Patti Edens
08-03-2009, 05:07 PM
This is my first post here after much lurking. I hope it is okay to post side by side examples to illustrate a point.
This is 5 shots of the Monarch Chrysalis - taken while adjusting the focus incrementally from front to back.
I processed the 5 shots the first time using CS4 by: Load RAW Files into PS Layer > Auto Align Layers > Auto Blend Layers in Stacking mode. Then I did some hand blending with masks to try to improve it, sharpened and saved. Took about 10 minutes.
Then I tried the demo version of Helicon Focus. I loaded the 5 photos and used the presets. It took about 5 minutes including the time to figure out the software and looked a lot better than what I had done in CS4. So, needless to say I bought Helicon Focus and reran to get rid of the watermarks (2 minutes). Then all I did was open the Helicon focus output in CS4 and sharpened it by the same amount as the CS4 version.
Now that I've done one, I know to take a lot more than just 5 photos.
46170
Canon 50D
Canon 100mm f2.8 Macro lens
f 11
1.6 seconds
ISO 100
Tripod and Remote shutter release
No flash - Natural light from camera right with diffuser.
Patti
This is 5 shots of the Monarch Chrysalis - taken while adjusting the focus incrementally from front to back.
I processed the 5 shots the first time using CS4 by: Load RAW Files into PS Layer > Auto Align Layers > Auto Blend Layers in Stacking mode. Then I did some hand blending with masks to try to improve it, sharpened and saved. Took about 10 minutes.
Then I tried the demo version of Helicon Focus. I loaded the 5 photos and used the presets. It took about 5 minutes including the time to figure out the software and looked a lot better than what I had done in CS4. So, needless to say I bought Helicon Focus and reran to get rid of the watermarks (2 minutes). Then all I did was open the Helicon focus output in CS4 and sharpened it by the same amount as the CS4 version.
Now that I've done one, I know to take a lot more than just 5 photos.
46170
Canon 50D
Canon 100mm f2.8 Macro lens
f 11
1.6 seconds
ISO 100
Tripod and Remote shutter release
No flash - Natural light from camera right with diffuser.
Patti