HDR panoramas

eNo · 28th July 2009, 07:13 PM

I am looking for the best software solution to create panoramas of HDR frames. Right now my work flow is to separately HDR each frame using 16-bit TIFs as the source, generate 16-bit frames, then stitch these into a resultant 16-bit panorama. I would be nice if I could load all my source TIFs into, say a 5x3 array of images (3 exposures for each of 5 HDR'd frames) and let the software do the rest.

David · 30th July 2009, 01:51 PM

eNo - You might want to check out www.hdrlabs.com, the website for the book by Christian Bloch's "The HDRI Handbook". This is an excellent tome for HDR enthusiasts and it has a large section devoted to pano HDR - using the mirror ball technique.

Cheers

David

wjh31 · 30th July 2009, 03:08 PM

It may not be exactly what you are after, but an alternative if your computer is good enough is to stitch the pictures into 3/5/whatever bracketed images, and then HDR-ify the resulting few stitched images.

The guys at autopano are working hard at getting HDR stuff integrated into their software, im not sure how far they have gotten as ive yet to venture into the world of HDR. However there are plenty of guys in their forums (http://www.autopano.net/forum/) who are experianced in stitching HDR panos, so im sure they can help you if you dont find what you are after here.

tonyjr · 2nd August 2009, 05:55 AM

Last year I did some panos . But they were hand held . They stitched together OK , But in Hdr , the computer was still running 30 minutes later - either hung or it was taking just too long .
Going back this year [ the 5th of August ] to try again . This time the tripod is going to be used .
No , I don't know what I am doing but I think I am learning .

eNo · 4th August 2009, 07:16 PM

Thanks, guys. I ended up using PTGui Pro, which integrates panoramic and HDR functionality, and you can see my results under one of my blog entries.

http://esfotoclix.com/blog1/?p=176

I am very encouraged thus far. Now I have to find more subjects that merit this technique.

tonyjr · 5th August 2009, 02:47 AM

Thanks , I book marked for later . Do you know if this will work on Mac ? Going on cacation tomorrow so NO time to search now .

eNo · 5th August 2009, 01:16 PM

If you go to their site, you will see they have a version for the Mac. Enjoy your vacation.

tonyjr · 5th August 2009, 01:31 PM

Thanks , computer packed in camera bag , cost is $118 dollars - 2 minutes ago - will get when I return .
I like their sample , I was backing up and then having to crop .
Ride will be here any minute , Thanks again .

Vandenberg · 6th August 2009, 08:31 PM

I use this for hdr panorama as well, works just fine for me
http://www.ptgui.com/hdrtutorial.html

OldCrow · 7th August 2009, 02:27 AM

I've just recently tried this and of course I did it the hard way.
This image is 70 photos (5 exposures, 14 frames) and took about 2 hours to assemble.

I used photomatix Pro to create the HDRs and then Autostitch to assemble them.

I'll keep doing it the hard way.

eNo · 31st August 2009, 09:49 PM

An update on this thread: I opted for PTGui Pro after several recommendations. It does a super job both for regular panoramas and HDR panoramas. Here are a couple of recent samples I was able to achieve (click on the thumbnail for the full size):

Dave Humphries · 31st August 2009, 10:16 PM

Very nice; sharp, noise free, natural

tonyjr · 1st September 2009, 06:14 PM

Nice , just came back from Mexico , took a few pano's but have not tried to do HDR yet .

arith · 20th September 2009, 09:44 AM

I'm new to HDR and Pano and in fact photography in the sense I haven't done any for forty years. I use Autostitch because it is free and similarly Picturenaut.

I'm having a problem with perspective and I think colour balance, this bridge appears to change colour along its length, it is about half a mile long and I've compressed it a little.

http://public.fotki.com/Arith/starti...changedsh.html

I forgot to say it is only span 3 ev 1 stop apart f8 and 3 frames because it has moving bits on it and my camera cannot bracket more than 3 shots.

arith · 20th September 2009, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldCrow

I've just recently tried this and of course I did it the hard way.
This image is 70 photos (5 exposures, 14 frames) and took about 2 hours to assemble.

I used photomatix Pro to create the HDRs and then Autostitch to assemble them.

I'll keep doing it the hard way.

This is very cool, how did you manage to avoid security guards. But I'm glad you did and hopeful that I can learn something.

arith · 23rd September 2009, 05:23 PM

I like the second one. Cool shadows.

28th July 2009, 07:13 PM	#1
eNo Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Downey, CA Posts: 115	HDR panoramas I am looking for the best software solution to create panoramas of HDR frames. Right now my work flow is to separately HDR each frame using 16-bit TIFs as the source, generate 16-bit frames, then stitch these into a resultant 16-bit panorama. I would be nice if I could load all my source TIFs into, say a 5x3 array of images (3 exposures for each of 5 HDR'd frames) and let the software do the rest.

