Helicon Focus VS Zerene Stacker. Which is best for macro photography?
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- Опубликовано: 8 июл 2024
- In this video we take a look at the focus stacking capabilities of Helicon Focus, Zerene Stacker, and Adobe Photoshop. We will examine many examples to help you decide which is best for you in macro photography.
Thanks for the comparison!! It’s much appreciated!
I stack everything with Affinity Photo and i am very happy withe the results 90% of the time. I test every stack with Helicon for science 😂 but Affinity holds very good against all the stacking software out there. Thanks for sharing the video mate 👋😁
Ive never tried Affinity. I may have to look into that out of curiosity
In Helicon Focus change the Autoadjustments percentage to improve alignment. Edit > Preferences > Autoadjustment tab. Increase Adjust vertically and Adjust horizontally to obtain perfect alignment. I found that values over 20% for either does not help.
This was a great guide and gave a lot of valuable information, thank you for the effort you put into this!
I'm glad you enjoyed it! I do my best to be helpful, and I really appreciate the comment :)
My first visit here. Great video. Thanks.
I'm glad you liked it!
thanks for the info
I'd like to see how you align in photoshop and send to helicon
very helpful. another question…. what other subjects can be shot besides insects? Thanks
Does Helicon align and blend or just blend? Thank you!
It can do both.
For hand-held shooting with Helicon, you need to change the settings. I recommend 30% in the alignment settings instead of the default.
Speed comparison?
I should have included that. Helicon is by far the fastest. Literally under 10 seconds almost every stack. Photoshop is necmxt quickest but takes significantly longer. A large stack can take maybe 5 minutes. Zerene is the slowest. Some of my 100+ stacks have taken 10 minutes or more. My computer is a fairly fast gaming pc. Slower computers would obviously have different render times, and so do different sized stacks.
Yes just found it out as well before I’ve came to this video. Changing these settings is indeed needed with some handheld shots.
Do I understand correctly that Zerene destroys color in you images in a way that you can not recover by returning to a full service program and adjusting the color controls? I have not noticed this but I am using TIFF's converted in Canon DPP4 and Lightroom is not famous for the way it handles CR3 files. Have you tried starting with files converted using DXO or any of the other options for RAW conversion and seeing if this poor color is changed in either way by what was done before the program first met the image? Assuming everyone is already a Lightroom addict is a way of saying you do not want viewers who use DXO, Affinity or other ways of converting files. There is also a question on whether the stack was made by advancing the lens setting as done with in camera focus bracketing routines or when done by advancing the camera and lens as a unit either manually or using a motorized rail like the WeMacro. Does that make a difference. Did your tests allow for the fact that some of us use Nikon, OM or Canon while others have Sony. Another of your videos mentions APS-C as 1.6x so I assume you speak Canon (DSLR or Mirrorless???). When making comparisons it is important to avoid blaming a problem on the wrong variable in this complex chain. For me, it makes no difference since I am satisfied with the equipment and software I already have and will not be buying additional cameras or software. That is the job of people who make their living from RUclips.
I get your point. I definitely don't make a living from youtube, though, I'm not even monetized. I do the videos to try to help others out :) To answer some of your questions, I did not try pre-converting the files. All software was fed with the exact same files. The stacks chosen were taken on a Sony a6000. I have done the tests using in camera bracketing with my OM-1 and had the same results. I could modify the image to bring color back, but the test was just to be a brief comparison. The entire point of the video was that each product shines in its own way and each product has its own weakness, but that no matter what product a person decides to use, I think they can get great photo stacks from them :)
Color loss is a tradeoff for one of the stacking methods. Helicon seems to mention the same tradeoff in their feature matrix. There is no free lunch with these features. It is always a compromise.
You forgot Luminar Neo as a stacking software.
Perhaps I will need to make a follow up video :)
It's not built-in but a separately purchased plugin.@@OldManJacobPhotography
First of all, if you ever do focus stacking, you should be on a tripod second of all in Helicon method B, I would keep the adjustment at the lowest setting I do stacking with hundreds of pictures and work great
While you can use a tripod, it's typically not necessary. My instagram is full of 20-100 shot stacks that are handheld. Some of the biggest macro photographers in the world, including the OM ambassadors, shoot focus stacks handheld. A tripod is great for macro in a studio, but not very realistic for many situations shooting in the wild
The photographer bundle is only 9.95, not 19.95
Oops. You are correct. I don't know if they changed it or if (more likely) I made a mistake. Thanks for helping to point it out so future watchers have all the right info :)