aphelps Loc: Central Ohio

Of those who use stacking software, what are your preferences: Zerene Stacker, Helicon, or other? What are the most useful features? Easiest to use? Stack size limits? I would appreciate hoggers input.

larryzplace Loc: Elk Grove Village Illinois

I use zerene, Tried some of the free ones and most crashed... You can get a free trial download and try for yourself :) Good luck.

Cwilson341 Loc: Central Florida

I use Zerene but have no experience with other stacking software. I chose Zerene because I believed, after reading a lot of reviews, that it would do the best job. I have found it easy to work with and have been pleased with the results.

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

Photoshop is easy and nicely integrated with my workflow. When it fails me, I like Helicon.

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

I use Helicon and like it.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

On1 2019 has this feature, also. It also is a cheaper substitute for Lightroom and has the same features.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

I use Zerene exclusively, and also have tried Helicon. I find Zerene very easy to use, once I understood it. The touch up brush feature is unique to Zerene, I think, and makes a big difference in the final result. There are always going to be artifacts and other "mistakes" from stacking, and that is where touch up comes in. The guy who wrote the Zerene program is active in the macro photography community and is very responsive and helpful.

I don't know of any stack size limit with the program. I have stacked 60-70 image files with no problems.

Here are some examples of stacks I did recently:

Tulip on Flickr


Lily, on Flickr


Here are some links to more recent stacks:

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-591114-1.html

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-590032-1.html

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-589886-1.html

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-589609-1.html

Mike

Wanderer2 Loc: Colorado Rocky Mountains

Affinity Photo does a very nice job of photo stacking, or merge as they call it. And it is easy to use - if I can do it with ease anyone can!

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

Mike:
I'm speechless, except to say WOW!!!
The tulip is Extremely WOW!!!
Smile,
JimmyT Sends
Bravo Zulu

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

tankdonovan Loc: Tennessee

What is stacking?

StanMac Loc: Tennessee

Mike, that lily is a mind-blower! Beautifully done!

Stan

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

I use Helicon. Works great, very easy. I use it with Lightroom so it is a plug-in and the finished image goes right into LR.

aphelps Loc: Central Ohio

Focus Stacking is taking multiple images of a subject each with a progressive change in focal point. Then the software merges or processes the stack to align the images and take the best in-focus area of each into a single image. The result is a sharp focus throughout the depth of field. Better than stopping down to very small apertures and adding light.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

I try to produce a micro-macro session each day and I post my images on the UHH True Macro forum.

I have Zerene Stacker, Helicon, Photoshop, Affinity Photo, On One, CombineZP, and a few free-to-the-public stacking programs so I have hands-on experience with many focus stacking programs.

My personal preference is Zerene Stacker Pro and I have processed stacks with over 1,000 images to a stack. I most often use the PMAX method for I believe that it does a better job on fur, fluff and hairs of insects. On occasion I use both the PMAX and the DMAX options as well as the editing features.

I believe Zerene to be more User Friendly. Processing a stack of images is a long process and it takes about 2+ hours to process a image of 500 shots and that's on an Intel Core-7 processor with 16-Gig of RAM.

I use a WeMacro digital motorized focus rail and a variety of camera lenses and microscope objectives. A 500 shot session takes 1-hour to shoot pausing 1-second between shots so be sure to check your camera battery before starting and also be aware of the number of shots that your camera gets to a charged battery. I shot with two batteries in camera so when one wears down the other takes over for it. I've recently ordered a power supply for the camera so I will no longer need to charge batteries everyday.

I also found that speedlight flash works great but they tend to overheat and of course they consume battery power as well. I tried a studio monolight but managing light where I wanted it was difficult and it was quite bulky. I now use IKEA LED gooseneck desk lamps for focused light and a variety of DIY diffusers which has given me the best results and flexibility in staging shots especially when shooting with microscope objectives as the camera lens where the subject is a 1/2-inch or less from the end of the camera.

If you'd like to see some of my focus stacked images and conventional macro images my Flickr site (I go by Herman Munster there) is https://www.flickr.com/photos/153096150@N05/? The stacked images were processed with Zerene.