(Disclaimer first . . . I am a professional photographer of 30 years, not a professional reviewer, and this article is written from the perspective of the former. I see myself as a typical reader of VR Mag and am sharing this body of work with you in an effort to shed light on issues that affect us all . . . so, no flaming, OK! My intention is for this to be a good read no matter what your level of expertise. Finally, opinions expressed are mine alone, please direct comments, good or bad, via email address provided at the end). I started research for this article a year ago. At that time I had been shooting pans for several months using a fullframe fisheye workflow.
PTGui & RealViz Stitcher had just begun to support this workflow as well, so iPix Studio wasn't the only game in town anymore! An article comparing PTGui & Stitcher in a fisheye workflow would be very topical, and I began my research for such an article with the working title, Stitcher vs PTGui in a Fisheye Environment. Shortly after I began though, VR Mag decided to discontinue publication for an unspecified period of time. I moved my article to the back burner.
In the intervening year, HDR technique became one of the hotter topics, and fisheye workflow expanded to include VRs shot with circular fisheye lenses, with the Nikon 10.5mm lens taking a lead position. The Sigma 8mm was ever popular, and Tokina introduced the 10-17mm zoom. Hoping to capture significant market share in this new segment, Stitcher Unlimited launched version 5.6, and PTGui introduced PTGui Pro. In my own world, I added 3-shot pans to my offerings using a fullframe sensor Kodak ProSLR with the new Nikon 10.5mm lens. (It's scary to pay $600 for a lens and then take a saw to it to shave off the lens shade!). Also, my search was on for the right rig to help me systematize my 3-shot panoramic workflow without abandoning the fullframe fisheye workflow which yielded larger files, not to mention the occasional need to do an ultra hi-res pan using a rectilinear lens to shoot three rows. If you're interested, here is the level of my work:
Shot with Nikon 10.5mm on Kodak ProSLR . . . 3 shots total:

Click here to view "Kitchen" exampleShot with Sigma 15mm FF fisheye on Kodak ProSLR . . . 8 shots total, six around, one up and one down:

Click here to view "B24" example
Access to the cockpit of B24 "OL-927" for VR photography graciously provided by the Commemorative Air Force. You can tour this aircraft in Midland, TX USA. For more info, see http://www.cafb29b24.org/lilhist.htmlCoincidentally . . . timing is everything . . . , Marco at VR Mag let me know he wanted to publish a special issue and asked about the article I had proposed almost a year earlier.
As I picked up work on the article again, I realized the topic had become greatly expanded. Fisheye workflow now came in two flavors, fullframe and circular, yet the majority of shooters were still working with rectilinear lenses. There were heated posts on VR lists over which software was best, Stitcher Unlimited 5.6 DS or PTGui Pro.
Because of all the change in a year's time, I felt that this article needs to address more than just software, even though the thrust of it is achieving better stitching.
On the equipment side, 360Precision had gained a solid reputation for it's 360Precision - Absolute panoramic head, which delivered a rig that's said to be perfectly dialed in for one-camera-one-lens combos. I bounce around between three different lensing options . . . having three 360Precision - Absolute heads isn't in the cards, but I'd love to have the precision it provides . . . so I'm still looking for that just-right head for my particular needs.
Back to Stitcher and PTGui . . . each of these two programs has a large, loyal following, and this isn't about swaying those of you who have found a favorite. It's my goal that each reader find at least one thing that helps them make improvements in their stitching workflow, and to help those new to VR find a logical path to evaluating these two particular programs. My apologies to the other great stitching software manufacturers . . . I own and use no fewer than seven stitchers, but the focus of this article is limited to the two most discussed and debated online in recent months.
I selected a scene at the San Diego Air & Space Museum for my test shots and photographed it with a Kodak ProSLR and three favored lensing options. I liked this scene because it's rich in detail in all directions, has a wide range in proximity of detail, both near and far, and it presents an extreme tonal range, and therefore offers great subject matter for HDR experimentation.Here's a description of each of the three scenarios:
1. Three shots with a Nikon 10.5mm circular fisheye.
Kodak ProSLR, Nikon 10.5mm circular fisheye, 3 shots around and none up or down. I bracketed each of the three shots for use in testing HDR workflow. No post processing was done prior to stitching. I shot full res RAW files and rendered them to tiffs. I then rezzed down the tiffs and saved a second set as smaller JPGs. You can see the JPG image series below:

2. Eight shots with Sigma 15.2mm FF fisheye (six around, one up & one down).
I bracketed each of the six shots around for use in testing HDR workflow, and again, no post processing was done prior to stitching.

