Question for those that use Focus Magic

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

10/25/2005 06:02:20 PM · #1

How do you know whether to use the "focus" tool or the "fix motion blur"? Is there a trick to it or something specific that you look for? I keep playing around with some of my pictures and it's really hard to tell what settings to use. (plus the pictures are so large, they look different afterwards when I go back & look at them regular anyway.) Right now I'm still using the free downloaded version to see if I like it. I only have about 4 more pics that I can try before my time is up using the free download.

Neil

Fujifilm X-T30

10/25/2005 06:04:39 PM · #2

Originally posted by pianomom:

I look for "ghosting". The lines of something, or the edges, appearing twice. You need to see that anyway in order to tell what direction the camera was moved in.

10/25/2005 06:09:39 PM · #3

I guess I must be having problems "reading" what the program is telling me.

10/25/2005 06:16:41 PM · #4

Usually motion blur is only in one direction or on portions of the image or following the path of some moving object whereas focus is bad all over.

One thing I do when I use it is to view the pic at 100% or larger to determine the blur width and direction if it is motion. The past few times I have used it I viewed the pic at a size where I could start to see pixelation and determined blur width that way. The results were much better.

10/25/2005 06:31:18 PM · #5

Yeah, when I pull up my pictures on it, they're pretty huge.

"Usually motion blur is only in one direction or on portions of the image or following the path of some moving object whereas focus is bad all over."
text
I'll try to remember that & see if I can tell the difference.

10/25/2005 06:50:23 PM · #6

Hmm...let me rephrase that. I open the images I want to use Focus Magic on in PhotoImpact and view them at the larger sizes to determine the blur width, etc. and when I know that I open them in Focus Magic and run the program. Just makes it easier for me I guess since a click of a button and I can view the image anywhere from 1% to 1200 % original size. I am sure PS can do this to.

10/25/2005 07:41:13 PM · #7

Oh, ok, that makes sense. Thanks :)

10/26/2005 07:49:57 AM · #8

It does seem to allow better results with one run through. I usually enlarge the pic until it starts to get pixelated and I can count them.

10/26/2005 10:32:49 AM · #9

So, you count the pixels and that tells you what number to select?

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

10/26/2005 11:37:00 AM · #10

Yes. The blur width is the width in pixels of the blur, right? So if you enlarge the view of the pic (which is not enlarging the pic itself, just the view) until you can see the pixels allows you to actually count the number you need to set the value for in FM. You cannot go so big that everything is just pixelated blur, but you can get, if you know the area you area interested in, a good count on the number of pixels you need to set the width to. Doing it this way I have gotten much better results the first try.

I am surprised bear_music has not chimed in. He was the one who brought this app to my attention and seems to achieve good results with it.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

10/26/2005 12:56:04 PM · #11

Originally posted by Alienyst:

Bear went to bed at 6:30 AM and just woke up. Bear has nothing to add to what Alienyst has said. If you can't SEE directional blur, treat it as focus blur. Open the image in your editor first and progressively enlarge it until you can determine roughly how many pixels of blur radius you have and dial that in.

Oh, one thing to add; if not editing to basic ruleset, do the focus magic on a copy of the BG layer, then you can fade the new layer opacity to fine-tune the reuslts.

R.

10/26/2005 01:01:40 PM · #12

Originally posted by bear_music:

Oh, one thing to add; if not editing to basic ruleset, do the focus magic on a copy of the BG layer, then you can fade the new layer opacity to fine-tune the reuslts.

R.

Now this was worth adding...for some reason it just never occurred to me to use this technique...thx!