Depth of Field Sequence

JC
Posted By
Jack_Cane
Feb 23, 2009
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345
Replies
8
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Closed
I just contacted Photomatix concerning this issue. They have developed the HDR plugin, which takes a series of bracketed exposures and picks the best portions of each to produce a composite of the best exposures for each area of the scene.

Now I want to find an equivalent program which accepts a sequence of images taken at varying hyperfocal distances in order to produce an image with a larger than expected depth of focus. The alternative would be simply to select the best, in-focus portions of each exposure and combine them for the desired result.

Photomatix thought that Photoshop CS4 has a capability in this regard.

Any ideas appreciated.
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depth field sequence

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P
pfigen
Feb 23, 2009
You can do this in CS4 but Helicon Focus is a much better application for this. CS4 is okay, but you will have quite a bit of hand masking to fix where it doesn’t quite find the smallest circles of confusion.
WE
Wolf_Eilers
Feb 23, 2009
The blending of multiple focus shots is performed with the PS CS4 Auto-Blend Layers feature. Auto-Align Layers would also be required for hand held shots.

A careful examination of the final image (at 100%) should be done to reveal ghosting areas or out of focus areas. And as the previous posting suggests these trouble areas can be difficult to correct.
P
pfigen
Feb 23, 2009
Even on images shot on a tripod you need to do an auto align layers first. Remember that changing focus even a little bit will alter the focal length and image size, which needs to be the same on all layers for the blending to work as well as possible.
F
Freeagent
Feb 23, 2009
If it’s a close-up, a focusing rail might ease that bit. Move the camera body backwards instead of the lens elements forward.

It’s tricky and cumbersome, I know, but the alignment will be tricky in any case.
F
Freeagent
Feb 23, 2009
To clarify, I’m basically thinking of a bellows rail with lens mount.
GD
george_dingwall
Feb 23, 2009
I would second the recommendation for Helicon Focus. This is a commercial program, but it really does a great job of compiling extended depth of foe;d from multiple images.

Here’s a few of examples of what it can do.

<http://www.georgedingwall.co.uk/images/BeetleLeg_01.jpg>

<http://www.georgedingwall.co.uk/images/Beetle_13.jpg>

<http://www.georgedingwall.co.uk/images/Lacewing_01.jpg>

There is also a free program called CombineZM which is not quite as good in my opinion, but mat be worth a look.
JC
Jack_Cane
Feb 23, 2009
Thanks. I just had a look and installed the Helicon program. Looks very promising, and it claims to resize images, which would address the issue of lens transport when adjusting focus. Will do some testing and will report results shortly.
P
pfigen
Feb 23, 2009
Even when you use a macro focusing rail (I use the excellent RRS version) you still have to deal with difference in image size as you move the camera closer and closer.

Helicon Focus lets you specify a percentage range allowable for resizing, and in the tests I did with it, using about thirty images done with a single turn increments of the lead screw on the RRS rail, Helicon Focus was perfect.

It ain’t cheap though…

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