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stacker:docs:faqlist [2020/06/28 20:58] rjlittlefield [How do I save images as TIFF or JPEG?] |
stacker:docs:faqlist [2020/08/28 21:52] rjlittlefield avoid edge streaks via "dust and defects mask" |
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| * [[#my_colors_changed_a_little_why_is_that|My colors changed a little. Why is that?]] | * [[#my_colors_changed_a_little_why_is_that|My colors changed a little. Why is that?]] | ||
| * [[#why_do_my_images_look_noisy_as_soon_as_i_load_them_into_zerene_stacker|Why do my images look noisy as soon as I load them into Zerene Stacker?]] | * [[#why_do_my_images_look_noisy_as_soon_as_i_load_them_into_zerene_stacker|Why do my images look noisy as soon as I load them into Zerene Stacker?]] | ||
| + | * [[#part_of_my_subject_looks_transparent_what_can_i_do|Part of my subject looks transparent. What can I do?]] | ||
| * [[#how_should_i_set_the_alignment_options|How should I set the Alignment options?]] | * [[#how_should_i_set_the_alignment_options|How should I set the Alignment options?]] | ||
| * [[#what_do_the_percentages_mean_for_alignment_parameters|What do the percentages mean for Alignment parameters?]] | * [[#what_do_the_percentages_mean_for_alignment_parameters|What do the percentages mean for Alignment parameters?]] | ||
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| * [[#why_did_the_software_reverse_the_order_of_my_images|Why did the software reverse the order of my images?]] | * [[#why_did_the_software_reverse_the_order_of_my_images|Why did the software reverse the order of my images?]] | ||
| * [[#can_i_directly_control_the_order_that_images_are_processed|Can I directly control the order that images are processed?]] | * [[#can_i_directly_control_the_order_that_images_are_processed|Can I directly control the order that images are processed?]] | ||
| + | * [[#my_stack_got_shot_out_of_order_what_can_i_do|My stack got shot out of order. What can I do?]] | ||
| * [[#why_do_my_saved_output_images_look_washed_out|Why do my saved output images look washed out?]] | * [[#why_do_my_saved_output_images_look_washed_out|Why do my saved output images look washed out?]] | ||
| * [[#what_does_retain_extended_dynamic_range_mean|What does "Retain extended dynamic range" mean?]] | * [[#what_does_retain_extended_dynamic_range_mean|What does "Retain extended dynamic range" mean?]] | ||
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| One exception occurs if your subject is liable to move away while you're shooting. In that case you should start at whichever end you consider most important, so that if the subject does leave you may still have something useful to work with. | One exception occurs if your subject is liable to move away while you're shooting. In that case you should start at whichever end you consider most important, so that if the subject does leave you may still have something useful to work with. | ||
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| ===== Do I need a focus rail? ===== | ===== Do I need a focus rail? ===== | ||
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| Edge streaks can also be caused by forcing a stack to be processed starting at the "wide" end, meaning whichever end of the stack has the widest field of view. In this case the streaks are likely to appear on all four edges, and may extend from the edge of the image to the edge of the narrowest field of view. With standard settings, Zerene Stacker automatically determines which is the narrow end of the stack and starts there, which completely prevents edge streaks with a well aligned stack. However, it can be forced to start at either end by de-selecting Options > Preferences > "Automatic order". Normally we recommend to leave "Automatic order" selected, and set things up when the stack is shot so that everything you care about is contained even within the narrowest frame. See the tutorial [[http://zerenesystems.com/cms/stacker/docs/tutorials/tutorial002#summaryuse_either_method_but_be_sure_to_check_framing|HERE]] for more information on that point. | Edge streaks can also be caused by forcing a stack to be processed starting at the "wide" end, meaning whichever end of the stack has the widest field of view. In this case the streaks are likely to appear on all four edges, and may extend from the edge of the image to the edge of the narrowest field of view. With standard settings, Zerene Stacker automatically determines which is the narrow end of the stack and starts there, which completely prevents edge streaks with a well aligned stack. However, it can be forced to start at either end by de-selecting Options > Preferences > "Automatic order". Normally we recommend to leave "Automatic order" selected, and set things up when the stack is shot so that everything you care about is contained even within the narrowest frame. See the tutorial [[http://zerenesystems.com/cms/stacker/docs/tutorials/tutorial002#summaryuse_either_method_but_be_sure_to_check_framing|HERE]] for more information on that point. | ||
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| + | In recent versions of Zerene Stacker, edge streaks can be avoided by checking the box at Options > Preferences > Preprocessing > "Use dust & defects mask", and also checking the box under that to "Avoid edge streaks". (For this use, you do not need to provide a dust & defects mask "from file".) However, while this option will prevent the introduction of streaks, that region of the result image may still be degraded if the subject has details that were never captured in sharp focus due to the shift in framing. It is better to avoid the shift in framing while the stack is being shot, if possible. | ||
| ===== My output images have worm trails! Why is that? ===== | ===== My output images have worm trails! Why is that? ===== | ||
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| The effect can be worrisome when you first notice it. However, the screen display appearance does not affect the quality of output image files, so once you realize what's going on, the worry goes away. | The effect can be worrisome when you first notice it. However, the screen display appearance does not affect the quality of output image files, so once you realize what's going on, the worry goes away. | ||
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| + | ===== Part of my subject looks transparent. What can I do? ===== | ||
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| + | There's a whole separate page that addresses this problem. | ||
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| + | See [[https://zerenesystems.com/cms/stacker/docs/tutorials/stackselectedfortransparentforeground|"Using Stack Selected to Retouch Transparent Foreground"]] . | ||
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| ===== How should I set the Alignment options? ===== | ===== How should I set the Alignment options? ===== | ||
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| By removing the checkmark on "Automatic order" and adding files one at a time, you can set exactly any order that you want. | By removing the checkmark on "Automatic order" and adding files one at a time, you can set exactly any order that you want. | ||
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| + | ===== My stack got shot out of order. What can I do? ===== | ||
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| + | In many cases there's a simple trick that handles this problem. | ||
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| + | The trick is this: after you've processed the stack at least once, so that all the images have been aligned against each other, then do a File > "Re-order input files" > "Sort by Scale". If the files were originally not in strict focus order, chances are they will be in strict focus order after the sort is done. Then you can do another Stack operation to take advantage of the improved ordering. In especially difficult cases, it may help to do the steps of stacking and "Sort by Scale" a couple of times, to give the software the best opportunity to accurately calculate scale. | ||
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| + | To understand how the trick works, first note that with most optics, the image changes size along with focus. Depending on the lens, the image might get smaller or larger as focus moves back, but it's probably only going to do one of those, and it will do it consistently and by a large enough amount to be reliably determined by the computational alignment process. Fortunately, the alignment process can usually determine scale accurately even when the images are initially out of order, and then sorting by the recovered scale puts them back into order again. | ||
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| + | The nice thing about "Sort by Scale" is that it doesn't require much thinking or mouse-clicking. The alternative is to figure out by eye what the focus order was, then manually add files into the stacking software one at a time or in appropriate groups to get the correct ordering. Alternatively, some people rename their image files so as to be in focus order when sorted by name. | ||
| ===== Why do my saved output images look washed out? ===== | ===== Why do my saved output images look washed out? ===== | ||