Can multiple slightly blurry phone photos be combined into one sharper image?
Asked 3/30/2012
2 views
2 answers
0
I have several mobile phone photos of the same subject taken a few seconds apart. They are all fairly low quality and each has slight focus blur. Is there an easy way to combine them into a single higher-quality image? I’ve seen this described as stacking or focus stacking—can that help with this kind of problem?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
6
Astrophotographers have been combining similar images for years. This is called "stacking" and there is special purpose software for it. You have great reductions in both noise and in some cases, clarity, than could ever be achieved with a single exposure.
However, there is a big but to this. The prime purpose of stacking is to eliminate noise from really dim objects. It is common for have exposures that are 1-2 minutes long and to combine dozens of these. This doesn't sound like what you want.
I did mention clarity, that sounds like what you are looking for but you will also be disappointed. The best lunar photography today is done with webcams. Yeah, webcams. The trick there is that you have thousands of exposure, most of which are crap since the atmosphere jiggles. But, with a movie made from a web cam, you can discard most of them, looking for those few clear shots. You then take those clear shots and stack them.
Then point at a different place on the moon and do it all over again.
Then again, this isn't what you want, but it is cool.
Originally by user7310. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user7310
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Sometimes, but only in limited cases. Combining multiple similar images is generally called stacking. It’s commonly used to reduce noise, and in some situations it can improve apparent detail if you have many frames and enough variation between them.
However, stacking is not a magic fix for several slightly out-of-focus photos. If every frame is blurred in the same way, combining them usually won’t restore true sharpness. Focus stacking specifically works when different parts of the subject are sharp in different images; software then blends the sharp areas from each frame.
If your shots are all of the same scene with only slight differences, you may see modest improvement in noise or clarity, but don’t expect a dramatic jump in quality from a handful of blurry phone images. Better results usually come from many frames, careful alignment, and a stable subject/camera.
Software mentioned by others includes ale on Linux and CombineZP on Windows. These can be worth trying, but results depend heavily on the source images.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI14y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Can I reduce low-light noise by stacking frames from an iPhone video into one photo?
Why would a photographer use focus stacking?
Why do my GH1 night photos show heavy noise at ISO 320/640 and 15–25 second exposures?
Can you create a better still photo by averaging frames from a video?
Can stacking multiple shots make a soft 500mm mirror-lens image sharper?