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falconeye · 08-31-2010, 06:49 AM

Originally posted by pcarfan

Can DNG's be aligned and stacked in-camera efficiently with current technology? also, any software out there that would align and stack DNG files and output as DNG.

PhotoAcute stacks RAWs.

It reads the raws, either native as DNGs, or after using the DNG converter when found in its PATH. It outputs linear DNG which is a DNG file three times as large as a mosaic DNG (very similiar to what DxO does except that ironically, DxO doesn't read DNG). But other than size, the stacked result looks and feels like a raw file. I.e., I don't have to fiddle with color rendition prior to stacking. PhotoAcute takes this literally and displays awful colors in its preview process with no negative impact on the result though. PhotoAcute and FocusMagic are two tools everybody should have tried.

As for the ability to do all this in camera, please read the corresponding LumoLabs article. It says something about alignment in Photomatix too.

pcarfan · 08-31-2010, 08:27 AM

Falk, a very useful article. (so, it seems like given this and the Sony implementation that the new Pentax will align....wonder whether it could be done as a firmware upgrade for the K-7)

photoaccute sounds interesting. Seems like thay don't have a stand-alone program and also not too clear whether it would work with CS2.

Thank you.

P.S: photoacute only has two lenses optimized for K-7 for resolution/lens correction, but I guess it would be fine for merging RAW without lens/camera optimization.

m8o · 08-31-2010, 08:52 AM

Originally posted by pcarfan

=photoaccute sounds interesting. Seems like thay don't have a stand-alone program and also not too clear whether it would work with CS2.

Did you accidentally type the opposite of what you meant? Seems they only have a stand-alone program based on the download page, not a PS plug-in. [?]

pcarfan · 08-31-2010, 09:01 AM

Originally posted by m8o

Did you accidentally type the opposite of what you meant? Seems they only have a stand-alone program based on the download page, not a PS plug-in. [?]

I guess I just assumed it was a photoshop plug-in as Falk had ranked "Photoshop CS3; PhotoAcute ("normal alignment")" first for alignemnt quality, and didn't see stand-alone mentioned in the Photoacute site.

It's cool it has the stand alone (if it does RAW and output in RAW, I guess it has to be stand alone, hah!???? or LR plug-in???)

I am not yet entirely convinced to spend money on it though. I like NR with multiple images with the same exposure (makes sense why Falk mentioned fps) and exposure blending (but, I already have photmatix) and I wouldn't use either feature much.

Wonder whether multi-exposure mode of Pentax camera's be tweaked to doi something similar for NR (more than what it already does, and more in line with photacute with alignment).

falconeye · 08-31-2010, 09:05 AM

Originally posted by pcarfan

P.S: photoacute only has two lenses optimized for K-7 for resolution/lens correction, but I guess it would be fine for merging RAW without lens/camera optimization.

As said, PhotoAcute is standalone.

The camera/lens profiles are only of relevance for resolution doubling and CA/distortion correction everybody is now doing in LR3 (or in-camera) anyway.

Resolution doubling is a cool feature though. I use it with a Nikon D40 Sigma 30/1.4 f/4.5-10 profile as it is giving me good results. Most profiles make PhotoAcute attempt some deconvolution/sharpening but the results aren't up to DxO or FocusMagic. So, I use the above profile (obviously, the Sigma is outresolving the D40 so massively that there is nothing left to deconvolve

). I then do the sharpening with FocusMagic.

YMMV, but I think that profiles in PhotoAcute are no big deal. Except that if you profile another lens you get your copy for free

Eruditass · 08-31-2010, 09:17 AM

This resolution doubling sounds pretty interesting, I'd like to know how it works. I can see it reducing noise, but doubling the resolution?

thibs · 08-31-2010, 09:40 AM

Probably the same way Silverfast does wih supported scanners, multipass.

deadwolfbones · 08-31-2010, 10:18 AM

Pentax K5 Camera
Pentax K-r Camera

...

StepOne · 08-31-2010, 10:38 AM

Originally posted by deadwolfbones

Pentax K5 Camera
Pentax K-r Camera

...

