focus stacking with Elements?

jonboy61

Wow.. I read the tutorial about focus stacking. Sweet. Quite a change from forty years ago with my Nikon Ftn and manual bellows and a handwritten exposure compensation chart.

Can focus stacking be done with layers in Elements?

Jon

rnickl

I normally just clone from one image to another in Photoshop if it's only 2 or 3 simple images. If it gets complex enough that I need to use layers I forget about using PS and load the images into CombineZP. Combine is freeware and does a great job stacking the photos with just a few mouse clicks.

Here's the link to the software for you.
http://www.hadleyweb.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/CZP/News.htm

Rick

jonboy61

Thanks for the advise. I'm using a Mac and tried to download the trial of Helicon Focus but have had no luck.

rnickl

No luck getting it to load and run or no luck getting things to stack properly?

I've used the Helicon trial and it did an equal if not better job than Combine. If you're having trouble with the stacks maybe someone else or I could offer a bit of help. If it's just a loading and running issue maybe someone else and not I could offer some input

Corehead

Say, a BIG THANK-YA for that hot tip. You know, I was in the Hadleyweb site just last month but, for some strange reason, I didn't see ANYTHING about CombineZP. As I've been using CombineZM (some) for a couple years now, I was wondering if anything new came out.

I also tried to extend my thanks to Alan Hadley, but I guess I ain't cute enough for him to answer any emails from me.

Steve-o

rnickl wrote:

I normally just clone from one image to another in Photoshop if it's only 2 or 3 simple images. If it gets complex enough that I need to use layers I forget about using PS and load the images into CombineZP. Combine is freeware and does a great job stacking the photos with just a few mouse clicks.

Here's the link to the software for you.
http://www.hadleyweb.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/CZP/News.htm

Rick