30th July 2009, 01:51 PM	#2
David Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Cheshire Posts: 330	Re: HDR panoramas eNo - You might want to check out www.hdrlabs.com, the website for the book by Christian Bloch's "The HDRI Handbook". This is an excellent tome for HDR enthusiasts and it has a large section devoted to pano HDR - using the mirror ball technique. Cheers David

30th July 2009, 03:08 PM	#3
wjh31 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Epsom, uk Posts: 154	Re: HDR panoramas It may not be exactly what you are after, but an alternative if your computer is good enough is to stitch the pictures into 3/5/whatever bracketed images, and then HDR-ify the resulting few stitched images. The guys at autopano are working hard at getting HDR stuff integrated into their software, im not sure how far they have gotten as ive yet to venture into the world of HDR. However there are plenty of guys in their forums (http://www.autopano.net/forum/) who are experianced in stitching HDR panos, so im sure they can help you if you dont find what you are after here.

2nd August 2009, 05:55 AM	#4
tonyjr Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 25	Re: HDR panoramas Last year I did some panos . But they were hand held . They stitched together OK , But in Hdr , the computer was still running 30 minutes later - either hung or it was taking just too long . Going back this year [ the 5th of August ] to try again . This time the tripod is going to be used . No , I don't know what I am doing but I think I am learning .

4th August 2009, 07:16 PM	#5
eNo Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Downey, CA Posts: 115	Re: HDR panoramas Thanks, guys. I ended up using PTGui Pro, which integrates panoramic and HDR functionality, and you can see my results under one of my blog entries. http://esfotoclix.com/blog1/?p=176 I am very encouraged thus far. Now I have to find more subjects that merit this technique.

5th August 2009, 02:47 AM	#6
tonyjr Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 25	Re: HDR panoramas Thanks , I book marked for later . Do you know if this will work on Mac ? Going on cacation tomorrow so NO time to search now .

5th August 2009, 01:16 PM	#7
eNo Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Downey, CA Posts: 115	Re: HDR panoramas If you go to their site, you will see they have a version for the Mac. Enjoy your vacation.

5th August 2009, 01:31 PM	#8
tonyjr Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 25	Re: HDR panoramas Thanks , computer packed in camera bag , cost is $118 dollars - 2 minutes ago - will get when I return . I like their sample , I was backing up and then having to crop . Ride will be here any minute , Thanks again .

6th August 2009, 08:31 PM	#9
Vandenberg Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Holland Posts: 48	Re: HDR panoramas I use this for hdr panorama as well, works just fine for me http://www.ptgui.com/hdrtutorial.html

7th August 2009, 02:27 AM	#10
OldCrow Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Des Moines, IA Posts: 21	Re: HDR panoramas I've just recently tried this and of course I did it the hard way. This image is 70 photos (5 exposures, 14 frames) and took about 2 hours to assemble. I used photomatix Pro to create the HDRs and then Autostitch to assemble them. I'll keep doing it the hard way.

31st August 2009, 09:49 PM	#11
eNo Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Downey, CA Posts: 115	Re: HDR panoramas An update on this thread: I opted for PTGui Pro after several recommendations. It does a super job both for regular panoramas and HDR panoramas. Here are a couple of recent samples I was able to achieve (click on the thumbnail for the full size):

31st August 2009, 10:16 PM	#12
Dave Humphries Senior Member / Moderator Join Date: May 2008 Location: Windsor, Berks, UK Posts: 2,372	Re: HDR panoramas Very nice; sharp, noise free, natural

1st September 2009, 06:14 PM	#13
tonyjr Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 25	Re: HDR panoramas Nice , just came back from Mexico , took a few pano's but have not tried to do HDR yet .

20th September 2009, 09:44 AM	#14
arith Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 218	Re: HDR panoramas I'm new to HDR and Pano and in fact photography in the sense I haven't done any for forty years. I use Autostitch because it is free and similarly Picturenaut. I'm having a problem with perspective and I think colour balance, this bridge appears to change colour along its length, it is about half a mile long and I've compressed it a little. http://public.fotki.com/Arith/starti...changedsh.html I forgot to say it is only span 3 ev 1 stop apart f8 and 3 frames because it has moving bits on it and my camera cannot bracket more than 3 shots. Last edited by arith; 20th September 2009 at 09:49 AM. Reason: addendum

23rd September 2009, 05:23 PM	#16
arith Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 218	Re: HDR panoramas I like the second one. Cool shadows.

HDR panoramas

High Dynamic Range