Now these are really mystical cameras if one can take pictures with those specs...maybe some rumors are truth in the end

vsl3-e · 08-31-2010, 11:36 AM

Originally posted by StepOne

Now these are really mystical cameras if one can take pictures with those specs...maybe some rumors are truth in the end

it has a hotshoe flash, lcd display, optical viewfinder, autofocus motor and self timer, what else do you need?

Agnostic · 08-31-2010, 12:00 PM

Originally posted by vsl3-e

it has a hotshoe flash, lcd display, optical viewfinder, autofocus motor and self timer, what else do you need?

And all that at a weight of 0 gram! Mirrorless cameras, eat your hearts out!
The drawback is of course that it has a resolution of 0.00 Mpixel though at that resolution it must be capable of producing noiseless photos at 1.000.000 ISO

falconeye · 08-31-2010, 02:53 PM

Originally posted by Eruditass

This resolution doubling sounds pretty interesting, I'd like to know how it works. I can see it reducing noise, but doubling the resolution?

We're getting off topic here, so just one sentence:
It aligns the images with subpixel accuracy and constructs one image with twice the dimensions from them, making use of the fact that images aren't shifted by integer increments of a pixel.

esman7 · 08-31-2010, 03:30 PM

Originally posted by weikle

Improved AF performance is more significant,i don't care about the high iso capability since i would use the tripod when i need perfect 100% zoom image quality.

Agreed. Improved AF is key with the new model.

jogiba · 08-31-2010, 04:49 PM

Quote:

K-5: 16MP, ISO25600 and 7 FPS worth the upgrade?

For $1,600 no unless it is FF. I want my 28-300, 20mm , 15mm etc FF lenses to be used in FF again.

stanleyk · 08-31-2010, 06:32 PM

Originally posted by jogiba

For $1,600 no unless it is FF. I want my 28-300, 20mm , 15mm etc FF lenses to be used in FF again.

Does anyone make a Full Frame camera body that costs $1600? I thought Sony had the cheapest one at around $2000.

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08-31-2010, 06:49 AM	#301
falconeye Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Munich, Alps, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,871	Originally posted by pcarfan Can DNG's be aligned and stacked in-camera efficiently with current technology? also, any software out there that would align and stack DNG files and output as DNG. PhotoAcute stacks RAWs. It reads the raws, either native as DNGs, or after using the DNG converter when found in its PATH. It outputs linear DNG which is a DNG file three times as large as a mosaic DNG (very similiar to what DxO does except that ironically, DxO doesn't read DNG). But other than size, the stacked result looks and feels like a raw file. I.e., I don't have to fiddle with color rendition prior to stacking. PhotoAcute takes this literally and displays awful colors in its preview process with no negative impact on the result though. PhotoAcute and FocusMagic are two tools everybody should have tried. As for the ability to do all this in camera, please read the corresponding LumoLabs article. It says something about alignment in Photomatix too.

08-31-2010, 08:27 AM	#302
pcarfan Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Dayton, Ohio Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,978	Falk, a very useful article. (so, it seems like given this and the Sony implementation that the new Pentax will align....wonder whether it could be done as a firmware upgrade for the K-7) photoaccute sounds interesting. Seems like thay don't have a stand-alone program and also not too clear whether it would work with CS2. Thank you. P.S: photoacute only has two lenses optimized for K-7 for resolution/lens correction, but I guess it would be fine for merging RAW without lens/camera optimization.

08-31-2010, 08:52 AM	#303
m8o Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: 40°-55'-44" N / 73°-24'-07" W [on LI] Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,092	Originally posted by pcarfan =photoaccute sounds interesting. Seems like thay don't have a stand-alone program and also not too clear whether it would work with CS2. Did you accidentally type the opposite of what you meant? Seems they only have a stand-alone program based on the download page, not a PS plug-in. [?]

08-31-2010, 09:01 AM	#304
pcarfan Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Dayton, Ohio Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,978	Originally posted by m8o Did you accidentally type the opposite of what you meant? Seems they only have a stand-alone program based on the download page, not a PS plug-in. [?] I guess I just assumed it was a photoshop plug-in as Falk had ranked "Photoshop CS3; PhotoAcute ("normal alignment")" first for alignemnt quality, and didn't see stand-alone mentioned in the Photoacute site. It's cool it has the stand alone (if it does RAW and output in RAW, I guess it has to be stand alone, hah!???? or LR plug-in???) I am not yet entirely convinced to spend money on it though. I like NR with multiple images with the same exposure (makes sense why Falk mentioned fps) and exposure blending (but, I already have photmatix) and I wouldn't use either feature much. Wonder whether multi-exposure mode of Pentax camera's be tweaked to doi something similar for NR (more than what it already does, and more in line with photacute with alignment).