3. Thirty six shots with a Nikon 24mm rectilinear lens.
Kodak ProSLR, Nikon 24mm rectilinear, three rows of twelve, that is 12 shots around at 45º up, 12 shots around with camera square and level, and 12 shots around at 45º down. I did NOT bracket these 36 exposures for HDR. I DID post process these images prior to stitching. As I was shooting full frame 14 megapixel images with the Kodak ProSLR, I could not bring myself to shooting 180 14MP shots for the sake of this one pan. Instead, I shot extra shots as needed to approach HDR manually as I always have before HDR became a dedicated software feature. In effect, I shot one normal exposure and extra exposures as needed to prevent overblown hilites in my finished work. I post processed this series of images prior to stitching, so my manual HDR solution was already incorporated in the files you see below. I decided I'd use this version of the pan as my "control", that is, this one would be processed the way I always did things, and I could compare any other variations of the pan against this one.

(My thanks to Jim Kidrick, President of the San Diego Air & Space Museum for permission to create & use this imagery)After returning home from San Diego, I shot one more series in my family room using the 3-step approach with the Nikon 10.5mm circular fisheye. I did a three step bracket (-2 stops, normal, and +2 stops) as a 2nd scene to run through the PTGui HDR process. This final series is shown below.

Stitching is not just about software, although most stitching errors are blamed on software. Following are things that can contribute to the quality of a stitched image:IMAGE CAPTURE - The value of good equipment and good habits.
Stitchers love precision, and pretty much work as advertised when fed nicely controlled images. That old saying "stuff in/stuff out" (or something close to that) applies here. Why hamper your stitcher by feeding it anything but precise images?
This point was brought home to me after shooting the demo shots for this article. I was meticulous in my set-up on the museum floor. I checked and tested all the variables, and I believe these images to be as close to perfection as I can get in terms of bringing precision to my shoot.
In post-production, I had trouble finding stitching errors with either stitcher in any of the three workflows . . . circular fisheye, FF fisheye, and 3-row rectilinear. My first thought was, now what am I going to write about if I can't zoom in on mismatches and point out weaknesses, etc? Well, just that! Shooting with precision is a strong contributor to good stitching . . . as is equipment selection and choosing subject matter with lots of detail.
Isn't that the way it's supposed to work?!
Here are unretouched stitched images from each of the three workflows using automatic stitching:

I got near perfect stitches on three lensing options with both softwares using automatic stitching, a solid testament to good shooting habits, solid gear, and mature software.
My idea of precision in shooting starts with taking unwanted variation out of your gear. Anything that wobbles, slips or droops during the shooting process is not good! Use a solid tripod suitable for the weight and bulk of your rig, and a rotator that has strong detents and a consistent degree of rotation from position to position. If your tripod-rig-camera equipment system has any "slop" to it, eliminate it or your stitcher will have to make up for it (if it's able to, that is). Don't guess at the nodal point, make certain of it for each lens you may use, and make certain your rig is square and level. Close enough is not good enough. If you do these things, you are maximizing your chances of getting consistently great stitching.
Additionally, shoot at the same F- stop for all steps in the pan, and be very careful if you try to introduce a light in one shot, but not the shots on either side of it . . . stitchers blend shadows as well, and this can be a source of post production woes.
I'll be the first to admit I don't always shoot with precision. I can think of three instances when precision is justifiably at risk:
- You're extremely rushed through no fault of your own, (had six minutes to do the B24 cockpit)
- For good reason, you're winging it or shooting hand-held. (in an awkward location or not permitted to use a tripod)
- Your preferred work is capturing chaotic scenes, using a monopod or no base support at all. (Jook Leung and his much acclaimed New Year's Eve in Time Square series of pans comes to mind)
What will save you when you can't be as precise as you'd like is intelligent choices in the gear you use and discipline in your photographic habits. Here are some things to consider:
Work to eliminate weak points in your tripod-rig-camera equipment system. One example, instead of using a quick release plate to attach your rig to your tripod head, remove the head entirely, and attach your rig directly to the tripod base using the 3/8" thread standard on most all sturdy tripods. That one thing can eliminate a major source of errors.
Likewise, if you have the choice of working with 1/4" threaded attaching points or 3/8", go with the 3/8".

