PhotoAcute Users Guide

17/01/2019 PhotoAcute Users Guide
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Visit product website: www.photoacute.com

Contact PhotoAcute support: support@photoacute.com
© Almalence Inc. 2007-2011
https://www.photoacute.com/studio/guide/guide.html 1/18
I
PhotoAcute is a leading edge tool for enhancing the quality of digital photographs.
PhotoAcute processes sets of photographs taken in continuous mode to produce high-resolution, low-noise
pictures. It increases image resolution, removes noise without losing image details, corrects image
geometry and chromatic aberrations and expands the dynamic range.
Examples (on photoacute.com site): http://photoacute.com/studio/examples/mac_hdd/index.html
F
^ Index :: ^ Features
I
PhotoAcute produces a combined image from a sequence of continuous photographs, thus acquiring more
graphic information than is available from any one photograph. Using sophisticated proprietary
algorithms, it combines the individual frames to produce one large- sized and high-quality image. This
kind of technique is usually called "super-resolution processing".
Unlike digital zooming and image sharpening, the photographs produced by PhotoAcute do really have
higher spatial resolution.
Small, thin and far-away objects, traceries, textures and inscriptions become recognizable.
PhotoAcute super-resolution algorithms are tuned for particular camera/lens models to achieve maximum
quality.
super-resolution
source photograph applied to the whole sharpening applied
(one of a set): set of photographs: to the result of
strong sharpening
camera resolution the pattern is much superresolution
does not reveal more
was not enough to more apparent, as if processing - for
details
capture the it was captured by a comparison with the
brickwork pattern camera with higher sharpened original
resolution
Usage: To perform Super Resolution processing turn on the Increase Resolution option in the
processing options pane.. Superresolution processing depends on a camera profile for the given camera
model.
It is highly recommended to use high ISO levels (e.g. 400) for super-resolution processing. Cameras
automatically use long exposures when ISO is low, and this leads to handshaking artifacts that can
significantly decrease the level of detail of the picture. At the same time, the noise caused by high ISO
can be efficiently reduced during super-resolution processing.
More information:
Super Resolution FAQ (on PhotoAcute site)
Measuring the increase of image resolution (on PhotoAcute site)
Read more about Super Resolution at Wikipedia
E D R (HDR )
By using an advanced weighting technique, PhotoAcute is able to restore shadows and clipped highlights
from photographs taken in exposure-bracketing mode. It produces an image that otherwise could only be
taken with a camera that had much wider dynamic range.
This feature becomes especially handy for objects photographed on back-lit background (e.g. window, a
light snow, direct sunlight), or scenes that have important details in the shadow.
PhotoAcute introduces advanced HDR blending techniques: a precise radiometric alignment for producing
consistent HDR images of scenes with moving objects and varying illumination; and "Noise-free HDR" to
get rid of the noise in shadow areas of HDR images.
both shadow and

highlights captured, shadows captured,
highlight details are
shadows lost highlights lost
visible
Usage: Dynamic range expansion is turned on/off with the Blens HDR image option the corresponding
checkbox in the processing options pane.
More information:
Read more about dynamic range
Precise radiometric alignment: Produce consistent HDR images of scenes with moving objects and varying
illumination. (on PhotoAcute site)
Noise-free HDR: expand dynamic range and get rid of the noise (on PhotoAcute site)
D ( )
Focus stacking is a digital image processing technique which combines multiple images taken at different
focal distances to give a resulting image with a greater depth of field than any of the individual source
images.
The classic way to extend depth of field is to take images using a narrow lens aperture. This solution has
two serious disadvantages. Small apertures bring more light diffraction, degrading the image resolution
and they reduce the light transmission, forcing the use of longer exposures, which leads to motion blur in
the pictures. Also, even using the smallest aperture is sometimes not enough to capture the entire scene
sharply.
The alternative way is to take several frames of the same scene with different focal lengths. Each of these
images has its own depth of field and they can be merged together, combining focused areas of each
image and producing a resulting image with cumulative depth of field.
Using this technique is essential in macro-photography and micro-photography as well as in all situations
when the very near and very far objects in the scene have to be captured acutely.
Usage: Turn on the Focus stacking option in the processing options pane.
C
Every lens focuses the light of different wavelengths in different positions. This causes chromatic
aberration that is seen as "fringes" of color around the image. PhotoAcute corrects this aberration,
minimizing the circle of confusion.
The correction is performed automatically, with no need of manual adjustments of any parameters.
source photograph color fringes resulting photograph
Usage: Color fringing correction is turned on/off with the Fix chromatic aberrations option the
corresponding checkbox in the processing options pane.
More information:
Read more about chromatic aberrations
N
By combining several imagess, PhotoAcute automatically reduces the noise.
The main problem of noise reduction techniques is that the more noise is reduced, the more image details
are lost. This becomes extremely apparent in the low light scenes (e.g. night photos or shadowy parts of
the scene).
PhotoAcute provides high noise reduction without losing the image details.
a photograph
processed using the whole set, as
source photograph noise reduction processed by
(one of a set) utility (one of the PhotoAcute with NO
leaders on the super-resolution
market)
Usage: Noise reduction is performed automatically when stacking the images.
More information:
Read more about noise and its reduction
C
PhotoAcute corrects geometric distortion caused by the camera optics. This gives photographs the right
perspective and a natural look.
Usage: Geometry correction is turned on/off with the Correct geomerty option in the processing options
pane. This feature requires availability of a profile for the given camera/lens combination.
F - : - -
1. T
You can switch the camera to a continuous mode or take the photos one by one. RAW format is
prefferable, especially for the super resolution.
2. L P A
Click the Open link in PhotoAcute or drag-n-drop the files to PhotoAcute window.
3. S
Click the Adjust processing options link.

