Zerene Stacker — The Basics

What is Zerene Stacker?

Zerene Stacker is a “focus stacking” program designed specifically for challenging macro subjects and discerning photographers.
Of course it works great with simpler subjects, close-ups, and landscapes also!

This subject is a common fruit fly, as seen through a 100X microscope. Individual image on the left, stacked result on the right.

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

· Can generate stereo and 3-D rocking animations from a single stack, even for difficult subjects with structural overlaps and bristles.

· Designed to fully utilize modern multi-core processors and multi-processor computers

· Runs on all major computer systems: Microsoft Windows^®, Macintosh OS X^®, Linux^®.

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.

How do I get it?

You can download Zerene Stacker here. The download gives you a 30-day free trial with full functionality. After that, you have to buy a license to keep using the product and to get future updates for free. Full details are posted at Purchasing Licenses.

What about “shareware” versions?

No, you really don’t want those. Pirated versions of Zerene Stacker can be found these days on lots of “shareware” sites. But don’t be fooled. Those sites are in the business of ripping us all off. Despite their assurances, the versions that they offer contain stolen keys, are NOT full functionality, are not eligible for future upgrades, and may even come equipped with malware added by the pirates for their own purposes. If you send them money, you lose it. The only versions of Zerene Stacker that we can stand behind are the ones you download from Zerene Systems’ own web site, and licenses purchased through us and our reseller Plimus.

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.

Need more information?

We’d love to hear from you. Please send email, support@zerenesystems.com .

Copyright© 2009, Zerene Systems, LLC. All rights reserved. The fruit fly image is copyright© 2009, Rik Littlefield.
“Microsoft Windows”, “Macintosh OS X”, and “Linux” are trademarks of their respective manufacturers.