What’s Your Preference?

equilution · #1 (**permalink**) 02-18-2010, 01:31 AM

...so I got some new focus stacking software called, CombineZM...and it was free. I shot this orchid today. It's a composite stack of 24 pictures. I focused on the point closest to me, and slowly manually focused my way back in, taking a picture at each step. You then load all the images, and the algorithm does the rest, with spectacular results. I've termed this software, the "bokeh-inator." Since all planes are in focus, there's no bokeh. But it makes for a pretty cool shot.

Here are the start and end points. It took these two and everything in between to make the above shot.

CapnJack · #2 (**permalink**) 02-18-2010, 01:44 AM

I've seen stuff like this for microscopy. It ranges from relatively simple (simple is a relative therm here). to complex- the complex versions require you to determine the point-spread function for your lens at a given focus, do a mathematical transform on this, and subtract this data from your photo stack, also transformed. You do an inverse transform and get similar results. The math gets fairly involved...I've greatly simplified it here.

You look like you did a fine job with it. How did you get the stack (what did you do for what I term "Z-axis control" if I were using a microscope)?

Thanks for sharing!

VegasMike · #3 (**permalink**) 02-18-2010, 01:45 AM

Pretty impressive, Jim. Is it a stand alone program or a plug in?

equilution · #4 (**permalink**) 02-18-2010, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cap'n Jack

I've seen stuff like this for microscopy. It ranges from relatively simple (simple is a relative therm here). to complex- the complex versions require you to determine the point-spread function for your lens at a given focus, do a mathematical transform on this, and subtract this data from your photo stack, also transformed. You do an inverse transform and get similar results. The math gets fairly involved...I've greatly simplified it here.

You look like you did a fine job with it. How did you get the stack (what did you do for what I term "Z-axis control" if I were using a microscope)?

Thanks for sharing!

I'm fairly familiar with the math involved...my background is in working with microscopy, AFMs, non-contact interferometers and the like. The Z axis in this instance was the 105mm micro lens, and focus inward until all focal points had passed through the field of view. At each stop point, I took a picture, and fed those into the software, and it spit out the image.