For the first-time usage you can simply select a preset, depending on the nature of the images. E.g., for
super resolution processing select "Superresolution, tripod" or "Superresolution, handheld" preset. For
processing exposure-bracketed images (dynamic range expansion) select one of "HDR" presets, and so
on.
More information on processing options
Once the options are set, click the Process this group link.
4. E
Once the processing is successfully completed, PhotoAcute switches to the tiled mode, displaying one of
the original images and the resulting image side by side.
When you drag one of the images (by mouse), the other one is moved correspondingly. You can drag a
single image without moving the other one by pressing [Ctrl] key while dragging ([Shift] key on Mac).
5. S
Select the resulting image in the list and click the Save link.
H
^ Index :: ^ How to Use
L
To load pictures into PhotoAcute Studio, you can either:

• Click the Open link and select the files
or
• Drag-n-drop the image files from Windows Explorer / Mac Finder.
To remove an image from the list, select it and click the Close link.
Note. Previews of RAW data displayed in PhotoAcute are calculated with default parameters. Have no worries about
improper white balance or absence of control over image parameters: PhotoAcute performs a RAW-in-RAW-out
processing. You will be able to tweak all parameters of the final result later in your favorite RAW converter.

P
There are three groups of processing options (see the screenshot below):
Operations (A in screenshot) - what processing is to be performed
Camera profile (B) - what camera/lens profile should be used (if needed)
Alignment options (C)
There are several presets designed for typical situations and purposes of processing. When you select a preset (D), the
options are automatically adjusted. You can still adjust the options manually if needed.
Increase resolution
Perform superresolution processing. This feature is better used with a proper profile designed for the given camera and
lens combination.
Blend HDR Image

Blend exposure bracketed images into a High Dynamic Range image. This operation does HDR blending only, with no
tone mapping. Then the result can be used in tone mapping workflow.
Expand Depth of Field

Stack differently focused images into an image with all areas in focus (Focus stacking).
Fix chromatic aberrations

Automatic correction of chromatic aberrations caused by different focusing of the light of different wavelengths.
Correct image geometry

Fix geometry distortions specific for the given camera and lens (requires a camera/lens profile).
A camera/lens profile is required for superresolution and geometry correction.

If there is no profile for your camera/lens, you can try using other profiles for superresolution. More information on
cameras and lenses support can be found in PhotoAcute FAQ (on photoacute.com site)
A
Camera stability
Regulates the maximum amount of displacement between the images. Normally, you should just choose between
'tripod' and 'handheld'.
Spatial alignment
Regulates the complexity of image deformation. The default '5x5 grid elastic deformation' value should work for most
cases. Use higher values for lenses with extreme distortion (e.g., fisheye), for images distorted due to athmosperic
disturbances, and so on. Avoid using high values for scenes with moving objects.
Base image
The base image for alignment. For the best results this should be an image with less blur and less clipped areas. You
can select the image manually or use automatic settings: 'less blurred' for superresolution, 'best exposed' for HDR
blending.
Moving objects
If 'No processing' is selected - the moving objects will be simply averaged.
'Take from the base image' - the moving objects are taken from the image selected as the base image.
'Remove or deghost' - try to remove the moving objects. The objects that cannot be removed smoothly are processed
to avoid ghosting artefacts.
Radiometric alignment
Radiometric alignment is used to avoid artefacts caused by moving objects and varying illumination of a scene.
Due to a varying lighting, non-linear sensor response and scene movement, two identical color values in two images
can be in fact different in the scene. Color values in an image are related to image irradiance by a nonlinear function.
Radiometric alignment is a process of estimating this nonlinear function.
Read more: Precise radiometric alignment (on photoacute.com site)

