Zerene Stacker is a "focus stacking” program designed specifically for challenging macro subjects and discerning photographers.
Why use it?
Zerene Stacker has several advantages over other commonly used stacking programs:
· Highest quality output images, especially in difficult cases
o Accurate and robust alignment and interpolation
o Advanced stacking algorithms
§ Clean handling of hairs and bristles -- no halos or contour lines
§ Preserves low contrast detail and avoids "stacking mush" with deep stacks
o Fast and flexible retouching makes it easy to combine the best features of multiple algorithms as well as original frames
· Supports 8- and 16-bit input and output files
· Designed to fully utilize modern multi-core processors and multi-processor computers
· Can generate stereo and 3-D rocking animations from a single stack,
even for difficult subjects with structural overlaps and bristles.
Can I see some examples?
Absolutely! Please browse our gallery of challenging high-magnification
subjects, and check out the online documentation for some screenshots
of the user interface.
What type of computer do I need?
Microsoft Windows, Macintosh OS X, or Linux, and it doesn’t make much
difference which one you have. The code base is about 98% identical. We
recommend using a computer with a modern multi-core processor (e.g.
Intel® Core™ 2) and at least 2 GB of memory. The software will run
correctly on older and smaller machines, but processing will take
longer and you may be limited to something less than the full
resolution of your camera.
For Windows and Linux, separate installers are available for 32-bit and
64-bit versions. For Macintosh, the same application bundle runs in all
environments.
If you need Zerene Stacker in another environment, please contact us.
How big of a stack can it handle?
Zerene Stacker is designed for deep stacks. There is no intrinsic limit
on stack depth. Our standard test suite includes numerous stacks
containing more than 150 frames.
Zerene Stacker can handle most modern cameras. 15 megapixel images are
routine. Most 32-bit machines can handle 21 megapixels. 64-bit systems
have no practical limit except physical memory.