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a moth - DPP vs Helicon vs Zerene

Started 4 months ago | Discussions
jim mij Senior Member • Posts: 1,027
a moth - DPP vs Helicon vs Zerene

hi

I was lucky enough to find a dead or very dormant moth (I put it outside after use and now thats its dark its gone)

I tried several stacks of ~90 and used canon DPP for processing, then downloaded trials of zerene and helicon (after watching how to use vids)

I cant really decide which is best, all are similar but different, 3 images below for you to contemplate and perhaps explain what you think, but here is some trivia I noticed

DPP is free, results look ok but not the best (more later), It only has 1 stacking mode which I assume relies on the canon cameras inbuild stacking approach

Helicon is blisteringly fast, eg while dpp was running helicon processed the image 3 times in modes a b and c and then allowed me to review and choose which mode I preferred, and dpp was only 60% through. Zerene was slower than dpp, but did process the image twice

Helicon - although I processed 5 or 6 stacks in modes a b and c, method c always looked best for me, was that because I used the cameras in built stacking approach rather than say hand held stacks or sliders?

Helicon has the best entertainment while watching it build up the image

Helicon is annoying as you have to manually trigger build mode a then b then c, zerene has a menu option to do both its options in 1 click

Zerene has 2 modes pmax and dmap, the former seemed better in all the stacks I used, again is that because I used the cameras in built stacking approach?

Zerene has the oldest interface and menus, some things are definitely obtuse and a tad out of date (but do work). Some advanced users do seem to prefer its additional options, I assume the more effort you put in the better the results are

Zerene seemed bad for ghosting around edges (not so much in this image)

Zerene seems to introduce background noise, yes it could be removed afterwards but...

DPP & helicons images looked best OOTB after stacking, Zerene looked dull/flat. Post processing improves all outputs, but I didnt include those

All allow touch ups after processing to tweak bad areas from source images

For me, helicon seemed slightly better, but as i dont do much stacking I wont be investing in it for occasional use, although for the few days I'll be revisiting all my previous stacks to see what can be improved

DPP was almost as good (but not great eg check the rear/left eye) and its free to use so i'll stick with that

regards

Jim

Helicon

DPP

Zerene

 jim mij's gear list:jim mij's gear list
Canon EOS M6 II Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM Kenko Teleplus Pro 300 AF 1.4x Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM
3D Gunner Senior Member • Posts: 1,025
Re: a moth - DPP vs Helicon vs Zerene
1

The level of detail is impressive!

OP jim mij Senior Member • Posts: 1,027
Re: a moth - DPP vs Helicon vs Zerene
1

3D Gunner wrote:

The level of detail is impressive!

Thanks, getting more detail is addictive…

I forgot to mention it’s a 60mm macro with a 20mm extension tube (I’m learning to not hate them after all)

my edited version is also cropped by ~30% but if I were doing it again I’d have started with a longer extension, but I’d probably still want to get even closer….Others must feel the same way

Jim

 jim mij's gear list:jim mij's gear list
Canon EOS M6 II Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM Kenko Teleplus Pro 300 AF 1.4x Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM
3D Gunner Senior Member • Posts: 1,025
Re: a moth - DPP vs Helicon vs Zerene

jim mij wrote:

3D Gunner wrote:

The level of detail is impressive!

Thanks, getting more detail is addictive…

Jim

Agree.🙂

grsnovi Veteran Member • Posts: 3,030
Interesting, thanks!

I've been pondering adding Helicon or Zerene but so far I've been happy with the stacking in Affinity Photo. Although I now have v2.0 I have yet to do any stacks there.

I did get a 30mm macro for my MFT gx85 and gx9 which both do in-camera stacking and after only a couple of sessions I like the stacks I get from my APS-C and AP better.

Now I'm wondering if I should get a FF macro lens and stack 42MP images. That raises the whole question of how to compromise. The Laowa 2x 90mm for Sony E-mount looks optically impressive and at half the cost of the Sony lens is attractive from a cost stand point. The Sony 90mm offers its own set of attractions.

 grsnovi's gear list:grsnovi's gear list
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85 Sony SLT-A65 Sony a7R III Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9 OM-1 +11 more
OP jim mij Senior Member • Posts: 1,027
Re: Interesting, thanks!
1

grsnovi wrote:

I've been pondering adding Helicon or Zerene but so far I've been happy with the stacking in Affinity Photo. Although I now have v2.0 I have yet to do any stacks there.

I did get a 30mm macro for my MFT gx85 and gx9 which both do in-camera stacking and after only a couple of sessions I like the stacks I get from my APS-C and AP better.

Now I'm wondering if I should get a FF macro lens and stack 42MP images. That raises the whole question of how to compromise. The Laowa 2x 90mm for Sony E-mount looks optically impressive and at half the cost of the Sony lens is attractive from a cost stand point. The Sony 90mm offers its own set of attractions.

Hi,

I’ve not tried ap, let me know how the new version works out

I’m getting itchy for more too, must be the dark nights and time to browse

I hear that apsc is the better comprise for macro. Eg Check allan wells on youtube. I’m sure someone has the other view…

Afaik only the new Sony does stacking, whereas the new Fuji xt5 with the Laowa 65mm seems very tempting with high mp and 2:1

 jim mij's gear list:jim mij's gear list
Canon EOS M6 II Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM Kenko Teleplus Pro 300 AF 1.4x Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM
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