V
On the right pane, either the currently selected image or all the marked images(in Tiled mode) are displayed.
A thumbnail of the currently selected image is displayed in the bottom of the PhotoAcute window. The red rectangle in
the thumbnail designates the area being shown in the right pane. You can drag this rectangle to scroll the image.
PhotoAcute provides you with an easy and effective method of comparing the result with the original images.
In the 'Results' pane check the 'Tile' box and select the resulting image and one or more of the source images.
Source photographs are scaled to the size of the resulting image.
You can drag the images with the mouse. When you drag one of the images, all images move together so that you can
easily compare the matching areas of the images.
Adjust individual images by dragging them and holding the [Ctrl] key pressed ([Shift] key on Mac).
Use the mouse wheel or scale listbox to change scale.
V RAW I
Previews of RAW data displayed in PhotoAcute are calculated with default parameters. Have no worries about improper
white balance or absence of control over image parameters: PhotoAcute performs a RAW-in-RAW-out processing. You
will be able to tweak all parameters of the final result later in your favorite RAW converter.
S
To save the resulting image, select it in the list and click the Save link.
W
A watermark is placed in the saved images in trial mode and in case your license does not allow the kind of processing
(say, processing RAW images with Lite license - you are able to process and view the result, but a watermark is placed
when the result is saved).
For the detailed description of license types and what features are available with certain license, please go to
PhotoAcute Order Page.

S
To open the Settings window, click the Settings link.
Prompt Save on exit/close

When you are closing the unsaved image or exiting the program while there are unsaved images, PhotoAcute Studio
will display a confirmation window if this option is turned on.
Confirm saving RAW images in non-RAW formats

Display a warning when a non-RAW format is selected for saving RAW image.
Jpeg quality
This parameter controls the compression rate used when saving the images in JPEG format.
The higher is the value - the lower is the compression rate.
Scratch folder
The Scratch folder is used for storing image data during the processing.
Use RAW profiles for 16/32 bit images

Superresolution profiles differ for JPEG and RAW images. For non-RAW 16/32 bit images produced with no JPEG-
compression and in-camera processing (say, for a TIFF produces from RAW) it is recommended to use RAW profiles.
Crop unmatched edges

Crop the resulting images so that they should not contain the edge areas which do not covered by some of the source
images.
Allow tone mapping

Turn on the axperimental tone mapping workflow. After switching this option on, restart the application. There will
appear a link 'Tone Mapping' next to 'Image Stacking'.

R
Some basic recommendations:
RAW,
Superresolution is intended to work with the images right as they come from the camera, with no processing applied.
Use superresolution as the first step of your workflow.
The best results are achieved with RAW images. Use RAW whenever is possible.
N /
It is better to take sharper images with higher noise level, than blurry pictures with lower noise.
Image fusion automatically reduces the noise by averaging it, while it's almost impossible to reduce a shaking blur
without losing image detail.
So, when taking the images handheld under low light conditions use a higher shutter speed and a higher ISO.
For the consumer cameras there is yet another reason to use a high ISO when performing super-resolution.
Most consumer cameras have built-in sharpening that is turned on at low ISO. This sharpening is very simple and
imprecise. Unwanted artifacts (over-sharpening halos) and the loss of some details may appear in the final result.
P
^ Index :: ^ Product Registration
T
In the trial mode PhotoAcute allows you to use all the image processing features.
The trial mode is time-unlimited.
The only limitation of the trial mode is that a watermark is placed in saved images. The watermark does
not affect the image histogram, providing the possibility of examining the resulting images before
purchasing the software.
^ Index :: ^ Product Registration

