Helicon Focus vs Open Galileo

Helicon Focus combines photographs captured at different focus distances into one image with extended depth of field. It is designed for focus stacking in macro and micro photography, close-ups, jewelry, products, landscapes, flowers, animals, and still life. The software processes images at 16-bit precision, supports color profiles, opens RAW files, and can save Pro results as DNG. It handles stacks of hundreds of high-resolution images and supports unlimited stack length. Retouching tools copy areas from aligned source images or combine areas from outputs, with a grid for detailed work. Batch rendering can queue and split stacks, while command-line parameters allow calls from other applications. Lightroom and Capture One plugins export stacks. Pro features add 3D model export and 2D micropanorama stitching. Current downloads support 64-bit Windows 10 or 11 and macOS 12 or later. A fully featured trial lasts 30 days; Demo mode then limits resolution and adds a watermark.

Open Galileo is free, open-source Windows software for focus stacking and signal integration in scientific photography, microscopy, macro photography, astrophotography, and technical documentation. It automatically aligns image sets with correlation algorithms, compensating for focus breathing and small shot differences. Focus fusion options include PMax multiband, weighted average, and depth-map methods. Astronomy mode combines signals using mean, median, sum, or sigma-clipping integration. Processing uses Laplacian, Difference of Gaussians, and variance focus measures, plus multiscale fusion with Laplacian pyramids. Optional tools provide contrast normalization, CLAHE, Unsharp Mask sharpening, and noise reduction including BM3D and approximate Noise2Void. Folders can be processed and saved automatically. JPG, PNG, TIFF, and RAW files are supported. The interface includes live previews, progress bars, parameter sliders, and a large-screen layout. It is released under CC BY-NC 4.0; commercial use needs the author's prior permission.