Zerene vs Helicon which do you prefer?

[kalgra]

I am starting to play around with stacking for insect macro and have been using PS to do this which seems to work pretty well but it seems like those that are really serious about it and seems to have the best images are working with either Helicon or Zerene.

I would like to hear from you guys on what you prefer and why. Thanks so much!!

 

[Johann Schutte]

From the reviews I have read, it's pretty much a 50/50. I have used Zerene extensively and find it easy to work with. When i initially had to make the decision (3 yrs ago) I was swayed towards Zerene, but don't remember why. Zerene allows batch processing via scripting. Not sure if Helicon is capable of this. It's a huge benefit if you get into slabstacking, especially when you;re working with 200+ exposures at mag 5+, which can literally take hours to complete.

 

[Overread]

Zerine - Helicon - Combine ZP (freeware) - Photoshop.

Each one works differently and with some different control options to the others. This is one area in editing where different software packages are viable and advisable to have access to. I've had stacks that fail under one software option succeed under another. I think there are even a couple of tests out there by skilled people who established some of the parameters for what would work in some and fail in others; but they are complex and not something you can "shoot" in mind of.
Thus you ideally want to start to gather up a few options for stacking if you get into it. You invest more time into a series of shots for a stack so fail or succeed makes it viable for owning different options.

In many other areas of editing this isn't the case - variations in noise reduction, sharpening, clarity et c.... are often minor between different software packages and often as not can be invisible (or near enough) in web display or prints unless you're doing huge enlargements.

 

[kalgra]

Thanks guys that is helpful. I downloaded the reef trial of helicon and already see what you mean @Overread.
At first I was very disappointed with my results and found that photoshop did a better job but then I came across another stack where photoshop delivered some lack luster results so I gave helicon a go at it and sure enough it did much better.

Thanks again!

 

[Dave442]

I went with Zerene in 2013 and don't remember why. I do remember they had some good information on how to adjust settings to improve the stack and that it was a pay one time software. Either way it is good to have an alternative to PS.