08-31-2010, 09:05 AM	#305
falconeye Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Munich, Alps, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,871	Originally posted by pcarfan P.S: photoacute only has two lenses optimized for K-7 for resolution/lens correction, but I guess it would be fine for merging RAW without lens/camera optimization. As said, PhotoAcute is standalone. The camera/lens profiles are only of relevance for resolution doubling and CA/distortion correction everybody is now doing in LR3 (or in-camera) anyway. Resolution doubling is a cool feature though. I use it with a Nikon D40 Sigma 30/1.4 f/4.5-10 profile as it is giving me good results. Most profiles make PhotoAcute attempt some deconvolution/sharpening but the results aren't up to DxO or FocusMagic. So, I use the above profile (obviously, the Sigma is outresolving the D40 so massively that there is nothing left to deconvolve ). I then do the sharpening with FocusMagic. YMMV, but I think that profiles in PhotoAcute are no big deal. Except that if you profile another lens you get your copy for free

08-31-2010, 09:17 AM	#306
Eruditass Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,207	This resolution doubling sounds pretty interesting, I'd like to know how it works. I can see it reducing noise, but doubling the resolution?

08-31-2010, 09:40 AM	#307
thibs Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Photos: Albums Posts: 7,001	Probably the same way Silverfast does wih supported scanners, multipass.

08-31-2010, 10:18 AM	#308
deadwolfbones Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Santa Fe, NM Posts: 7,451	Pentax K5 Camera Pentax K-r Camera ...

08-31-2010, 10:38 AM	#309
StepOne Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Botosani Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 285	Originally posted by deadwolfbones Pentax K5 Camera Pentax K-r Camera ... Now these are really mystical cameras if one can take pictures with those specs...maybe some rumors are truth in the end

08-31-2010, 11:36 AM	#310
vsl3-e Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Bratislava, Slovakia Photos: Albums Posts: 116	Originally posted by StepOne Now these are really mystical cameras if one can take pictures with those specs...maybe some rumors are truth in the end it has a hotshoe flash, lcd display, optical viewfinder, autofocus motor and self timer, what else do you need?

08-31-2010, 12:00 PM	#311
Agnostic Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Netherlands Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 414	Originally posted by vsl3-e it has a hotshoe flash, lcd display, optical viewfinder, autofocus motor and self timer, what else do you need? And all that at a weight of 0 gram! Mirrorless cameras, eat your hearts out! The drawback is of course that it has a resolution of 0.00 Mpixel though at that resolution it must be capable of producing noiseless photos at 1.000.000 ISO

08-31-2010, 02:53 PM	#312
falconeye Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Munich, Alps, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,871	Originally posted by Eruditass This resolution doubling sounds pretty interesting, I'd like to know how it works. I can see it reducing noise, but doubling the resolution? We're getting off topic here, so just one sentence: It aligns the images with subpixel accuracy and constructs one image with twice the dimensions from them, making use of the fact that images aren't shifted by integer increments of a pixel.

08-31-2010, 03:30 PM	#313
esman7 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 322	Originally posted by weikle Improved AF performance is more significant,i don't care about the high iso capability since i would use the tripod when i need perfect 100% zoom image quality. Agreed. Improved AF is key with the new model.

08-31-2010, 04:49 PM	#314
jogiba Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Millstone,NJ Posts: 6,491	Quote: K-5: 16MP, ISO25600 and 7 FPS worth the upgrade? For $1,600 no unless it is FF. I want my 28-300, 20mm , 15mm etc FF lenses to be used in FF again.

08-31-2010, 06:32 PM	#315
stanleyk Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Taylor, Texas Posts: 1,018	Originally posted by jogiba For $1,600 no unless it is FF. I want my 28-300, 20mm , 15mm etc FF lenses to be used in FF again. Does anyone make a Full Frame camera body that costs $1600? I thought Sony had the cheapest one at around $2000.