Depth Compositing using DPP4 - tool won't recognize selected images

[Sazanka]

I have used the focus bracketing feature on my EOS M6 Mark ii with 18-150 mm lens to generate a "stack" of 45 jpeg images of the same subject.  I have downloaded these images from my camera into DPP4.  The images look good and the focus stacking seems right when I preview them. According to the DPP4 manual, my camera and lens are supported for the depth compositing function.

First I "select" these images - by clicking on the first one, then holding down the shift key and clicking on the last one, so all the images are highlighted.  

Then I use the Tools drop down menu to select the Depth Compositing Tool.  When I select the DC tool, I receive an error message telling me that I haven't selected any images. Repeated tries at this process have yielded the same result.

Is there something else I have to do to "select" these images so the DC tool will recognize them?  

[jrhoffman75]

Welcome to the forum.

Perhaps 45 is too many for the software?

Maybe try a smaller number and seee what happens?

[Waddizzle]

John is probably correct.  The app is probably choking on so many images.  Try doing them in smaller batches, and then later combining the output files into a single image.

[FloridaDrafter]

I've processed 90+ shots in a stack, so DPP doesn't have any problems with large stacks. I think the message is indicating that the files are unsuitable or incompatible. What size JPG's are you using?

*EDIT* I just selected incompatible files, and it through up a message stating that, so that was a bad assumption*

As for the selection process, it's pretty straight forward. I just click the folder my shots are in and the main window gets populated with the first image selected by default, I then just press CTRL A to select all the images, then use the pulldown to start the DC tool. I've used both Raw and JPG.

Newton

[Sazanka]

Thanks to all responders for their suggestions.  My files are about 7 MB each - 6960 x 4670 pixels.  I did try just using one, two, or three images to see if that would help; I get the same error message.  As stated by FloridaDrafter, 48 images is well within the capabilities of the software.  Selecting and highlighting the images in the usual manner works; but the DC tool - at least my version of it - simply won't recognize that the images have been selected.  I tried the same process using the Compositing tool and then the HDR compositing tool instead of the Depth Compositing tool -- both of those tools recognize the images that I have selected.   

At this point I am beginning to suspect a software glitch.  Has anyone ever had to uninstall and reinstall the DPP software to solve a problem?  I am up to date on software versions.

[jrhoffman75]

This may not be your probiem, but I had a problem once with DPP not recognizing the Cloud processing tool.

I am on a Windows 10 PC.

I ran a registry check tool from the free Ccleaner app and that resolved my problem.

[FloridaDrafter]

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@Sazanka wrote:

Thanks to all responders for their suggestions.  My files are about 7 MB each - 6960 x 4670 pixels.  I did try just using one, two, or three images to see if that would help; I get the same error message.  As stated by FloridaDrafter, 48 images is well within the capabilities of the software.  Selecting and highlighting the images in the usual manner works; but the DC tool - at least my version of it - simply won't recognize that the images have been selected.  I tried the same process using the Compositing tool and then the HDR compositing tool instead of the Depth Compositing tool -- both of those tools recognize the images that I have selected.   

At this point I am beginning to suspect a software glitch.  Has anyone ever had to uninstall and reinstall the DPP software to solve a problem?  I am up to date on software versions.

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That's very strange and yes, I have read on this forum of people solving problems with DPP by uninstalling and reinstalling, but by using a third party uninstaller that does a better job at cleaning up stray files (John beat me to it, LOL).

If you have sharable on-line storage and feel like doing it, put 5 or 6 files up and post the URL. I will be happy to see if I can get them to load. Just be sure to leave all EXIF data intact (I know, but I had to mention it:))

Newton

[Sazanka]

Thanks for the offer to check this out.  Here is the link:  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1i3XBuLbEXp95bm9iHTalI5LiUJ1nP2F4?usp=sharing

A couple of things:  I am fairly new to Google Drive so not sure how much of the metadata is going to be available. I  didn't actively remove any data, but  I can't seem to get it to display inside of the Google Drive album.  Hopefully it is still attached to the images.  For information only, I took a screen capture of the EXIF data for the first image and uploaded it into the album as a jpg.  There are a few items at the bottom of the list that didn't make the screen capture.

Also, I sent some of the images via email to myself and downloaded them to my MS Surface travel computer, which also has DPP 4 installed.  When I open them in DPP4 on that computer, I have the same problem as on my main computer -- images cannot be recognized as "selected" by the Depth Composition tool in DPP4.  So if there is a problem it is not a data hiccup on one computer.

Shirley

[FloridaDrafter · Accepted solution]

It's just the first shot that is causing the error (all shots must have the same parameters). Remove that one and your stack will process. Not sure what caused that, maybe a test shot somehow was included in the folder? At least, I was able to process what you had posted after removing IMG_1791. You might want to open "View" and run through the rest.

*EDIT* Note that Focus bracketing is not enabled in IMG_1791.

Good luck,

Newton

[Sazanka]

Thanks,  that is exactly what happened.  I did a test shot at the beginning and didn't leave it out.  (A more helpful error message would have been nice but it was definitely my mistake.)  I was able to process all the images in the focus bracketing sequence; however the final result was pretty awful.  I will try again with a simpler composition and see if I can get a better result.

I really appreciate your help today.  Again, thanks so much,  Shirley