proj-imim:
PT Documentation
John Spikowski 2000-Apr-21 09:17:12
Philo Wrote:
My procedure is as follow :
1. First I shoot the panorama, 3 fisheye snapshots 120¡ apart
<John> I'm using a 180 degree fisheye lens (8mm) with two shots.
2. Using Photoshop I then crop the three photos to a square just on the limit
of the fisheye circle
<John> Do you save the cropped images as .JPG or .PSD?
3. Add a new layer on each photo and place a colored arrow near 4
corresponding spots between photo 1 and 2, then photo 2 and 3, then photo 3
and 1. Try to disperse the 4 arrows, but don't chose points too close of the
fisheye border, the distortion is heavier here. These arrows are only a
visual aid, and have nothing to do with the coded arrows provided by Helmut.
<John> I'm new to PhotoShop and the use of layers. I don't have a problem using
Pixel Picker to generate "C" lines. If this is a easier way to find like points
in both images, then how do you do this? How is Helmut's "markers" used in
PhotoShop? (Detail Please !!!)
Hints on switching between layers would also be helpful.
4. Using the Photoshop info, enter the points coordinates in the script file
opened in Notepad (I join an empty script file with the parameters I optimize).
Tedious, but easy...
<John> "PhotoShop info"??? Do you mean the X and Y pixel positions in each
image? Isn't pixel picker a faster way? How is optimizer run from the plug in?
Can't the two warped images be seamed visually in Photoshop? Why make Optimizer
spend 20+ minutes guessing where the seam should align at?
5. Run panorama tools optimizer. For a 2400x1200 panorama, the error should
not exceed 5 pixels, 2 pixels for a 800 x 400 (small but fast to render). If
the error is higher, either the shots were bad (heavy tilt for example) or
more probably you made an error entering coordinates.
<John> How much does entering control points help the sticher?
6. Don't forget to re-select the photo layer before running panorama tools "I
nsert" or you will get a colored arrow panorama ;-). That's the mistake I
too often make...
<John> How tedious is getting the X and Y coordinates from Photoshop where you
have your arrows pointing to?
7. To get a layered photoshop image (useful to fine tune the seams or to
adjust the color/brightness between the 3 parts of the pano. Yes, this can
be necessary even with AE-BL lock and 1.3 firmware - you can for example
perfor a 30 pixels gaussian blur on the masks to smooth the seams), edit the
script file and suppress all references to +buf / -buf in the command lines.
<John> is this the script file your using while in PhotoShop? So, you must
maintain an external script file while working in PhotoShop?
8. Run panorama tools "Insert" on each image in the right order. Set the
prefs to "Save full sized result to file"
<John> This is where I'm really lost. I have seen four different procedures and
using the Buf option.
9. Open the result, make any adjustments necessary, flatten the image and
save it as a Jpeg file.
How are adjustments made in PhotoShop. (pitch, roll, yaw, tilt, ...) and the
results viewed before you save your final image to run in a viewer.
I have to admit, this has to be the most difficult software to understand and
use. It's wonderful stuff and Helmut has proven to me that a image can be made.
I just wish the documentation would be more clear. Each document I read has
it's own way of getting the same thing done.
I think more IPIX users would use Helmut's toolset if they could understand how
to use it. All reviews I have read say the same thing. "Great tool, difficult
to use."
I would like to work with folks here on the list to come up with a simple
procedure on how to build panorama images. Lets not assume the user has any
prior knowledge of the tools they would be using.