Don't wait until shoot time to make sure your gear is ready. Not much worse than getting in the car to go home and finding something loose on your tripod or rig that shouldn't be loose. Were your overlaps
consistent, or did the positioning slip a little now and then? That's the sort of thing that gets away from you when you're rushed. You don't need that doubt, or worse, you don't need to loose otherwise good work. Do your checks well in advance of shoot time.
Simplify and systematize your gear and your shooting process so you can do it pretty much without thinking. Doing it the same way every time promotes consistency, and you'll find your work settles in at a predictable, repeatable high quality. Having your process well rehearsed helps you work more accurately and confidently when under pressure.
STITCHING Software.Choosing a stitching program used to be easy. When Apple first introduced QTVR in the early 1990's, there was only one choice . . . Apple! As I recall, the package cost about $2,000 and we had to use a developer software of the day, Apple's MPW Pro. It was a real killer for anyone not a programmer to create stitching scripts in command line interface . . . my first pan took me a week to shoot and author.
And the QTVR List got its humble beginnings.
The hot issue then was what gear did you string together as a rig, because no manufacturers made rigs yet. And many firmly believed that you absolutely could not use a lens other than a Nikon 15mm rectilinear, which also cost five figures. Rather than choosing a stitching program, the only choice then was, "are you in or out?"
Now look at the choices! It's mind boggling, literally! I think it must be really hard for someone new coming to the VR market to make sense of it all.
I mentioned earlier that I have seven different stitchers and use them all. That's true! At the 1st ever international VR Summit, the Summit in the Rockies in 2002, then President of the IQTVRA Loren Price led an exercise where several of us shot the same pan with multiple camera systems, then stitched them with every stitcher in existence in that day. We weren't sure what we might learn, but I came away knowing that no one stitcher was best at everything. I still believe that to be true, which is why I try every stitcher I can to see what it has to offer . . . maybe IT's better at something than most of the others. So yes, I have and use seven stitchers. I have an older machine with OS9 on it so in the rare instance I need it, I can use Quicktime VR Authoring Studio . . . it's still best IMHO at a couple things.
This article considers two of the high end choices for stitching software, PTGui Pro 7 and Stitcher Unlimited 5.6.1 DS. I don't remember what set it off, but an online discussion went on for days recently about which one was better. After a while it reached a low point and turned emotional rather than rational . . . I think there was name calling.
What struck me was that both sides had a strong cadre of loyal supporters, and in this "discussion", each side firmly believed they backed the better choice. There didn't seem to be much middle ground . . . the message was pretty much mine's good, yours isn't from both sides, or at least that was the implication.
Since I had been working with both of them, this was an opportunity to at least help clarify for new people to the market who hadn't been drawn into the controversy yet. What they were hearing from each side wasn't encouraging, who are you going to believe? It's like listening to movie reviewers . . . you'll find reviewers who hate your favorite movie and your favorite actor, and you'll find an equal number of reviewers who agree with your choices. So, the most important thing for you (with movies OR with software choices) is what works for YOU, not someone else.
At the time I started my research (a year ago), I had not worked with either PTGui or Stitcher, so I had no preconceived notions, I had no axe to grind.
Here's how it went for me -
I loaded both of them on the same day and attempted an automatic stitch of a cylindrical pan without resorting to use of instructions . . . just wanted to see how that went. It was an odd sort of a coin toss in a way for me to pick which one I'd dig into first. Within an hour I had a finished stitch (complete with some errors) from PTGui (version 6.0 at the time) but not Stitcher Unlimited (5.5).
So, I dug into PTGui first. Most of my comments and all screen grabs will be based on the current pro version for MAC, PTGui Pro 7.2. This version has two features not included in the standard edition . . . HDR support and blend priority. Version 7.3 introduces viewpoint correction.
PT Gui Pro 7
PT Gui had its beginnings in 2001 as a front end for Panorama Tools, although it's not strictly that anymore (the built-in stitcher is compatible with Panorama Tools, in the sense that it uses the same parameter model, but it's not based on the Panorama Tools source code). PTGui Pro does not have a printed or even PDF manual, which at first seemed odd, but it does have a thorough and intuitive (to me anyhow) help section.


