CombineZ

CombineZ

CombineZM running on Windows XP
Developer(s)	Alan Hadley
Stable release	CombineZP / June 6, 2010
Operating system	Windows
Type	Digital image processing
License	GPL
Website	www.hadleyweb.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

CombineZ is Free software 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successor to CombineZM (CombineZ-Movie) which was based on CombineZ5 (designed for older versions of Windows and is no longer maintained).^[1]

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. 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.

Animation that used image alignment features and transitional frames in an attempt to visualise changes over a period of 14 years

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

Gallery

• 
  Macro image created with CombineZM. All parts of the spider are in focus.
• 
  13 images were combined to create this image of a jumping spider.

Some images created with CombineZP and taken with a Nikon Coolpix P7000:

• 
  Electronic components
• 
  Electronic components
• 
  Bark with scolytinae sp. galleries
• 
  Bark with scolytinae sp. galleries

Some images created with CombineZM/CombineZP and taken with a Nikon D300 with a macro lens:

• 
  A diaphragm from an old videocamera
• 
  A sensor from an old videocamera
• 
  Fossil
• 
  Rebutia minuscula
• 
  Electric device
• 
  Asteraceae sp. flower
• 
  Asteraceae sp. flower

References

1. http://www.hadleyweb.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/CZP/News.htm

External links

• Official website
• Official CombineZ Yahoo! group
• Getting started guide for CombineZ5 at the Wayback Machine (archived July 24, 2011)
• Easy to read explanation of how CombineZM works