Zerene Stacker questions

[nielsgeode]

Hi All,

I'd like to fully understand the way Zerene Stacker saves its project files, its output file ('in the project files') and what it does with the input images.

I am asking because I would like to know if it this is possible:

-Load a set of input (TIF) images, stack it (e.g. DMap)
-Do some brushing (some normale, some darker, some lighter)
-Conclude that something is wrong with the input files (e.g. color temp)
-Correct the color temperature in Lightroom in the original RAW files
-Generate new TIF's
-Overwrite the original TIF files
-Reload lightroom and somehow have the output file also 'fixed' without having to redo all the brushings.

I'd like to have the ability to sync the edits done in lightroom to the new output image, the same as in lightroom where edits are non-destructively saved as metadata instructions. Ideally, this metadata could than also be exported into other projects. In this way, all the brushings only needs to be done once when I'd like to create multiple output files (e.g. black&white, color, high contrast) from the same stack of input files (and save each version as a different project).

Am I asking too much? Is this possbile? If not, could it be implemented?

Thanx!
Niels

[rjlittlefield]

I'd like to fully understand the way Zerene Stacker saves its project files, its output file ('in the project files') and what it does with the input images.

The project file contains references to the source files, plus whatever alignment parameters were determined during stacking. It also contains references to the output images, which are stored as .zsy files. The output images contain only the pixel values --- no record is kept of how those pixel values were determined. Even during retouching, undo/redo is implemented by keeping track of the effects of brushing. The brush strokes themselves are not recorded.

I am asking because I would like to know if it this is possible:

-Load a set of input (TIF) images, stack it (e.g. DMap)
-Do some brushing (some normale, some darker, some lighter)
-Conclude that something is wrong with the input files (e.g. color temp)
-Correct the color temperature in Lightroom in the original RAW files
-Generate new TIF's
-Overwrite the original TIF files
-Reload lightroom and somehow have the output file also 'fixed' without having to redo all the brushings.

I'd like to have the ability to sync the edits done in lightroom to the new output image, the same as in lightroom where edits are non-destructively saved as metadata instructions. Ideally, this metadata could than also be exported into other projects. In this way, all the brushings only needs to be done once when I'd like to create multiple output files (e.g. black&white, color, high contrast) from the same stack of input files (and save each version as a different project).

Am I asking too much? Is this possbile? If not, could it be implemented?

In theory, all things can be implemented. In practice, what you describe is so far down the priority list that it will never happen. It would require adding code to record and replay all user actions, which would be an expensive piece of development with small value.

I believe you can approximate the workflow you're asking for like this:

1. Have Lightroom convert your raw files to 16-bit TIFF, then keep track of the TIFFs separately from the raw files. Put them in a different folder if you have to.

2. Run Zerene Stacker on the source TIFFs. Save the output as 16-bit TIFF back to the same folder as the source TIFFs.

3. Instruct Lightroom how to make the source TIFFs look the way you want, then sync those modifications to the output TIFFs produced by ZS.

--Rik

[nielsgeode]

A late reply

I understand your suggestion Rik. However, there are certain things that can only be done with RAW files and not with TIF images.

I did a small test: make a stack, save the project, replace the TIFFs with the 'same' images, but only edited differently (black-white here). Then save the retouched output image. I get a color TIF
This means that the retouched image is entirely saved in the project file and that the source images are not needed just to save the retouched image...

If ZS saves all the brush strokes and retouches, it would then still be really nice if all these things can be simply applied to the same set of input images, but with a different edit (e.g. color/bw, different color temperature).

[rjlittlefield]

I did a small test: make a stack, save the project, replace the TIFFs with the 'same' images, but only edited differently (black-white here). Then save the retouched output image. I get a color TIF
This means that the retouched image is entirely saved in the project file and that the source images are not needed just to save the retouched image...

Yes, this is correct.

But I don't understand the "confused" smilie ( ), unless what I wrote last time was misunderstood.

What I wrote was

The project file ... also contains references to the output images, which are stored as .zsy files. The output images contain only the pixel values --- no record is kept of how those pixel values were determined.

By "project file", I meant the .zsj file -- the thing that you can load into any text editor and read by eye. The .zsy files are also stored within the project, in the "generatedimages" folder. When you save an image, pixel values are read from the .zsy file, reformatted to TIFF or JPEG, and written to a different file.

If ZS saves all the brush strokes and retouches, it would then still be really nice if all these things can be simply applied to the same set of input images, but with a different edit (e.g. color/bw, different color temperature).

True, but as I said, none of these things are saved by the current code and it would be a lot of work to add them. (In other words, yes, you are asking too much.)

To be honest, I question whether you really did understand my suggestion, because the two examples you provide (color/bw, different color temperature) can be applied quite well to the retouched output, no need to repeat anything.

--Rik