For simplicity's sake, I'll stitch the center row of the three row San Diego Air & Space Museum pan, which makes this a cylindrical pan shot with 24mm rectilinear lens on a full frame sensor camera. I'm working on a MacBook with 2GB RAM and 14 GB of free space.
When you launch PTGui Pro, the opening screen shows one active tab called, Project Assistant, and you have three choices . . . you can switch from simple mode to advanced mode, you can Load Images, or you can close the program. We'll stay with Simple mode and load our twelve 24mm images:

The screen changes to show that twelve images were loaded and EXIF data shows it to be from a 24mm rectilinear lens. The software prompts you to confirm that, then allows you to use step 2, Align Images:

Following a brief wait for image analysis, the project window shows a new calculated focal length. At this point, use the Project pull-down menu and select Optimize. The optimizer runs and gives you immediate feedback on the quality of your stitch:

IF PTGui senses misalignment, it will tell you that and will lead you to the Control Point Assistant which offers suggestions for improving the image alignment through adding, deleting or changing control points.
Meanwhile, a second window, the Panorama Editor window, shows a preview of the current alignment. This window is interactive, you have the option to modify any of several parameters in the panorama's aligment:

Moving to Create Panorama, step 3 in the Project Assistant tab, we set up parameters to create the final stitched file:

Selecting Create Panorama sets your choices, then selecting it again begins the process. If you select Send to Batch Stitcher instead, the process will run in the background allowing you to continue working actively in the main window.
Here is the finished cylindrical stitch we just created:

Note: Because we are in simple mode, PTGui Pro uses default choices for stitching, blending and interpolation. If we were in advanced mode, we'd be able to choose from multiple choices for each of these functions. Advanced mode enables advanced users to drill down into the power (and complexity) of PanoTools.
Create Panorama concludes by saving the stitched image to the folder you chose when setting parameters for this stitch. You can save the settings you used for this panorama if you'd like to invoke those settings again. PTGui Pro facilitates a basic level of interactive 360° file, but it's a very no frills one with no support for hotspots or other advanced options.
Stitcher Unlimited 5.6.1 DSStitcher Unlimited 5.6.1 DS is at the top of a range of stitching products offered by RealViz ranging in list price from just over $100USD to $800 USD.
As I dig into Stitcher, I find myself in the same position as most of the people who commented online. That is, now that I'm conversant with one of the two programs (PTGui Pro), I'm back at square one in the learning process facing a different interface than the one I've grown comfortable with. I found it a bit frustrating as I started fresh with Stitcher. I can say with confidence that whichever one you already know influences your perception of the new one. I don't think this would be a barrier though for new users who don't know either of them yet.
However, I need to get to the same comfort level with both of them in order to make unbiased comments and comparisons . . .
... fast forward 30 hours ...
OK, at this point I have an equally good grasp on both programs. Things that seemed confusing at first glance now make perfect sense to me. It's like picking up a new image editing program after learning PhotoShop (remember Live Picture?). Or switching to a new web browser or word processing program. You can't help but compare it to what you already know as you begin working with it.
So, where PTGui's interface was a text based screen walking you thru its process:
load images,crop images (only if fisheye),align images,create panorama.

