Side by side
Enfuse vs focus-stack
Both stand on focus stacking software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxMacWindows
Choose Enfuse if you want a free command-line tool for exposure fusion or focus stacking, with adjustable blending criteria and TIFF or JPEG output. Look elsewhere if you need automatic image alignment or prefer not to work from the command line.
Visit Enfuse Free plan LinuxMacWindows
Choose focus-stack if you need a free desktop tool to combine focus-bracketed images and want control over alignment and processing. Consider its memory estimate and the unsigned macOS app when deciding whether it fits your setup.
Visit focus-stackThe facts
| Enfuse | focus-stack | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Windows | Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Not published | Free or on request |
| Plans published | None | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | hugin.sourceforge.io | github.com |
| On focus stacking software | #10 of 24 | #6 of 24 |
Enfuse: what it does well
- Free software for Linux, macOS, and Windows.
- Blends exposures without first creating an HDR image.
- Can extend depth of field by blending focus stacks.
- Weights exposure, saturation, and contrast separately.
- Alpha values can exclude selected pixels from blending.
What to know first
- Uses a command-line interface.
- Contrast near equirectangular image zeniths or nadirs can cause a vortex artifact.
focus-stack: what it does well
- Combines images by selecting the sharpest source at each pixel
- Can align images by resizing and rotating them
- Produces focus-stacked images, depth maps, and 3D previews
- Offers denoising and consistency filtering controls
- Uses OpenCL GPU acceleration when available
What to know first
- Default memory estimate is about 100 MB per megapixel
- The macOS application is unsigned and may be quarantined
- Linux builds require OpenCV 3.0 or newer and build tools
Alternatives to Enfuse Alternatives to focus-stack The whole list