OpenFocus vs PICOLAY

OpenFocus aligns and fuses multi-focus image sequences to create images with focus throughout. It offers ECC and Homography alignment and several fusion methods: Guided Filter, DCT, DTCWT, GFG-FGF and the StackMFF V4 AI model. A wipe view lets users compare source frames with results, and the software can generate depth maps showing focus position per pixel. It supports folder-based batch processing and a headless command-line interface for scripting and CI. Listed inputs include JPG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, MP4 and numbered image folders; the manual also describes decoding additional video formats. Outputs include those image formats, image-sequence folders and GIF animations. Research functions include metadata-calibrated scale bars and multi-page TIFF stacks that preserve 16-bit depth. The interface supports English, Chinese, Japanese and Spanish, with automatic system-language detection. OpenFocus is free under the MIT License, though included algorithms may have separate license terms. Its Windows and macOS app builds are unsigned and may trigger SmartScreen or Gatekeeper warnings on first launch.

PICOLAY is a free Windows program for improving images made from picture series. Its focus-stacking process combines sharp areas from photographs taken at different focus levels in a z-stack. From stacks, it can generate depth maps, 3D projections, stereo images, hologram views, and 3D animations. Editing tools cover resizing, color and sharpness adjustments, filtering, rotation, flipping, painting, cloning, text, and scale bars. It can align displaced stack images by their x and y positions and harmonize their brightness. PICOLAY runs without installation and can be copied to a folder or USB stick. Downloads include 64-bit versions and a 32-bit ZIP version. The download page labels the current release Version 2026-09-29 and lists AI-supported builds. The maker says some antivirus programs may flag the download because distribution is limited and its reputation score is weak. PICOLAY is offered as-is without warranty and may be used freely for non-commercial purposes. Manuals are available in five languages, with tutorials and FAQs linked.