H
PhotoAcute license can be purchased online:
http://www.photoacute.com/studio/order.html
Once the order is processed, you will be provided with a registration code. To register, launch PhotoAcute,
click the Registration link, then the Enter registration code link. Enter the registrartion code and click Ok
W ' P A 3
^ Index :: ^ What's new in PhotoAcute version 3
F 3
64 OS .
PhotoAcute can utilize all the available memory, allowing to process larger images.
B .
Now you do not need to load each set of images, adjust the processing options and wait for processing to
be finished to process the next set.
Load all the images and process them in a batch.
F UI.
No need to wait for loading of the images, you can adjust the processing options and even start the
processing while the images are being loaded.
In the batch mode only the thumbnails of the images are loaded.
RAW images are loaded faster as no conversion to DNG is performed.
A DNG C RAW .
Loading RAW images is now less complicated and faster.
B .
When the moving objects cannot be removed they are de-ghosted to avoid any artefacts.
B .
The super resolution algorithm was improved to avoid grid artefacts with certain bayer patterns.
B .
No more problems with loading or saving the files with path/name containing non-latin1 characters.
L R .
Single registration code for any license. One registration code for the versions for all OSs. No separate
user name and registration code, the user data is embedded in the code.
E T M .
PhotoAcute was always good at merging exposure bracketed photos into HDR images, but there was no
exposure fusion and tone mapping features for creating viewable and printable LDR images.
Version 3 introduces the tone mapping and the exposure fusion. This feature is in an experimental state
now and is turned on in Settings/Advanced.

F
Automatic updates.
Full tone mapping workflow.
Output of individual aligned images.
Manual fusion control: masks and shifts editor.

F 3
A lot of features were introduced in PhotoAcute 3. At the same time some features available in version 2
are not available in version 3:
Command line switches. As the application now has a batch mode, there is no much sense in
command line operation anymore.
Output of individual aligned images. This feature will be added in future.
Auto cropping of sample images for superresolution profiling. This will be added in future. Now the
version 2 should be used for preparing the samples.
'Wide shifts' alignment option. This option was excluded as it was practically unusable for normal
photos, rather leading to confusingly wrong results sometimes.
'Mask precision' option. The alignment algorithm was changed so that it should use only 'medium'
setting.
'Brightness equalization' option.
Loading frames from video files.
Anyway, if you need some feature of version 2, you can install and use that version. Any registered user
of PhotoAcute 3 will be provided with the registration codes for PhotoAcute 2 upon request.
G
resolution, spatial resolution
The resolution (commonly means spatial resolution) of a camera determines how small the image details
it can capture are.
The higher the resolution, the more details the image contains (smaller details are apparent), and the
larger the size of the pictures that can be printed.
Read more about image resolution at dpreview.com
Read about effective resolution measurement at imatest.com
super-resolution
Super-resolution is the method of enhancing the resolution of an image or of an optical system.
This can be done by either acquiring more graphic information (e.g. taking and merging several images of
the same object) or by reconstructing the details lost due to the faultiness of the optical system (applying
knowledge of the optical system's properties).
PhotoAcute Studio uses both ways to achieve the maximum image quality. It also enhances the dynamic
range and the tonal range as well as the spatial resolution.
Read more about superresolution at Wikipedia
noise, noise reduction

Image noise is the additional signal generated by the electrical activity in the sensor.
Noise is mostly visible on uniform surfaces (like blue skies) and in shadow areas.
Noise increases with sensitivity (ISO), exposure and temperature.
The main problem of noise reduction is that due to the impossibility of exact division of image data
between useful signal and noise, noise reduction leads to the loss of image details. This becomes most
apparent in low-lit areas of the image, where details are indistinguishable from noise and the noise
reduction removes both the noise and those details.
The noise reduction feature of PhotoAcute Studio is based on combining several photographs of the same
scene, and it reduces the noise while leaving the image details.
Read more about the image noise at dpreview.com
Read more about the noise reduction at dpreview.com
chromatic aberrations
Every lens, to a greater or lesser extent, focuses the light of different wavelengths onto different focal
planes and magnifies it differently. This causes, correspondingly, so-called "Longitudinal Chromatic
Aberrations" and "Lateral Chromatic Aberrations". Chromatic aberrations are visible as the fringes of color
at the contrast edges.

