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?  

[FloridaDrafter]

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@Sazanka wrote:

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

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You are welcome. I've been focus stacking for quite a while using a 7D mark II and 5D mark IV with specialized software by Helicon Soft, Helicon Remote to get the shots and Helicon Focus to process the stacks. I was pretty excited when I saw that DPP would process stacks shot in Raw with my 5D mark IV. Now I use my wifes R6 most of the time. If you get hooked like I did, you will probably want something like Helicon because it gives you so much more control, like you can pick where to start and end instead of just a start and number of shots. Canons system is still pretty good though.

You might want to try shooting Raw. The portion of the flower that was in focus looked pretty good and I'll bet you will like the results much better if you start with Raw, even though processing time will be longer. Edit the first image to your liking, then copy that recipe and batch paste it to the rest of the stack, then do your processing.

Newton

[Karo_photo]

I have the same problem -"tool won't recognize selected images"  when trying to Depth Compositing images made with TS-e 24 mm lens on 5D Mark IV,  while DPP 4 works flowlessly with EF 70-200 in manual focus mode on the same camera at the same setup.

Looks like DPP can not receive distance information from non-AF lens.

Is Depth Compositing tool not meant at all to work with images made with TS-E lenses?

[jrhoffman75]

Welcome to the forum.

DPP manual available here: dpp-4-15-0-w-im-en.pdf (c-wss.com)

[Karo_photo]

Thank you John!
it's a pity Canon doesn't let Depth Compositing with those outstanding lenses. hope third party applications don't have such restrictions

[jrhoffman75]

I’m quite sure Helicon Focus doesn’t, but it is a paid product.