Feature Request: Modernizing the "Depth Compositing" Tool in DPP 4 (GPU Acceleration & 16-bit TIFF/D

[emrahozaras]

Dear Canon Software Development Team,

As an active Canon EOS R7 and RF 100mm f/2.8L Macro photographer, I heavily rely on in-camera Focus Bracketing and post-processing with Digital Photo Professional (DPP 4). I deeply appreciate Canon’s unmatched color science, Picture Styles, and especially the Digital Lens Optimizer (DLO), which handles optical aberrations and diffraction better than any third-party software.

However, the "Depth Compositing" (Focus Stacking) tool in DPP 4 requires urgent modernization to match modern hardware capabilities and professional workflows:

1. GPU Acceleration (CUDA / DirectCompute / Vulkan):
Currently, Depth Compositing runs almost exclusively on limited CPU threads. Modern workstations equipped with high-end GPUs (e.g., NVIDIA RTX 40-series) remain idle while a 50-frame stack takes 5 to 10 minutes. Implementing GPU-accelerated frame alignment and pixel blending would reduce this process to under 20 seconds.

2. 16-bit TIFF and Linear DNG Output (Most Critical):
Depth Compositing currently exports only 8-bit JPEG files. This severely degrades the 14-bit raw dynamic range captured by our cameras. Please allow users to save the merged composite as a 16-bit TIFF or a Linear DNG, enabling further color grading and exposure adjustments without posterization or banding.

3. Multi-Core & Hybrid CPU Optimization:
Please optimize the demosaicing and alignment pipeline for modern high-core-count processors (Intel 13th/14th Gen hybrid architecture, AMD Ryzen 7000/9000).

4. Basic Retouching Brush:
In complex macro compositions, foreground-background overlaps naturally produce minor halos. A simple in-app retouching brush to clone sharp pixels from individual aligned source frames onto the composite would make DPP 4 a complete, industry-leading stacking solution.

With these updates, DPP would easily surpass third-party tools like Zerene Stacker and Helicon Focus, creating a truly unified, professional workflow for EOS R users.

Thank you for your continuous dedication to imaging excellence.

Best regards,
Emrah
Canon EOS R7 User

[FloridaDrafter]

First off, most of the folks on this Forum are users, just like you. So we don't have the ear of Canon. You can go to Canons Support page and click the tiny "[+] Feedback" link and follow the prompts. I found it at the lower left, but it may be at the top of the page, it just depends on which support page you are on 😉

Your Item 2 is already a feature. Just click the "Browse" button once you've started the stack and change JPeG to 16bit TIFF.

Your Item 4 is also a feature. I've used it, it has it's own work space and is pretty straight forward. This feature is one of the options when you select "Depth compositing" in the Tools menu, it's the "Start depth compositing editing tool". The first image is the problem area and the second is after touch up.

I use both the in-camera capture of my R5II and R6II and process in DPP, but also use Helicon Remote and Helicon Focus to capture and process, it just depends on how lazy I am, LOL! I like being able to edit my Raw files in DPP before stacking, but enjoy the speed of Helicon

I kind of compared the two HERE back in 2023. Probably nothing new for you, but interesting.

Newton

[emrahozaras]

Hi Newton,

Thank you so much for the detailed reply!

I had completely overlooked the 16-bit TIFF option under the Browse dialog and the dedicated editing tool in the menu—that's extremely helpful to know.

Also, checked out your comparison link; DPP's output quality and color rendering really are unmatched compared to Helicon. Now if only Canon would add GPU acceleration to speed things up, it would be perfect.

Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction!

Best regards,

Emrah

[emrahozaras]

By the way, there is no tiny "[+] Feedback" link in europa version of the website!

[FloridaDrafter]

Try the Canon U.S.A. site. It should wind up in Japan anyway. As for the memory and GPU/CPU usage, DPP has been like that since I've been using it, some 15 years. It needs a makeover, but it doesn't seem Canon is inclined to do so.

Newton