Read more about chromatic aberrations at dpreview.com
dynamic range
The dynamic range (or luminosity range) of the scene is the ratio between the largest and the smallest
values of luminosity in the scene. The dynamic range of a sensor is the ratio between the largest and the
smallest signal it can generate. When the dynamic range of the camera is not enough to capture the
dynamic range of the scene, shadow or/and highlight details are lost (clipped).
exposure
The exposure determines the amount of light received by the sensor. It is the combination of the duration
(shutter speed) and the width (aperture) of diaphragm opening.
Read more about exposure at dpreview.com
sensitivity, ISO
ISO indicates the camera's sensitivity to light. The higher the sensitivity, the less light is needed to
capture the scene. High ISO allows you to take photographs in low-light conditions and using faster
shutter speed to avoid handshaking artifacts. However, since the higher sensitivity is achieved by
amplifying the sensor's output, it leads to an increase of the noise.
PhotoAcute Studio greatly suppresses the noise when processing a set of continuous photographs, thus
eliminating the problem of high ISO and letting you use it for low-light scenes, thereby capturing and
taking sharp photographs with fast shutter speed.
Read more about sensitivity at dpreview.com
continuous mode, burst mode, sequential mode

Continuous mode (also called burst or sequential mode) is the camera mode whereby the images are
taken immediately one after another.
Different cameras provide different speeds for taking continuous photographs (frames per second or "fps")
and maximum number of photographs in one sequence.
Some cameras are capable of taking and saving continuous photographs only in JPEG format, while others
are capable of taking continuous photographs in RAW.
A number of modern mobile phones support continuous mode.
Read more about continuous mode at dpreview.com
exposure bracketing
Exposure bracketing is a technique of taking several photographs of the same scene with different
exposures.
Bracketing is used when it is difficult to obtain a good image from a single shot, e.g. when the scene has
both very dark and very light areas (the dynamic range of the scene is much wider than the dynamic
range of the camera).
Photographs taken in exposure bracketing mode can also be combined into one image with both dark and
light areas normally exposed (the dynamic range of the image, thereby, becomes wider than the camera
can capture).
Read more about exposure bracketing at dpreview.com
depth of field, focus stacking

Depth of field (DOF) is the distance in front of and beyond the subject that appears to be in focus (sharp).
Focus stacking 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 field than any of the individual source
images.
Read more about depth of field at dpreview.com
Read more about focus stacking at wikipedia.org
interpolation, nearest neighbor, bicubic

Interpolation is the method used to scale the image to a different size.
Nearest neighbor is the method of interpolation, which simply enlarges each pixel (when upscaling the
image) or throws some pixels away (when downscaling the image). This method is very fast, but it
produces rough, pixelized images.
Bicubic interpolation computes each pixel color as a weighted average of the nearest 16 pixels. This
method provides smoother edges but it is slower than the nearest neighbor method.
profile, camera profile

Two PhotoAcute Studio features - super-resolution processing and geometry correction are tuned for
particular camera/lens models.
To apply these features for processing certain photographs, the application needs information about the
properties of the camera model which was used to take these photographs.
This information is stored in the so-called camera profiles. The camera profile is a .dll/.bundle file, which
is placed into PhotoAcute Studio installation folder and loaded automatically at the application startup.
More information on cameras and lenses support can be found in PhotoAcute FAQ (on photoacute.com
site)
RAW
The image data in RAW format contain the image information as it comes from the sensor. Compared to
the JPEG format, the RAW format provides more graphic data that can be used for applying sophisticated
processing and thus producing high quality pictures.
Read more about RAW at dpreview.com
Visit product website: www.photoacute.com

Contact PhotoAcute Studio support: support@photoacute.com
© Almalence Inc. 2007-2011

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17/01/2019 PhotoAcute Users Guide

Visit product website: www.photoacute.com

Examples (on photoacute.com site): http://photoacute.com/studio/examples/mac_hdd/index.html

both shadow and

image and producing a resulting image with cumulative depth of field.

source photograph color fringes resulting photograph

Usage: Noise reduction is performed automatically when stacking the images.

Click the Adjust processing options link.

To load pictures into PhotoAcute Studio, you can either:

^ Index :: ^ How to Use

Blend HDR Image

Expand Depth of Field

Fix chromatic aberrations

Correct image geometry

A camera/lens profile is required for superresolution and geometry correction.

^ Index :: ^ How to Use

^ Index :: ^ How to Use

Prompt Save on exit/close

Confirm saving RAW images in non-RAW formats

Use RAW profiles for 16/32 bit images

Crop unmatched edges

Allow tone mapping

^ Index :: ^ How to Use

^ Index :: ^ Product Registration

^ Index :: ^ What's new in PhotoAcute version 3

^ Index :: ^ What's new in PhotoAcute version 3

noise, noise reduction

at the contrast edges.

continuous mode, burst mode, sequential mode

depth of field, focus stacking

interpolation, nearest neighbor, bicubic

profile, camera profile

Visit product website: www.photoacute.com

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