Stitcher walks you thru a five step process using icons with textual rollovers instead of a purely text based screen, but it's the same in that it guides you thru the process step by step, never allowing you to move on until you've completed the requirements of the current step:
load images, (followed by prompt to verify lens type)stitch images,align,equalize,render.
The final Stitcher Screen in my 3-shot circular fisheye workflow tells the whole story.

There is a natural confusion over the difference in terms. Both programs have to accomplish the same tasks, but they call them different things. Because I used PTGui first, I became confused by the terms Stitcher used, but I'm sure it's the same in reverse if you already know Stitcher, then use PTGui. Once you get the basics of the software down, it's a non-issue, but it caused me confusion (and therefore time) at the beginning.
The DS Function is what makes Stitcher Unlimited 5.6 DS different from Stitcher Unlimited 5.6. This enables you to stitch full cubic pans from only 2-shots when each shot is more than 180º. I tested this with two shots taken on a Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II with a Sigma 8mm circular fisheye lens. There was no difference in workflow, simply one more lens type added to the prompt following loading the images. A lens type called "Circular Fisheye more than 180º" is added to the list. Other than that, the process was identical.


Now that I'm equally comfortable with both, and I know them well enough to give reasonable demo's on either of them, let me make a series of comments, in no particular order of importance:
Both programs are really powerful, yet work hard to give you an easy to use interface. Don't be mislead though . . . pace yourself, you can't swallow either of them whole. They are like the PhotoShop of stitchers and it takes time to learn them thoroughly. I recommend finding your path to a simple, default stitch first, to get you up and running . . . then start learning extra features and choices, but get the basics in hand first.Both programs have good resources to get you going:
PTGui relies on a QuickStart tour, then an online help guide and plenty of tutorials. There's no formal user manual per se, but I never felt the need to have one. Lot's of interaction with user groups, too.
Stitcher comes with tutorials as well, but has 152 page manual to fall back on as you dig deeper into it. You can also buy one-on-one time with Stitcher support people @ $75 USD per hour. I got stuck at one point and opted for an hour. Using a Webex demo, Ron at the U.S. Support Group got me on track. (as it turns out, there was a video demo I could have downloaded and avoided the one-on-one support). Stitcher has lots of options on how to learn it.For me, Stitcher was harder to learn. I can't exactly put my finger on why, but it was harder. Once I got past that, I was able to zip right through the workflow. It's sort of like a language thing . . . the two programs come at you from different directions and each person will probably take to one of them better than the other. But both camps are large and loyal, so it's not a matter of one of them being clearly better than the other. It's more like cars or cameras . . . a personal choice . . . a personal comfort level . . . it has to feel right, and you can't always tell why it does or doesn't.
MENTORING . . . I have a suggestion for both companies . . . offer incentives to some of your customers to make themselves available as mentors. And for the new user, or those considering a jump to one of these programs . . . FIND a mentor. Find someone in your region who can spend an hour with you getting you fast-tracked into successful use of the program you choose. At the very least, thoroughly try out the demo versions before you buy.
COST of ENTRY. Speaking of buying . . .
PTGUI Pro 7 lists for $225 USD currently for a single user license. PTGui standard is $120 . . . PTGui Pro adds HDR tools, viewpoint correction & blend weights . . . nice description of the latter two can be found here: http://www.ptgui.com/examples/vptutorial.html
Stitcher Unlimited 5.6 DS lists for $800 USD. Stitcher accepts and supports HDR files, but does not yet offer an HDR authoring tool. It will Bundle PhotoMatix though for an additional $99 USD. Stitcher provides VR movie authoring as well as stitching and even facilitates some nice effects. For example, you can set up auto rotation options, float a transparent logo or even define a path through part of your pan and create a movie of just that path. Stitcher Unlimited 5.6 DS is at the upper end of a range of stitching tools starting at just over $100 USD. If you don't need the DS feature, Stitcher Unlimited 5.6 lists at $580 USD. It has everything but the double shot fisheye stitching feature (you can still stitch 3-shot pans though with Stitcher Unlimited 5.6).
PTGui Pro is primarily a stitcher. Although it can actually create simple .mov files, it's a no frills authoring tool without support for hotspots and the like. Many PTGui users rely on Cubic Converter for authoring . . . single user license is currently $49 USD.
Both programs yielded good stitching right away using automatic stitching . . . in my own experimentation I take partial credit for that because of the precision with which the test images were shot. (Remember, "stuff" in /"stuff" out).
Both programs allow you to work simply and automatically, or to get deeper into the expert user stuff . . . your choice. For example, both of them let you select external programs for how you blend the pan. In my testing, I found I like Enblend a lot . . . some prefer Smartblend, many just go with the defaults. The point is, when you set up your prefs for either of these programs, take your time to understand the choices you're making. . . you are truly affecting your user experience, rendering time and output quality when doing this.
