Add support for transparency (alpha channel) in images

[jenkinsm]

Can Metashape be updated to include support for alpha channel transparency in images?

I figured out that I can mask out the sky super quickly in DaVinci Resolve and export 16-bit uncompressed TIFF images with alpha. But Metashape currently interprets the transparent area as solid black and the black ends up as part of the mesh at the end.

I hope this is an easy addition because it will speed up my workflow probably tenfold. Right now, the best solution I've found is to either use a Photoshop action with the Sky Selection tool to make masks as PNG files or use my DaVinci Resolve method and output black-and-white 8-bit TIFF files. The first method produces smaller files but takes a lot longer, while the second method is a lot faster but results in a second set of TIFF images that either waste space or would then have to be converted to PNG or JPEG.

Including support for transparency would mean I could do everything in one pass in Resolve: split my video into frames, flatten the contrast while increasing the midtone detail, AND mask out the sky/other unwanted parts of the image (such as the capture car).

[Alexey Pasumansky]

Hello jenkinsm,

Have you tried to use Import Masks command with "From alpha" option selected, when applied to all the images in the chunk? Does it work for the kind of TIFF images with the transparency that you have?

[jenkinsm]

I didn't think to try that, as I thought it meant importing a separate mask from a file with transparency. I will try that and get back to you. Thanks a ton!