I use is Helicon Focus Pro. It does cost a bit, but it's amazing! I have tried pretty much all of the alternatives**, and none of them come close to producing the results that Helicon does.
There is a demo, so I would suggest trying it. Some things to note:
* Read about the different methods and parameters. I wasn't getting the awesome results until I understood what these meant: //www.heliconsoft.com/helicon-focus-main-parameters/
* Also read about the atuo-adjustment parameters in the preference window. These are what allow the program to properly align, resize, and even rotate the images to line up perfectly: //heliconsoft.com/focus/help/english/navigation.html#ALS_PREFS_ACCELERATOR
**I don't have Photoshop, so I haven't tried that. |
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10/16/2013 01:34:01 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by Garry:
Originally posted by Trotterjay:
I've recently started using focus stacking for my macro shots. I use CS6 - photomerge. I notice that the focus on each layer is sharp but when I photomerge I lose the sharpness on the entire image.
Anyone have a better way to do this or an explanation as to why this may be happening? |
Are you aligning the layers before merging? |
Yes. I am checking the box that say's "align layers". |
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10/16/2013 01:43:05 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by kirbic:
I have actually been doing focus stacking for at least 10 years. I used to use third-party software, but today I find that Ps does a great job with less futzing around. I regularly use this feature for work. The process for Ps is as follows:
- Save your images in a single folder
- Open Ps and choose File>Scripts>Load Images Into Stack
- In the dialog, browse to and choose the files you want to include. Note that you can choose "Folder" form the drop-down, then select a folder if you want to use all files in a folder.
- Click OK, and your files are loaded into a single Ps document as layers
- Select all the layers (click the top one, hold shift, click the bottom one)
- Select Edit>Auto-Align Layers. Leave the projection setting on Auto. Click OK, and the layers are automatically aligned (may take a little while)
- Select Edit> Auto-Blend Layers. Make sure that the "seamless tones" box is checked. Click OK, and a layer mask is created for each layer that reveals only the in-focus areas.
As with panoramas, the quality of the output depends on the quality of the input, specifically that you have all the focus planes covered adequately, and that you haven't shifted the point of view between shots. I use this all the time to enhance DoF when doing imaging through a microscope. If you think macro lens DoF is narrow, try microscopy! I regularly stack 20 to 40 images, and the time to create the stacked shot is typically a couple minutes. |
Whoa. Let it be known that I learned something on DPC today. Cool! |
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10/16/2013 01:50:56 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by kirbic:
The process for Ps is as follows:
- Save your images in a single folder
- Open Ps and choose File>Scripts>Load Images Into Stack ... |
Will this work with PS CS2? I don't think I have that script, and that's the highest version I can access ... |
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10/16/2013 02:53:09 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Will this work with PS CS2? I don't think I have that script, and that's the highest version I can access ... |
I don't think it will. I want to say that CS4 might have been the first version to include it, but I could be mistaken (once, I thought I was wrong, but I was mistaken!)
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10/16/2013 02:58:47 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by giantmike:
I'm sure Kirbic's suggestion is good, but I would not dismiss third party software. The one I use is Helicon Focus Pro. It does cost a bit, but it's amazing! I have tried pretty much all of the alternatives**, and none of them come close to producing the results that Helicon does...
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Helicon is good. I've also used the free CombineZ, and one other that I forget. It would be interesting to see how the output from Ps compares to Helicon. Perhaps we could run a test?
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10/16/2013 03:20:02 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by kirbic:
Originally posted by giantmike:
I'm sure Kirbic's suggestion is good, but I would not dismiss third party software. The one I use is Helicon Focus Pro. It does cost a bit, but it's amazing! I have tried pretty much all of the alternatives**, and none of them come close to producing the results that Helicon does...
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Helicon is good. I've also used the free CombineZ, and one other that I forget. It would be interesting to see how the output from Ps compares to Helicon. Perhaps we could run a test? |
That sounds like it could be fun. I recently took some images to stack, so we could use those if you like.
Maybe continue in PM :) |
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10/16/2013 03:44:28 PM · #12 |
I use CS5.
Now I go to File - Automate - Photomerge. Settings: "Auto" and nothing else; remove the check that says "Blend images together" at the bottom. Add open files or browse to the ones you want. OK
Let it align the images. When it's done, select all the layers.
Go to Edit - Auto-Blend images. Choose focus stack.
For me whether working with focus stacking or images for a panorama, the critical step was removing the check that has them blended at the same time as they are aligned in File - Automate.
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10/16/2013 03:54:29 PM · #13 |
Also CS5 here and already done it a few times with success by following this method.
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10/16/2013 04:19:28 PM · #14 |
Originally posted by Nadine_Vb:
Also CS5 here and already done it a few times with success by following this method. |
Sounds like this is similar to what nam posted, and it looks like it does precisely the same thing as my method, but is a step or two shorter. In Ps, there are usually multiple ways to skin any cat, and apparently focus stacking is one of those cats!
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10/16/2013 04:35:14 PM · #15 |
You are right for sure Fritz. When I was looking on how to do it, I found numerous of methods and tried some of them.
This one I found the easiest. No hustle, no wasting time...
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10/16/2013 04:36:28 PM · #16 |
Originally posted by Nadine_Vb:
Also CS5 here and already done it a few times with success by following this method. |
This is just what I do. I forgot to say flatten at the end (which the tutorial does). Especially with a panorama, some of the blending issues that you see when the images are still on separate layers will be taken care of when you flatten. |
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