In terms of simple or advanced:
Stitcher pretty much shows you everything all the time . . . you use prefs and textual rollovers on the icons to go deeper in,
PTGui Pro's default is simple mode, but gives you the choice on the first screen to switch to advanced mode. Screens in advanced mode are expanded screens with more options. Once there you can invoke the power (and complexity) of Pano Tools. Even without getting too deeply into the advanced mode it offers the choice of two optimizers, three blenders, and five interpolators when creating the panorama, whereas it selects a default setting for each of these in simple mode,
Where PTGui uses separate windows to show a running preview of your working alignment (Panorama Editor), Stitcher gives you the option to have a Live Preview in the upper right of the screen. Prefs allow you to select what type of preview and what size you would like to see it.
PT Gui Pro provides immediate feedback on your alignment, and if it needs improvement, the Control Point Assistant points out weaknesses and suggests fixes. I find that really helpful.
ORPHANED IMAGES. Sometimes the top or bottom shot in my FF fisheye workflow doesn't have enough overlapping detail to stitch . . . it's referrred to as an orphaned image. PTGui points that out and leads you to a screen where you manually set control points within image pairs to help stitch that image where it belongs in the alignment. I find it tedious and tiresome in PTGui . . . I find Stitcher's interface for stitching orphaned images much faster and I prefer it.
LAYERs to fix mismatches and blurs. Both programs offer the choice of layered output for shots where mismatches and blurred portions of moving objects need to be retouched. However, the stencil function in Stitcher is wonderful! It let's you fix many of these problems without having to save out layered files . . . a great saving of time and space.
The list of observations and comments could go on forever . . . so I'll stop here. I realize this has been a cursory level of detail on each, if you have specific questions I might be able to answer, please email me at the address below.
Finally, I've saved two topics for the end . . . HDR Imaging and working with Templates.
HDR Imaging.
HDR issues have been with us since the beginnings of photography, we just never had a name for it until recent years. (How about Ansel Adams' Zone System . . . that's one of the earliest forms of HDR control). HDR imaging is a truly advanced concept, and I see it being misunderstood and poorly applied. I say that because when I look at images posted as examples of HDR technique, more often than not they are unrealistic looking and flat. I fear that people are invoking HDR tools because it's the current cool thing to have in your arsenal . . . like people who only ever email small photos or make 4x6 prints insisting they have an 8MP camera . . . doesn't make sense for their use and it fills their hard drives with resolution they'll never ever use.
So I have some issues with HDR imaging dipping down to almost a consumer level. I believe what people really want is a way to stem blown hilites which is a different issue from HDR imaging, or at least a different variant. Do me a favor and Google Jook Leung - HDR for Dummies, and read the first ten hits. You'll see that you can control tonal range in skillful ways other than invoking a dedicated tool for it. This should be part of every photographer's skill set.
HDR is a way of recording extreme tonal range in a single file, but it's a tonal range that nothing can effectively reproduce. It creates wonderful master files, and ideal subsets of it can be extracted for any media you might want to use it for, but the HDR process is not the right tool for many of the applications it's seeing. Or at least, the full HDR image is not what you want to be showing on your monitor or web site. And people are defending the flat "something's not right with it" images by saying, "hey, I used HDR!!" Never let the tool define the image for you, that's YOUR job.
IF you're going to use HDR, use it judiciously. Start by previsualizing the finished image, then use whatever tool gets you there. Sometimes it will be HDR technique, but not most times. In my opinion, most images that are prefaced with, "I did this using HDR" are over processed and send visual signals that something's not right.
Some of the earlier HDR tools worked strictly with presets. That gives you an advanced user tool working with rigid presets. Sometimes it worked fine, but not predictably so, it's part of that "I want an advanced tool, but I want it to be easy" thing.
I think the fascination with HDR will fade a bit when people begin experiencing the pain. In a multi-row panorama, do you really want to triple the number of 14MB or 18MP images you're capturing in the name of HDR? And realize, if there's movement in the scene, it will create flaws to be fixed in post (birds flying, leaves and grass blowing in the wind, people, clouds, water, camera shake).
There are great examples of judicious use of HDR . . . check out the demo's on the PhotoMatix site for example . . . nice! Not over processed, good choices.
Having said all the above, I like the HDR tool in PTGui Pro. As with much of the program, it's a good blend of easy to use with good results.
The HDR online tutorial is clear and the process is straightforward. Shoot three exposures for each step of the pan . . . -2 stops, normal, + 2 stops. Do this in manual mode using a fixed f-stop and bracketing by shutter speed. From there the process follows all the same steps as stitching a regular pan in PTGui except for the last step.

