CombineZM produces the best focus blending and alignment I have seen. But it's fairly hard to work with and not at all organized for batch processing large numbers of focus stacks. For instance to use its batch processor utility you first have to put each stack in a separate directory which isn't much fun for a 60 image pano.
You should stop being such a big baby!
All you have to do is one-time-only make a template directory containing more empty directories than you will ever need, ie more than the amount of individual images you will ever have in a pano. Name them like "c01,c02,c03...". Then copy as many of these empty directories into a working directory, and populate those working directories with your focus stacks. It's really no trouble at all, and you have the advantage of placing as few or as many focus brackets as you want in each directory...no silly requirement to shoot exactly the same number of focus brackets for each pano sub-frame. Then just point CZBatch.exe to that set of directories and let it go. Don't forget to click the "Clip to original size" checkbox. Your finished, stacked, properly color managed frames will be found neatly arranged in a new directory, ready for ordinary stitching. What could be easier?
Without question CombineZM is the superior choice for focus stacking and aligning, many thanks to Alan Hadley.
