Add auto control points to VR Drive HDR.

[billionaire]

Add auto control points to VR Drive HDR.

by billionaire » Tue Aug 08, 2017 12:02 am

Hi.
I have a Roundshot VR Drive. In it there is a program HDR, which will allow to take several pictures with different exposure from each angle (the exposure on the camera varies).
But when assembling panoramas in Autopano Giga, it does not always get perfect panoramas automatically. Not all relationships between angles are set ideally automatically.
It is necessary to manually add links between different angles. In Autopano Giga for this purpose there is a convenient tool (Add auto control points), which allows using the mouse to select a certain sector to establish links between the two photos. This is very convenient in case the panorama is done without HDR.
But if the panorama is taken from pictures taken in the HDR mode, then it is necessary to establish a connection between all the photographs taken from one angle.
For example, Autopano Giga did not find any links between the two angles independently and the user sets it manually. If the panorama is made in HDR (3 images per view), then it is necessary to make a connection between 9 different photos, although it would be possible to make connections between two photographers, since all cameras with the same angles are identical in all cases. All this is done with the help of professional equipment.
I hope you understand the explanation of the question and you will be able to find a solution to this issue.
Thank you for attention.
Sincerely.

----
Windows 10.0.14393 x64
Autopano Giga 4.4.1 x64
Nikon D90, Tokina AT-X PRO DX AF 11-20 mm f/2.8

[Destiny]

Re: Add auto control points to VR Drive HDR.

by Destiny » Tue Aug 08, 2017 2:57 am

Hi.. Not sure about some of your points.. In all honestly, you would be better of buyiny the HDR VR Drive software.. Or with the D90 set the VR Drive to capture the 3 bracketed shots but the D90 only has up to 1 EV +/-, which is not enough to capture all the values in light.. You can onky go down to 200 ISO too, 100 is best for indoors.. You then fuse the exposures using Photomatix or EnfuseGUI just for Fusion..

Destiny

[billionaire]

Re: Add auto control points to VR Drive HDR.

by billionaire » Tue Aug 08, 2017 8:12 pm

I bought the HDR program on VR Drive and it's about it that is being discussed in the first message.
D90 allows you to take pictures with different steps (up to 9). Changing the brightness of photos in the HDR-mode is set by a different shutter speed.

[Destiny]

Re: Add auto control points to VR Drive HDR.

by Destiny » Tue Aug 08, 2017 9:45 pm

OK I see...I really do not understand why you would need to add Control Points when using a VR Drive.. If you have set your NPP correctly, its should be capturing perfect pano images without the need to add any control points. If you have areas with no features you need to export your XML from the VR Drive and use that with the APG Wizard. BUT.. You need to create a new programs in your VR Drive with ONLY ONE exposure.. This is the one you use.. Then Fuse your images in Photomatic and then add those single HDR images with your Single XML code.. If you have issues with stitching, then your NPP is not correct..

Destiny...

[billionaire]

Re: Add auto control points to VR Drive HDR.

by billionaire » Wed Aug 09, 2017 1:41 am

Thank you for your reply.
Here's the process of importing an HDR panorama made using VR Drive and at the end of video couple of errors after rendering: youtube.com.
Rendering errors can be avoided if i manually create links between some angles using the "Add auto control points" tool.
The nodal point (NPP - no-parallax point) is also set correctly and entered the values in the VR Drive.
Maybe i'm doing something wrong?

[Destiny]

Re: Add auto control points to VR Drive HDR.

by Destiny » Wed Aug 09, 2017 6:59 am

You really are better off pre fusing you images.. Then you can see for sure if your NPP is out.. Which is looks like it might be, but I cannot see images moving when you were in edit.. You can send me the images if you want. To test.. Also send me the XML...

Destiny...

[Destiny]

Re: Add auto control points to VR Drive HDR.

by Destiny » Thu Aug 10, 2017 9:26 am

Hi.... I tested your images.. It does not help that APG does not have your lens in the data base.. Have you requested it.. There is Window that opens to prompt you do do it..

Did you shoot at 11 or 20 .. or perhaps in the middle.. I used 14-24 but shoot at 14mm.. That allows me to shoot in a single exposer only 12 image. Which is heaps considering I use a D800 ..

I am not quite sure about your NPP.. Its seems to be right but until you can use your lens it hard to tell.. Also, I do not think you have enough overlap.. It really need to be about 30%.. Your shooting pattern seems to be really strange. I do not capture the nadir. I edit that in post... So my lens will capture just the top edge of the rig.. I also so not shoot the Zenith..

I think you need to play about with your shooting pattern.. Something is very wrong with it.. The distortion is far too much... I have never used that lens so hard to know what is happening...

