FOCUS projects 4 professional vs Macro Studio
FOCUS projects 4 professional
franzis.de
Macro Studio
macrostudio.proSide by side
| Figure | FOCUS projects 4 professional | Macro Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Focus Stacking Software | 8.0 (#7) | 8.0 (#8) |
| Headquarters | Haar, Germany | Austin, Texas, United States |
| Purpose | FOCUS projects 4 professional creates macro photographs with extended depth of field and detailed results. | Macro Studio is focus stacking software for macro photography that combines stacking and non-destructive editing in one desktop app. |
| Stacking | The product includes HQ stacking with 64-bit calculation. | It analyzes focus-bracket images and combines sharp regions into a single image. |
| Support | FRANZIS directs software questions to its contact form and asks customers to provide the product version and operating system. | The pricing page includes email support, and the maker says a real person reads the support email. |
Plans
In their own words
FOCUS projects 4 professional
FOCUS projects 4 professional is a standalone FRANZIS application for creating macro photographs with extended depth of field. Its HQ stacking uses 64-bit calculation, Focus-Boost technology increases sharpness, and stacks can contain up to 1,000 focus planes. The software advertises precise alignment and includes automatic alignment, batch processing and manual retouching. It supports RAW input and outputs RAW, TIFF, JPEG and other formats, with a bracketed HDR merge mode. An Adobe Lightroom plug-in is included. FRANZIS lists the application for Mac OS X 10.7 and Windows 10, 8.1, 8 and 7; the product page also presents it for macOS and Windows. The full version is an immediately available download, and a demo version is linked. The listed Vollversion plan costs €20 as a one-time purchase, with an offer price of €20,00 including VAT and a stated UVP of €99,00. The pricing note says from €69. There is no free plan, but a free trial is available. FRANZIS describes its photography products as suitable for beginners and professionals.
Macro Studio
Macro Studio is desktop software for focus stacking and non-destructive editing in macro photography. It analyzes focus-bracket images and merges their sharp areas into one image, with automatic alignment and batch processing listed. The editor includes adjustments, masks, retouching, cropping, image comparison, and watermarks; it also supports RAW files and TIFF, JPEG, and DNG output. AI-assisted tools provide subject masks, species identification, and draft social posts. Macro Studio runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows. Listed integrations include Adobe Bridge, Lightroom Classic, DxO PhotoLab, and ON1 Photo RAW. Its Lightroom plugin works with Lightroom Classic, not the cloud-based Lightroom app. The maker says photos stay on the user's machine and are not used to train AI. The Macro Studio 2026 license is $59.00 USD as a one-time purchase, with a launch price shown as reduced from $99. It includes all features, use on up to three machines, and updates within the 2026 version. Free trials are invite-only, last 30 days, and unlock every feature.