What image resolution should I use for microscope focus stacking?
Asked 1/23/2013
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I’m shooting a series of images with a DSLR attached to a microscope and combining 6–15 frames into a focus stack for greater depth of field. My camera can capture 18MP images. Should I shoot each frame at full resolution, or lower the resolution to reduce noise and keep the final file size manageable?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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Always use as much data as you can. It's actually easier to reduce noise when there's more information to begin with. (Reducing resolution is a brute-force noise removal tool, throwing away both noise and signal.)
If you're still concerned about the size final image, reduce the resolution at that point, after flattening.
Originally by user1943. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1943
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Use full resolution for each frame. For focus stacking, it’s generally best to capture as much data as possible and downsize later if needed.
Lowering resolution at capture is a blunt way to reduce noise because it throws away both detail and noise. Starting with the highest-resolution source files gives the stacking software more image information to work with, which is especially helpful for fine detail.
If the final image ends up larger than you need, resize the finished stacked image afterward rather than reducing resolution before capture.
A practical tip from microscope stacking experience: take the images quickly and in sequence, since slight subject drift or movement can affect alignment. It can also help to frame a little wider than usual so you have room to crop after stacking.
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