Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Thanks so much, Robert. It appears to be a plug-in for Lightroom, which I don't have, though I'm foreseeing the future more clearly I should have mentioned in opening that I was hoping there might be a stand-alone software. Appreciate your time!

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

I found one mention on line of the fact that these apps work by reading the exif data and so most of them only work with Nikon, Canon etc. Unless the company made of of their own other brands are more or less out of luck.

blackest Loc: Ireland

There is but not that user friendly, exiftool.

Exif values and tags are often created by the manufacturer so the name canon uses for something may be different to nikon and pentax and ...

This is sample output from exiftool looking specifically at the focus point used for photo's from a Pentax K5

exiftool -s -AFPointSelected .

the command is exiftool
-s basically selects how to format the output
AFPointSelected is the tag for which Auto focus points were used

. this actually means do this for all the files in the current directory.

(exiftool -s -AFPointSelected _IGP6894.DNG would just read the exif information from the file called _IGP6894.DNG)

These are the results for the 16 files in this folder
----------------------------------------------------------
======== ./_IGP6894.DNG
AFPointSelected : Fixed Center
======== ./_IGP6895.DNG
AFPointSelected : Fixed Center
======== ./_IGP6896.DNG
AFPointSelected : Fixed Center
======== ./_IGP6897.DNG
AFPointSelected : Fixed Center
======== ./_IGP6898.DNG
AFPointSelected : Fixed Center
======== ./_IGP6899.DNG
AFPointSelected : Fixed Center
======== ./_IGP6900.DNG
AFPointSelected : Fixed Center
======== ./_IGP6901.DNG
AFPointSelected : Fixed Center
======== ./_IGP6894_DxO.dng
AFPointSelected : Fixed Center
======== ./_IGP6895_DxO.dng
AFPointSelected : Fixed Center
======== ./_IGP6896_DxO.dng
AFPointSelected : Fixed Center
======== ./_IGP6897_DxO.dng
AFPointSelected : Fixed Center
======== ./_IGP6898_DxO.dng
AFPointSelected : Fixed Center
======== ./_IGP6899_DxO.dng
AFPointSelected : Fixed Center
======== ./_IGP6900_DxO.dng
AFPointSelected : Fixed Center
======== ./_IGP6901_DxO.dng
AFPointSelected : Fixed Center
1 directories scanned
16 image files read

-----------------------------------------------
In this case i was using a manual lens and only had the centre focus point active. But generally it returns one focus point sometimes more and sometimes 'none' in the case of specifying 'none' the camera didn't think anything was in focus and was probably right.

I know the fixed Center focus point is exactly in the middle of the frame so thats would be sharpest in each of these 16 frames.

If you know where your AF points are this is enough. For my camera there are 11 AF points 1 centre 4 at each of the rule of thirds grid intersections 4 half way down the sides of the centre rule of thirds square two more are level with the centre focal spot located half way either side on the left and right central rule of thirds grid.

That makes it easy for me, with more focus points it's a bit tricky.

There is an old windows program which uses exiftool

https://www.photome.de/ this may work for you it can run under windows 10 and i've used that with parallels.

Photome can show a thumbnail of your photo with the active focus points. It works with DNG files it might not work for you it is free thou.

Jim Bob

Corel Paintshop Pro.

Linary Loc: UK

Be aware, these programs and plugins indicate which focus point was used, not where the camera was pointing when the shutter was fired.

Example: Set the camera to use the central focus point - lock focus and recompose - fire shutter. The software will indicate the central focus point was used, but the underlying image may not be sharp at that point.

Howard5252 Loc: New York / Florida (now)

For Lightroom https://petapixel.com/2017/01/03/free-lightroom-plugin-reveals-active-focus-point-photos/
Oooop's Sorry, I hadn't read that you don't have LR.

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

There is one on CANON DPP v3 and v4. Shows all the focus points available in black oblongs with the focusing ones shown in red. Should work on your DSLR and hopefully on your SX.

dusmif

How about this
https://github.com/musselwhizzle/Focus-Points

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I think someone posted about this a couple of years ago. It works very well with LR.

https://petapixel.com/2017/01/03/free-lightroom-plugin-reveals-active-focus-point-photos/
http://www.lightroomfocuspointsplugin.com/

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Well Linda, it is rare that I give up a search, but so many dead links... I did pass on https://github.com/musselwhizzle/Focus-Points to my friend in England... Heather... she has a Pentax K-50 which is listed. My Canon SX-50 is prob OK since SX30, SX40 HS are listed. Thank you for the net adventure... but.... aaaa .... can one not see where the focus areas are by just visual inspection... any monitor over 7" in focus should be apparent.. like on my 27" or our HDTV 50"... are we using software to see what we can see by eye??? Do we really need a plug in to tell us that 2+2=4???

Also the Select>focus show areas is a good one built in.

rafikiphoto Loc: Spain

Capture One will do it so I guess it must be possible in Lightroom too.

(Download)

adedeluca Loc: holbrook ny

The CanonDDP 3... series software does just that

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

It works fine in CC. I use it all the time.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

I make use of two tools....

Showfocuspoints - This plugin for Lightroom will show WHAT focus point was used forf the shot - but will not show what is in focus. If you focus and recompose then the shot will show what focus point was used, but not where you actually focused.

ShowFocusMask - this will generate an image showing the parts of the image that it sees as in focus, masked in red.

I most often use center point focus point, and as long as I recall where I focused the showfocuspoint shows me if I managed to get the subject as I wanted - my cats eyes for example.

ShowFocusMask will confirm what is in focus in the entire image.


http://www.capturemonkey.com/focusmask/

http://www.lightroomfocuspointsplugin.com/

I am having trouble getting to the show focus points site right now, so the link may not work yet for some reason.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

That is a little different from the initial question. If you want to see what focus point was used by the camera, then the LR plugin is pretty good.

But your clarification of wanting to know where the area of sharpest focus is better answered by an app that detects exactly that - focus peaking. Some cameras have it built into the firmware, but you can come very close with this Photoshop Action:

https://blog.kareldonk.com/focus-peaking-action-and-tutorial-for-photoshop/