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Author Topic: CS4 Focus Stacking  (Read 6052 times)

DarkPenguin

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CS4 Focus Stacking
« on: February 26, 2009, 11:45:00 am »

So, I finally gave this a try the other day.

Every time I get an out of memory error.  This happens with the original 12 images.  It happens with 4.  It happens with 4 resized to 1/2 their original size.  These aren't huge images.  10mp 40D images.

This is CS4 under Vista.  4GB (3.25GB) in the machine.  Oodles of disk.  CS4 set to the max memory.

New CS4 patch loaded and all that.

Thoughts?

Heading to adobe.com now.
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Eyeball

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CS4 Focus Stacking
« Reply #1 on: February 26, 2009, 12:17:50 pm »

Quote from: DarkPenguin
CS4 set to the max memory.

By this do you mean that you have memory usage in the CS4 performance preferences set to 100%?

If so, I recommend that you lower that to around 70-80% maximum.  I have read several posts from members of the Adobe team indicating that running at 100% memory allocation is a very bad idea.  I believe I remember one where the person was even implying that they are considering limiting this in future versions so that high percentages are not an option.

What quantity of scratch disk/virtual memory are you using in Vista?  That also might play a role.
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DarkPenguin

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CS4 Focus Stacking
« Reply #2 on: February 26, 2009, 12:22:28 pm »

Quote from: Eyeball
By this do you mean that you have memory usage in the CS4 performance preferences set to 100%?

If so, I recommend that you lower that to around 70-80% maximum.  I have read several posts from members of the Adobe team indicating that running at 100% memory allocation is a very bad idea.  I believe I remember one where the person was even implying that they are considering limiting this in future versions so that high percentages are not an option.

What quantity of scratch disk/virtual memory are you using in Vista?  That also might play a role.

It has been set to many points between 50% and 100%  I'll revisit the scratch disks.  (I think I have 2 disks.  Not sure size.)
« Last Edit: February 26, 2009, 12:23:04 pm by DarkPenguin »
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PeterAit

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« Reply #3 on: February 26, 2009, 06:39:45 pm »

Quote from: DarkPenguin
It has been set to many points between 50% and 100%  I'll revisit the scratch disks.  (I think I have 2 disks.  Not sure size.)

I have the exact same setup (CS4, Vista 32, 4 GB) and was running into problems with "out of memory" with focus stacking of five 10 megapixel, 16 bit images. Closing all other programs did not help, but by rebooting and starting only CS4, I was able to get it to work. This does not speak well of Vista's garbage collection ability, but it may do the trick for you.

Peter
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DarkPenguin

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CS4 Focus Stacking
« Reply #4 on: February 26, 2009, 08:20:39 pm »

No joy.  But I half sized the suckers and went down to 8 bit and it worked.  Not exactly what I wanted but it does allow me to experiment.
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DarkPenguin

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CS4 Focus Stacking
« Reply #5 on: February 26, 2009, 10:15:27 pm »

Dropped the full sized ones down to 8 bit (which I tried before) and cropped them after the align and it worked.

Go figure.
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PeterAit

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« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2009, 01:18:30 pm »

Quote from: DarkPenguin
Dropped the full sized ones down to 8 bit (which I tried before) and cropped them after the align and it worked.

Go figure.

I wonder if this would work: Say you have a stack of 4 images that you can't combine because of memory issues. Stack 1 and 2 to make A, then stack 3 and 4 to make B, and finally stack A and B. A hassle, but might let you do the stack without reducing image size or bit depth.

Peter
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DarkPenguin

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CS4 Focus Stacking
« Reply #7 on: February 28, 2009, 01:58:35 pm »

Quote from: PeterAit
I wonder if this would work: Say you have a stack of 4 images that you can't combine because of memory issues. Stack 1 and 2 to make A, then stack 3 and 4 to make B, and finally stack A and B. A hassle, but might let you do the stack without reducing image size or bit depth.

Peter

I thought about that.  It didn't work.  I couldn't do 4 images 16 bit full sized but I could do 16 at 8 bit slightly (100 pixels all around, maybe) cropped.

I just think it is a little buggy.

Curious how people do touch up.  I was thinking of flattening the final image and bringing the original aligned stack of images and picking and choosing which to use for touch up and just cloning those onto the flattened image.
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Jack Flesher

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« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2009, 01:58:49 pm »

Quote from: DarkPenguin
So, I finally gave this a try the other day.

Every time I get an out of memory error.  This happens with the original 12 images.  It happens with 4.  It happens with 4 resized to 1/2 their original size.  These aren't huge images.  10mp 40D images.

This is CS4 under Vista.  4GB (3.25GB) in the machine.  Oodles of disk.  CS4 set to the max memory.

New CS4 patch loaded and all that.

Thoughts?

You might want to turn off Open GL and try it again   I have found open GL causes memory issues with larger files or a large number of files open at the same time.