In the tone mapping screen you can dial in the look that works best to match your previsualized goal for the shot.
I did two scenes for this article using the PTGui HDR tool.

The museum scene has a really high tonal range and is a perfect candidate for HDR experimentation.
TOP Using the center six FF fisheye shots from the museum scene, I first stitched a version with no HDR (top). I selected an exposure that showed detail throughout, but hilites are blown. I made no tonality adjustments in this image.
CENTER Using bracketed exposures for the same six positions, I created a version using the PTGui Pro HDR process. Remember, tone mapping control is a personal choice with this tool, so this reflects my "interpretation" of the scene based on recall.
BOTTOM I used techniques similar to Jook's to adjust each of the six images by eye to reflect how I remembered the scene.
For my first use of the PTGui Pro tone mapping, I'm happy with the outcome. It's a user friendly tool that gives a reasonable level of control, I like the tool!
The bottom panel is the way I'm used to doing it. I added hilite detail (from a second exposure) as necessary in the six source files. It' fast enough and gives me pretty much total control of the scene. But I could see using the PTGui tool more, or the updated version of PhotoMatix. Pro.
I also shot a second scene, my family room. I shot this one using the 3-shot workflow with the Nikon 10.5mm circular fisheye. Here are my source files:

Again, after a very straightforward process, here is a comp showing with and without PTGui Pro HDR. Once again, the amount of HDR I invoked is a choice.

TEMPLATES & Settings Files.Last, but certainly not least, I'd like to comment on templates and settings files. Both programs support them, and it's worth all the time it might take to perfectly dial in your camera / lens / rig combination, then save those setting to apply on future shoots when using that same configuration. With the quality of today's gear and software, it's not that hard and can save you untold headaches on future post production.
The degree of success you'll have with templates is directly proportional to the repeatability of your particular equipment configuration.
Those of you working with a sturdy tripod, a 360Precision - Absolute head manufactured specifically for your model camera / your lens, a Really Right Stuff custom camera bracket in combination with an Arca Swiss quick disconnect, and your alignment should be about as repeatable as humanly possible.
I use a 360Precision head for some of my work, but I don't have one of my own. And, I routinely switch between three different set-ups. Because of all the potential variation when swapping set-ups repeatedly, I've never trusted that I could be consistent enough for template use. Any variance in degree of rotation or camera angle on the rig, any minor wobble or / slop in the equipment configuration from shoot to shoot will contribute to flaws when working with a template. That includes how perfectly you're on nodal point (or not) each time out.
I mentioned at the beginning of the article that I was testing one of the Kaidan Pro heads. This head is heavier than I'm used to, and even a bit larger.

