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S_Merge V1.4

This is an image blending program that can can merge up to 8 pictures or text in any combination.
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Runs on: Windows XP and Vista

S_MERGE is a very versatile tool for merging existing images. Total flexibility in alignment of the images such as scaling, relative positioning and rotation is allowed simply by mouse clicking and dragging to stretch, position and spin them anyway you want.

Once the images are aligned you have several options for blending them together. Options for fading the edges of one or more images prior to overlaying are available which gives an attractive seamless join without the inappropriate edges seen as a result of merging images of different sizes and positions.

  • Split the completed image into a set of tiles where each tile is saved to a unique file.
  • Set the background (base) color.
  • Set margin sizes and color.
  • Send the completed image to new 'source'. This allows merging of any number of images.

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Here is an example of map overlays.

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Here is an example of adding a watermark to an image.

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Example of adding text to an image.

Example collage of images with header text.

Four rotated images with a background and margin.

S_Merge is not just about overlaying; there are options to individually modify images before merging:
  • Pincushion / Barrel distortion correction. Useful to correct certain camera lens distortion.
  • Apply top-down or bottom-up trapezoid distortion. Mitigates effect of say looking up at a tall building.
  • Apply cylindrical panoramic distortion to emulate the effect of a swing camera.
  • Overlay an image with gridlines or dots with adjustable pitch and color. Graduate your important engineering drawing.
  • vertically skew the image to any angle.
  • Set brightness/ contrast and convert to black white.
  • Convert any rectangular areas within the image to be transparent.
  • Crop out a settable external retangular area.

S_merge allows the use of these features above with or without merging with other images.

Taking some of these features in turn:

Pincushion/Barrel Distortion

This command will limit the pincushion or barrel distortion caused by the camera lens. This effect can sometimes be seen in images with a large building in view where the vertical and horizontal edges may be curved towards or away from the center of the image at the diagonals.


Trapezoidal Distortion

This command will distort the source image to a trapezoid shape where the base to apex is from bottom to top or top to bottom. The tilt of the apex and the ratio of apex width to bottom width can be adjusted.

This can be useful to mitigate the effect of an image taken of a tall building with the camera angled upwards. The trapezoid feature in this case can horizontally stretch the top and compress the bottom of the image to give the illusion of image parallel vertical lines.

Check out these two images: before and after.

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Cylindrical Projection

Typical cameras have lenses that produce rectilinear images. These stretch the image so that vertical, horizontal and diagonal lines that we perceive as being straight are reproduced as straight lines.

This command distorts the image to a cylindrical projection of up to + or - 90° rotation about the vertical. The amount of rotation can be set with the slider control in this command. Most swing lens/rotating panoramic cameras produce this kind of image.

As an example imagine a horizontal straight line stretching from horizon to horizon at some height above ground. Stand some distance away from and face head on to the line. The line in front of you will be seen to be at some height above the ground but looking left and right, the line will appear to converge down to the horizon. This command will project that image onto a flat surface.


Gridlines

This allows overlaying the image/text with horizontal and vertical gridlines of any color and distance between. Any number of gridlines with different spacing and colors can be overlaid by simply changing the parameters and applying them. The gridlines can be solid or dotted and you can switch on either or both. In each case set the spacing between the lines or dots with values from 2 to a 1000 pixels.

When merging to the 'target' you have these two options for blending the images:

Simple merge dialog box. In most cases the simple option shown here is sufficient where all you need is to adjust the relative weightings of the source images to merge by tweaking the pie-chart segments directly in the box.

Select any number of fade_edge switches for smooth fading at the edge as necessary.

Selecting greatest: The brightest pixel of the source images is selected.

Selecting Average: The 'average' of red, green, and blue of the source images is output.

Selecting Least: The 'darkest' pixel of the source images is output.

Below is a peek of the advanced merge option. Please look at the help file for details.

The target image environment also allows setting of the background 'base' color, margins widths/height and colors.

Why not visit the sister site: CONTORT an image distorter program.

Credit to INNOSETUP and CXIMAGE for making these programs possible - - - - many thanks.