Difference between revisions of "Autopano Pro - Panorama Editor - Render tools"

Latest revision as of 14:58, 22 May 2015

The following tool is used to export the panorama:

PREVIEW

The preview is a real rendering of the area displayed on screen only. It is equivalent to a rendering done after a cropping and a computing of the rendering size.
Depending on most of the aspects (color, rendering mode... etc) it gives you a good idea of the end result. However, for the anti-ghost, the choices done are dependent to the prospective cropping (and slightly of the rendering resolution).
When the anti-ghost choices in Preview mode are not stable or different of the final rendering, you can use the Masking tool to correct the result ( Autopano Giga only).

Enabling this tool as 2 effects:

• Opens blending settings for the rendering, which can be modified if necessary.
• Displays (on the edition zone) the panorama as it would be rendered, depending on the blending settings defined. A green frame is visible around the image when the loading of the preview is done.

Blending: None: For each position, the algorithm uses the pixel with the greatest importance according to the required weight. Linear: The rendered pixels are the result of a weighted average of input pixels. Multi-band: Lets you mix the average value (color trend) of the images while maintaining their details. Multi-band level: Lets adjust the influence zone for each input pixel. Consult the following page Understanding and using the rendering engine for more information. Diamond: The pixels in the centre of the images are more important than the pixels on the edges of the images. Fusion: enable/disable the tool. HDR ghosts: Avoid mixing the superimposed pixels that do not have the same information and that come from different levels (moving object on the same bracketed image). At least 3 different information (layers) are needed to determine the information to exclude. It is advisable to get more for a greater reliability of matches (warning, a layer that is entirely over-exposed or under-exposed can not be used). Cutting: Lets define the cutting choices of the blender according to the desired result (ghost removing or long focal preservation) thanks to the priority's definition slider: Ghost: (default) all moving objects will be retained or removed according to their positions in the overlap areas. The anti-ghost himself makes this choice. Long focal: Used to promote the details of the images of long focal length. The left side of the slider bar enables the Ghosts removing at 100% and makes the Long focal preservation inactive. The right side of the slider bar enables the Long focal preservation at 100% and makes the Ghosts removing inactive. Move the slider bar allows to play on both settings (ghost removing or long focal preservation) at the same time, ie giving more priority to one of both settings leads to a lower priority for the other. Apply Click on this button to confirm the modifications or push the Enter button. Cancel Click this button to ignore the changes and return to the previous state.

RENDER

The “Render” window is the last step in creating a panorama. This window lets you set (or re-set) the rendering options for the exporting of the panorama, according to your needs.

Output size

• Lets you adjust the panorama’s output size with the cursor (percentage of the maximum size), by entering the desired width (in pixels) and by entering the desired height (in pixels).
• A reminder of the maximum size is shown on the first line. The maximum size (100%) corresponds to that of the original pictures. This information was registered at the shooting and will be kept on the final image.

Density Histogram
The histogram visible above the slider is used to find the density of pixels with a ratio 1:1 according to the final size of the panorama. The black portions sizes are best suited to the preservation of the 1:1 ratio for each pixel:

• In case of a panorama created from photos of same focal length: the histogram will be heavy at about 100%.
• For a panorama created from photos of multiple focal lengths (shown in the picture above) the histogram will contain several peaks, corresponding to the 1:1 ratio of each focal used. In other words, this corresponds to the dimension for which the image has more details (the longer focal length) will be 1 (for one pixel in the source image, there is one pixel in the destination panorama). The pixels corresponding to images of intermediate focal lengths will stretch.

Note

• Do not feel obliged to work 100% systematically! If the diagonal viewing angle is greater than 90° in the rectilinear projection and if the vertical viewing angle is more than 90° in the cylindrical projection, the pixels of certain parts of the image are considerably stretched out (the rectilinear edges, the cylindrical height). In any case, it is recommended to take into account the density histogram to adjust the output size of your panorama to obtain the best possible result.

• In terms of speed, it is the surface that counts: at 30%, it is 10 times faster!

Interpolator

The interpolator is used to project the pixels of the source image on the panorama. Its quality often depends on the sharpness of the panorama.

• Nearest: Reserved for testing, because of the numerous and very visible artifacts created. In return, this is the fastest.
• Bilinear: This is a correct quality/speed ratio choice.
• Bicubic: (default) Use it if you do not know. The difference with the bilinear is almost imperceptible to the naked eye but can be seen in the lines with strong contrasts. Its default use is recommended.
• Strengthened bicubic: This is the same thing as the bicubic but it is stronger (the fortification level corresponds to the same settings as in Photoshop when changing the size of an image).
• Softened bicubic: This is the same thing as the bicubic but it is softer (the softening level corresponds to the same settings as in Photoshop when changing the size of an image).
• Spline36: This powerful method of interpolation is to be used when extreme or high post-rendering is necessary. The difference with the bicubic is not seen by the naked eye.
• Spline64: This works the same as the Spline36, but it is stronger, slower and usually better (you need to try it to see).

Blending settings

The purpose of the mixer is to combine the overlapping zones without it being seen so that a perfect stitching of the panorama images can be obtained. Autopano offers 4 optimization profiles adapted to your needs without having to change them yourself. These profiles correspond to the pre-configurations that can be seen in the settings of the Preview tool.

Blending Presets

• Simple: This is fast but it is possible that defects are seen where the areas overlap.
• Anti-ghost: Conserve the image's strong characteristics (stops, lines, curves) when mixing while automatically removing objects that have moved.
• Exposure Fusion: To be used if the panorama was created with a bracket shoot. Keeps the best of different exposures.
• HDR output: To be used by users who wish to create a .hdr format file in order to create post-production or special effects.
• Custom: This is enabled when you manually change the parameters and they no longer correspond to a profile.

Format

Lets you choose the output format, encoding, compression quality and resolution.

Exported data

Lets you define how and what data needs to be exported:

• Data:
  • Panorama: (defaults) Allows to export the panorama.
    
  • Layers: Allows to export the layers created in the Layers window of the editor (for example the layers of each bracket level).
    
  • Pictures: Allows to export all the photos used to create the panorama..
    

• Options:
  • Embed all outputs: Incorporates all the data (Panorama, Layers and/or Pictures) in the same file (useful in the case of an export in psd format for example)
  • Remove alpha channel: Deletes the alpha layer of the exported files.

Output

• Folder: Lets you specify the file in which the image will be saved.
• Filename: Default syntax of the file name. Click on the icon for a description of the symbols that make up the models (syntax) of the file name.

Technical Support / Autopano Pro Documentation