But it's incredibly solid, and there is no discernible slop in its movements . . . the detents are very certain due to the locking pin design (for lack of the correct term).

I have a six step rotation plate on it, which facilitates my six step FF fisheye workflow as well as my 3-step circular fisheye workflow. And, luck of luck, critical testing on position of the nodal point matched for both lenses on my camera on this particular rig.
Instead of using Kaidan's attaching screw, I choose to use the Arca Swiss quick release that I use anyway in conjunction with the Really Right Stuff bracket for my Kodak ProSLR. The Kaidan rig also makes use of adjustable stops to set up repeatable positioning of the cubic arm on the rotator, and of the camera on the cubic arm.

This combination of gear addresses every potential weak point in my equipment configuration as I see it. In theory I can have perfectly repeatable stitching every time.I did not get to test stitching with templates on the museum shoot, but shortly after returning home from San Diego, I had the perfect opportunity. I shot an annual function I've shot twice before . . . Balloon Manor! It's a haunted house made entirely out of balloons . . . 130,000 of them. It's a world class event and balloon artists come in from all over the world to donate time and talent for this cancer fundraiser. Here's the interactive tour from last year's event: http://www.balloonfunhouse.com/bm_2006/
Last year I shot about 25 pans using the FF fisheye workflow with six shots around, one up and one down.
This year, I used the equipment combination shown above and shot 27 three-shot pans in 20 minutes. I made a template from the first one. Following is a stitch of the sixth one applying that template:

Click here to view "BM06" example
The fact that my set-up seems so repeatable in this early test, that I can do this with three shots, not eight or ten or twelve, and both PTGui Pro and Stitcher facilitate batch processing and use of templates, the efficiency is very exciting!
To conclude . . . my thanks to those of you who stayed with me through this whole thing! Feel free to get in touch if you want to talk about anything VR.
My goal was to present tips that would improve your stitching (whether software related or not), and my hope is that every reader comes away with at least one new thing to incorporate into his / her workflow.
Please share your successes . . . the better we all do, the more VR the world will demand and the better we'll all do!
Pat St. ClairYou can follow up with questions or address your comments to the author: pat at stclairphoto-imaging.com, and see more of his work at: www.stclairphoto-imaging.com
Pat St. Clair has a bachelor's degree in marketing from Miami University (O), 1971, and a bachelor's degree in professional photography from the Rochester Institute of Technology, 1979; he has been photographing commercially since 1978. St. Clair serves a corporate clientele that includes agencies of all sizes as well as direct corporate clients such as Eastman Kodak Company, Palm, Xerox, Hewlett-Packard, The Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum, 3Com, DaimlerChrysler, ExxonMobil, Microwave Data Systems and more. He was an early adopter of digital photography as well as interactive photography. He worked as a consulting photographer with Eastman Kodak Company on digital capture projects and digital image quality issues for fifteen years as they brought their professional digital photography technology to market. He has worked with QuickTime VR since 1994, is a charter member of the IQTVRA (now the IVRPA), and was a speaker at the first four International VR Summits in Boulder, CO, Washington, DC, Sedona, AZ and Savannah, GA.
Previous Articles by Pat St. Clair:
VR TOOLS YOU CAN USE - GREENSCREEN
VR TOOLS YOU CAN USE - PARTIAL PANS MADE EASY
MIRROR IMAGE - REFLECTIONS ON SINGLE SHOT VR BY PAT ST. CLAIR
VIEWPOINT, THE NEW KODAK PROFESSIONAL PRO 14n DIGITAL CAMERA
VR TOOLS YOU CAN USE: QUICKTIME VR OBJECT MOVIES
2005 SUMMIT IN SAVANNAH
TOP THREE PHOTOGRAPHY QUESTIONS ANSWERED
VR PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS AND TRICKS