The other option is to try Helicon focus instead -- and frankly it is a *lot* better than CS4's attempt.  Free 30 day demo too...

Cheers,

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DarkPenguin

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CS4 Focus Stacking
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2009, 02:04:45 pm »

Quote from: Jack Flesher
You might want to turn off Open GL and try it again   I have found open GL causes memory issues with larger files or a large number of files open at the same time.

The other option is to try Helicon focus instead -- and frankly it is a *lot* better than CS4's attempt.  Free 30 day demo too...

Cheers,

OpenGL is pretty irritating.  I keep flinging my images nearly off screen.  (It is very smooth while doing that while doing that.)  I'll give it that a try.

I'm kind of saving the Helicon focus demo for spring.  (Which cannot come soon enough.)  I really want this for focus stacking of some flower macros.  What about CombineZ or whatever they are calling it these days?

Thanks for the suggestion!
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Eyeball

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« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2009, 02:38:38 pm »

Quote from: DarkPenguin
OpenGL is pretty irritating.  I keep flinging my images nearly off screen.

Once you get the hang of it, flick panning is not that bad.  Some things I have learned to do:
- If you stop moving the cursor before releasing the mouse button, the screen won't keep panning.
- You can click again after a flick to stop the pan (sort of like a toss and catch).

One you get used to it, it becomes second nature.

If you just can't get used to flick panning, you can always turn it off in preferences.
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mcbroomf

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« Reply #11 on: February 28, 2009, 05:50:02 pm »

Quote from: DarkPenguin
No joy.  But I half sized the suckers and went down to 8 bit and it worked.  Not exactly what I wanted but it does allow me to experiment.

Are you using Pro Photo colour space?  I had similar memory issues with Photomatix at one time some of which I was able to fix by switching to Adobe.  I've never really had trouble with CS4 Focus stacking but I was using XP Pro, and now I'm using Vista 64 with 8GB.
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DarkPenguin

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« Reply #12 on: February 28, 2009, 06:31:21 pm »

Quote from: mcbroomf
Are you using Pro Photo colour space?  I had similar memory issues with Photomatix at one time some of which I was able to fix by switching to Adobe.  I've never really had trouble with CS4 Focus stacking but I was using XP Pro, and now I'm using Vista 64 with 8GB.

I am using pro photo.  I'll have to give it a try in argb.
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mcbroomf

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« Reply #13 on: February 28, 2009, 09:17:03 pm »

Which step gives you the memory error?  Even though I don't find CS4 to be that great in generating the final composite I  do find that it stacks and aligns well.  So I now stack and align with CA4, then mask the images myself.  For the amount of focus stacking I do (very little at the moment) I find this is quite acceptable.

Also, are you stacking converted tifs or the original raw files?
« Last Edit: February 28, 2009, 09:18:40 pm by mcbroomf »
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DarkPenguin

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CS4 Focus Stacking
« Reply #14 on: February 28, 2009, 09:48:55 pm »

Blending gets me.  It is the original RAWs that are getting me.

As an obscene aside Vista uses 1GB of memory just sitting and breathing.  It is somewhat  better now.  Been cleaning the virtual house.

Still need to try the non prophoto suggestion.  Been working on another image.
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John Hollenberg

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« Reply #15 on: February 28, 2009, 10:03:13 pm »

Quote from: DarkPenguin
I'm kind of saving the Helicon focus demo for spring.  (Which cannot come soon enough.)  I really want this for focus stacking of some flower macros.  What about CombineZ or whatever they are calling it these days?

The various incarnations of CombineZ are available here:

http://www.hadleyweb.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

I wrote a review a few years ago comparing CombineZ and Helicon Focus:

http://www.outbackphoto.com/workflow/wf_72/essay.html

Haven't followed these two products since then, though.

--John
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DarkPenguin

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CS4 Focus Stacking
« Reply #16 on: February 28, 2009, 11:42:01 pm »

Thanks for the links.
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Jack Flesher

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« Reply #17 on: March 01, 2009, 10:46:47 am »

Helicon focus 4 isn't even anything like the version from two years ago -- that's ancient history for almost anything having to do with digital imaging...
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John Hollenberg

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« Reply #18 on: March 01, 2009, 12:15:24 pm »

Quote from: Jack Flesher
Helicon focus 4 isn't even anything like the version from two years ago -- that's ancient history for almost anything having to do with digital imaging...

I would be interested to know in what way it has changed/improved.
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Jack Flesher

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« Reply #19 on: March 01, 2009, 02:20:51 pm »

Quote from: John Hollenberg
I would be interested to know in what way it has changed/improved.

It's an entirely different program.  It now has an improved UI, multi-core support, multiple blending algorithm choices, mask feathering choices, editing brushes and more... The demo is free for 30 days, so my advice is to check it out: http://www.heliconsoft.com/heliconfocus.html

Cheers,
« Last Edit: March 01, 2009, 02:21:33 pm by Jack Flesher »
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