how to minimize bluring during stack processing?

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ztt74
Posts: 27
Joined: Sun Nov 12, 2017 5:15 am

how to minimize bluring during stack processing?

Post by ztt74 »

Hi, when stacking (using Zerene; DMap) images of subjects that have elements protruding in front of others (e.g. the wires protruding in front of the blue housing of this ethernet cable), I am struggling to deal with the associated blur (i.e. to the left of the orange and light salmon colored wires, or abover the brown wire). What are the best strategies to tackle this? I realize that it will be unavoidable in some scenarios, but should it be tackled during the stacking process or in post processing and touch up? It can be difficult to find individual images that actually contain an clear view of those elements that are masked by the bluring when doing toouch up following stacking in zerene. Any tips welcome

Image

For reference, this image was 95 images RAW images taken using a lomo 3.7x (with effective mag of ~3x), using a canon speedlight flash.

Thank,
jon

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

First, I recommend to read http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... 557#102557 and the remainder of that thread, "What causes halo?"

You mention that "It can be difficult to find individual images that actually contain an clear view of those elements that are masked by the bluring".

That's true, and often it's because no such images exist. When the lens is focused on the background areas that are laterally close to foreground areas, what the lens inevitably sees is some weighted average of focused background and unfocused foreground, like the diagram at http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... 042#135042. You get a clear shot of the background only when the foreground is dark enough that it contributes negligible light, and even then the background gets significantly darkened next to the foreground edge.

Normally the best approach -- still not perfect because the camera never did see what you would really like -- is to retouch the DMap output from a PMax output. This is discussed in the "How To Use DMap" tutorial at the top of the section titled "Dealing With DMap's Limitations", direct URL https://zerenesystems.com/cms/stacker/d ... imitations .

I hope this helps!

--Rik

ztt74
Posts: 27
Joined: Sun Nov 12, 2017 5:15 am

Post by ztt74 »

thank you rik, this is very helpful. I will spend some time studying the information that you provided.
As always, your willingness to help and expansive knowledge is very much appreciated!
jon

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