Phototest of CombineZM

[Chris333]

I know little about taking a good photo. I do it like Ed, little light and 15 sec. If I do it any other way the photo colors never look like what I see. But I will keep at it.

About image stacking with different focuses. Don't you need a camera with a remote control? How do you touch the camera without it moving, even with a tripod? I never even though about using a program because I didn't think I could get all the photos to line up.

[DKS]

About image stacking with different focuses. Don't you need a camera with a remote control? How do you touch the camera without it moving, even with a tripod? I never even though about using a program because I didn't think I could get all the photos to line up.

Easiest thing is to use the shutter timer--most cameras have one. With a camera on a tripod, it's easy enough to gently change the focus without moving the camera. Even if you do move it a little bit, the software can compensate for tiny shifts (it has to anyway, since the image changes size as the focus is changed).

[sizemore]

About image stacking with different focuses. Don't you need a camera with a remote control? How do you touch the camera without it moving, even with a tripod? I never even though about using a program because I didn't think I could get all the photos to line up.

Easiest thing is to use the shutter timer--most cameras have one. With a camera on a tripod, it's easy enough to gently change the focus without moving the camera. Even if you do move it a little bit, the software can compensate for tiny shifts (it has to anyway, since the image changes size as the focus is changed).

Basically David hit this one on the head. Because of the long exposure you get a little ghosting but the image tool cleans it up. I took another photo again tonight:

[wm3798]

I'm downloading this program to see what I can do with it...  Of course, the good news is that this is AFTER I have my first article published... now all the pictures are going to look like crap... :'(

Oh well... next time might be better!  Of course, there's always that shabby modeling problem to overcome...

Lee

[wcfn100]

Well I can't add much 'cause Tom and David have said everything I could. But I can show a comparison between the two using the same images.

HeliconFocus:



Combine: (All filters)



Both use the same five photos and are not retouched. Obviously the stacks were processed in a different order.
 
Jason

[tom mann]

A word of caution:  once you start playing with this type of program, you will become aware of what was "missing" in your previous photos.  It's almost like allowing you to gain a whole bunch of photography "experience points" in one swoop with minimal effort.