CombineZ is
Free software
Free software or libre software is computer software distributed under terms that allow users to run the software for any purpose as well as to study, change, and distribute it and any adapted versions. Free software is a matter of liberty, no ...
image processing software package for creating
extended depth of field images. It runs on
Microsoft Windows. The current release is CombineZP (CombineZ-Pyramid), successor to CombineZM (CombineZ-Movie) which was based on CombineZ5 (designed for older versions of Windows and is no longer maintained).
CombineZ processes a stack of images (or "Frames") and is most frequently used to blend the focused areas of several partially focused
digital photographs in order to create a composite image with an extended
depth of field (DOF), created from the in-focus areas of each image.
Other uses
CombineZ has many image manipulation functions that can be used in modifying images (frames) or sets of sequential images (stacks). It can take videos and split them into individual frames which are then manipulated as a stack. For instance, since version CombineZM one can take a movie through a microscope as you wind the focus up or down, and use it for
focus stacking
Focus stacking (also known as focal plane merging and z-stacking or focus blending) is a digital image processing technique which combines multiple images taken at different focus distances to give a resulting image with a greater depth of fiel ...
. Alternatively, one can convert a sequence of static frames into a movie (including generating intermediate transitional frames for smoothness) or a pseudo-3D 'rocker' image stack animation.
Limitations
* Does not support 16 bit images
* Images must be in height order (closest to furthest, but can be flipped within the application)
* Supports a limited number of image and video formats
* Only runs on Microsoft Windows
Gallery
Image:Nuctenea.umbratica.edof.2.jpg, Macro image created with CombineZM. All parts of the spider are in focus.
File:PlatycryptusUndatusFemale.jpg, 13 images were combined to create this image of a jumping spider
Jumping spiders are a group of spiders that constitute the family Salticidae. As of 2019, this family contained over 600 described genera and over 6,000 described species, making it the largest family of spiders at 13% of all species. Jumping spi ...
.
Some images created with CombineZP and taken with a
Nikon Coolpix P7000:
File:2011-12-02 12-42-51-electronic-devices-11f.jpg, Electronic components
File:2011-12-02 12-49-40-electronic-devices-11f.jpg, Electronic components
File:2011-11-30 21-25-37-scolytinae-sp.jpg, Bark with scolytinae sp. galleries
File:2011-11-30 21-20-20-scolytinae-sp.jpg, Bark with scolytinae sp. galleries
Some images created with CombineZM/CombineZP and taken with a
Nikon D300
The Nikon D300 is a 12.3-megapixel semi-professional DX format digital single-lens reflex camera that Nikon Corporation announced on 23 August 2007 along with the Nikon D3 FX format camera. The D300 was discontinued by Nikon on September 11, 2 ...
with a
macro lens
Macro photography (or photomacrography or macrography, and sometimes macrophotography) is extreme close-up photography, usually of very small subjects and living organisms like insects, in which the size of the subject in the photograph is grea ...
:
File:2011-06-02-diaph.jpg, A diaphragm from an old videocamera
File:2011-06-02-capteur.jpg, A sensor from an old videocamera
File:2011-07-04-fossile-focus-stacking.jpg, Fossil
File:2011-07-21-cactaceae-1.jpg, ''Rebutia minuscula
''Rebutia minuscula'' is a species of cactus from South America found in northern Argentina and Bolivia., p. 605 It is the type species of the genus '' Rebutia''. As its synonym ''Rebutia senilis'' it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’ ...
''
File:2011-07-22 15-02-46-fuse-box.jpg, Electric device
File:2011-12-04 16-24-26-Asteraceae-71f.jpg, Asteraceae sp. flower
File:2011-12-04 16-28-58-Asteraceae-88f.jpg, Asteraceae sp. flower
References
External links
*
* {{Cite web , url=http://www.hadleyweb.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/CZ5/Examples/getting_started.htm , title=Getting started guide for CombineZ5 , access-date=May 5, 2007 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724191259/http://www.hadleyweb.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/CZ5/Examples/getting_started.htm , archive-date=July 24, 2011 , url-status=dead , df=mdy-all
Easy to read explanation of how CombineZM works
Digital photography
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Articles containing video clips