Here is the stitched pano test.. Not the best.. Adding control point will not fix it..

Destiny..

Attachments

[billionaire]

Re: Add auto control points to VR Drive HDR.

by billionaire » Thu Aug 10, 2017 2:51 pm

Hi.

I tested your images.. It does not help that APG does not have your lens in the data base.. Have you requested it.. There is Window that opens to prompt you do do it..

Thank you. How can i make request to add lens to database? What do i need to do for this?

Did you shoot at 11 or 20 .. or perhaps in the middle.. I used 14-24 but shoot at 14mm.. That allows me to shoot in a single exposer only 12 image. Which is heaps considering I use a D800 ..

All photos are made at 11 mm. As i understand, because the camera (D90) and the lens do not have a full-size matrix (FX), but have DX, the APG recalculates the focal length in the FX matrix equivalent and shows 16 mm instead of 11 mm. maybe i'm wrong.

I am not quite sure about your NPP..

I think that NPP is installed correctly (video), but i have suspicion that i incorrectly specified the data when creating the program in VR Drive. i'll check it.
I also set the overlap to 30% (this is the default value in VR Drive).

I do not capture the nadir. I edit that in post... So my lens will capture just the top edge of the rig.. I also so not shoot the Zenith..

What are the advantages of this approach?

Do i understand correctly that if everything is properly configured, then 100% of the panoramas made by VR Drive should automatically be rendered perfectly without any human intervention?

[Destiny]

Re: Add auto control points to VR Drive HDR.

by Destiny » Thu Aug 10, 2017 10:49 pm

Hi.

I tested your images.. It does not help that APG does not have your lens in the data base.. Have you requested it.. There is Window that opens to prompt you do do it..

Thank you. How can i make request to add lens to database? What do i need to do for this?

For me, when I load your images a small window appears to promote the the lens is not in the data base and what you need to do to add it..

Did you shoot at 11 or 20 .. or perhaps in the middle.. I used 14-24 but shoot at 14mm.. That allows me to shoot in a single exposer only 12 image. Which is heaps considering I use a D800 ..

All photos are made at 11 mm. As i understand, because the camera (D90) and the lens do not have a full-size matrix (FX), but have DX, the APG recalculates the focal length in the FX matrix equivalent and shows 16 mm instead of 11 mm. maybe i'm wrong.

I am not quite sure about your NPP..

I think that NPP is installed correctly (video), but i have suspicion that i incorrectly specified the data when creating the program in VR Drive. i'll check it.
I also set the overlap to 30% (this is the default value in VR Drive).

I do not capture the nadir. I edit that in post... So my lens will capture just the top edge of the rig.. I also so not shoot the Zenith..

What are the advantages of this approach?

Do i understand correctly that if everything is properly configured, then 100% of the panoramas made by VR Drive should automatically be rendered perfectly without any human intervention?

The VR Drive will provide a shooting pattern but it might not be the correct one so you need to edit the angles and number of images.. I wonder if the VR Drive recognises your lens. For a D90, you would be better off with a 10.5 fisheye anyway.. I have had some nice results using it. But I moved onto using a D800 with my VR Drive and since I really loved the 14-24 lens quality and the immense wide angle without too much distortion, I decided to invest in buying it.. Its a beautiful lens.. But it no good for a D90... The VR Drive is in my opinion the best motorised pano head on the market.. There are others but the VR Drive is built like a tank, very strong, and more importantly, it has the view window where you can edit the data, but if the sun is too bright you and use a mobile tablet.. There is no mistaking that you bought the right motorised pano head but you might rethink your lens.. Nothing wrong with the D90.. They do not make them anymore..

Destiny..

[Destiny]

Re: Add auto control points to VR Drive HDR.

by Destiny » Fri Aug 11, 2017 1:35 am

Its interesting that your Exposures seem to be good.. Here in Australia due to the high White Light Values, I could not capture the same images at those EVs.. That is why I use 5 X 2 +/- EVs.. However, that is summer.. In spring or a nice winters day, I can get away with 3 exposures.. I could not do it without my VR Drive..

Destiny....

[klausesser]

Re: Add auto control points to VR Drive HDR.

by klausesser » Tue Oct 03, 2017 8:39 pm

Hi.
Do i understand correctly that if everything is properly configured, then 100% of the panoramas made by VR Drive should automatically be rendered perfectly without any human intervention?

Definitely not 100% - but you might come rather close. Just need to do some minor corrections usually.
Quickly done.

You NEED to align your setup really PERFECTLY - otherwise you´re about to give away 80% of the options your head provides to you.

I strongly suggest to intensely study some theory of shooting 360 panos!!

best, Klaus