Helicon Focus software update.

[Medley]

For those that don't already know, Helicon Focus is a program that creates one completely focused image from several partially focused images by combining the focused areas. The program is designed for macrophotography, microphotography and hyperfocal landscape photography to cope with the shallow depth-of-field problem. Helicon Focus also aligns images as objects often change their size and position from shot to shot. This function is especially important for macrophotography.

Helicon Focus has introduced an update to their software. Improvements in the new version include:

Significantly improved performance and memory usage.
Introduced depth map visualization while using copy source retouching tool.
Corrected saving of 48-bit images to PSD format.
Introduced possibility to save results in number of additional image formats.
Improved overall stability.

Helicon Focus comes in a lite version that can be downloaded for free, and a purchasable pro version.

Here's the link to the developer's website:

Helicon Focus for Mac OSX: http://d-studio.com.ua/products/heli...con_focus.html
Helicon Focus for Windows: http://d-studio.com.ua/products/dist...cus/index.html

The updated version can be downloaded from the site. FWIW.

- Joe U.

[Frog]

Never heard of it but can see that it would be very useful.
Thanks for the heads up!

[Singletracklovr]

If I read this right, its like HDR but for focus? That is awesome.

thank you the link.

[mjs1973]

If I read this right, its like HDR but for focus? That is awesome.

thank you the link.

Yup, it's pretty much HDR for depth of field. I played with this program about a year ago, and here is a thread with some of my results. It worked really good a year ago, I imagine it has only gotten better. Photoshop CS4 also has a feature like this build into it.

[Singletracklovr]

Yup, it's pretty much HDR for depth of field. I played with this program about a year ago, and here is a thread with some of my results. It worked really good a year ago, I imagine it has only gotten better. Photoshop CS4 also has a feature like this build into it.

Nice Mike, Your stone photos really show the effect.
This would allow us to keep the intense bokah in the background and yet have all subjects we want in focus, yes?

How do you think it would work on say, the moon, clouds, and something in the foreground?

[danic]

Thanks for the heads up! I've just started using CombineZM, with some results. It's a bit hit and miss for me at the moment, but Helicon Focus seems to be the better version, CombineZM is free.

I'll be sure to give it a try