Stacking software

George Peczeli · 05-11-2016, 05:31 PM

Do any of you have experience with ZERENE Stacker? If so which version? Is it user friendly. Did you feel you got your moneys worth?
Thanks in advance for help.

**WPRESTO** · 05-11-2016, 07:19 PM

I use the mid-level version of Zerene and it has worked well, but it isn't perfect - I doubt any stacking program is. The primary fault, probably universal, is in deep stacks (20+ image files) on subjects with a lot of edge complexity. For example: an insect with many hairs, the distant hairs are far out of focus creating a super-bokeh blur. The program doesn't always recognize this as superfluous and retains some or all of the blur creating a sort of "halo" in the final image from all the deeply OOF details (hairs). Such an artifact is nearly impossible to remove from the final image. Basically to cure it you must go through each image and block out such deeply OOF features by cloning the background over them. Laborious.

Nass · 05-12-2016, 02:56 AM

I have Pro, and a few other stacking packages too. It's probably not as user friendly as its main competitor product Helicon Focus, but it handles image sequences more thoroughly so the output tends to be better. Also, much, much, much better technical support. You can always try slabbing to get rid of complexity haloes. Stacking is kind of my thing - see Focus Stacking Tutorial From Start To Finish (disclosure - my site)

05-11-2016, 05:31 PM	#1
George Peczeli Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 62	Stacking software Do any of you have experience with ZERENE Stacker? If so which version? Is it user friendly. Did you feel you got your moneys worth? Thanks in advance for help.

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05-11-2016, 07:19 PM	#2
WPRESTO Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Massachusetts Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 59,108	I use the mid-level version of Zerene and it has worked well, but it isn't perfect - I doubt any stacking program is. The primary fault, probably universal, is in deep stacks (20+ image files) on subjects with a lot of edge complexity. For example: an insect with many hairs, the distant hairs are far out of focus creating a super-bokeh blur. The program doesn't always recognize this as superfluous and retains some or all of the blur creating a sort of "halo" in the final image from all the deeply OOF details (hairs). Such an artifact is nearly impossible to remove from the final image. Basically to cure it you must go through each image and block out such deeply OOF features by cloning the background over them. Laborious.

05-12-2016, 02:56 AM	#3
Nass Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The British Isles Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,402	I have Pro, and a few other stacking packages too. It's probably not as user friendly as its main competitor product Helicon Focus, but it handles image sequences more thoroughly so the output tends to be better. Also, much, much, much better technical support. You can always try slabbing to get rid of complexity haloes. Stacking is kind of my thing - see Focus Stacking Tutorial From Start To Finish (disclosure - my site)