I'm taking another try at this-how to process 26 image DNG pano

Dale D · Aug 5, 2021

I've been frustrated and feeling stupid with my new Mini 2 in the pano mode trying to achieve a globe 360 image using DNG files. The pano mode where I press the globe image produces both 26 JPG and 26 DNG images since I have set the RC to save the RAW files. But now, I still cannot process the 26 RAW images in Photoshop or Lightroom. I do not own other software for this such as Kuula. What does everyone do with these 26 images since the Mini 2 does not synthesize one automatically like my Mavic 2 Pro does. Need help.

Dale

Meta4 · Aug 5, 2021

Dale D said:
I do not own other software for this such as Kuula.

Kuula isn't software ... it's a website for showing off 360 degree panoramas

Makarora River

kuula.co

Dale D said:
What does everyone do with these 26 images since the Mini 2 does not synthesize one automatically like my Mavic 2 Pro does. Need help.

You stitch the images with any of the stitching programs that are available.
But it's unnecessary overkill to start with raw images.
You can get great composites from the jpg files the drone camera produces.

Drone_Pilot · Aug 5, 2021

Dale D said:
I've been frustrated and feeling stupid with my new Mini 2 in the pano mode trying to achieve a globe 360 image using DNG files. The pano mode where I press the globe image produces both 26 JPG and 26 DNG images since I have set the RC to save the RAW files. But now, I still cannot process the 26 RAW images in Photoshop or Lightroom. I do not own other software for this such as Kuula. What does everyone do with these 26 images since the Mini 2 does not synthesize one automatically like my Mavic 2 Pro does. Need help.

Dale

Top 10 most popular free and paid panorama apps for Android

Panorama beta. Sony Ericsson. Photography. ...
Photaf 3D Panorama (Free) Oren Bengigi. Photography. ...
Photaf 3D Panorama Pro. Oren Bengigi. Photography. ...
Camera Advance Lite. mnApps. Photography. ...
Sfera. Yudo inc. ...
Camera Advance. mnApps. ...
360. TeliportMe. ...
PhotoStitch Lite. JUPE Software.

Dale D · Aug 5, 2021

Drone_Pilot said:
Top 10 most popular free and paid panorama apps for Android

Panorama beta. Sony Ericsson. Photography. ...

Photaf 3D Panorama (Free) Oren Bengigi. Photography. ...

Photaf 3D Panorama Pro. Oren Bengigi. Photography. ...

Camera Advance Lite. mnApps. Photography. ...

Sfera. Yudo inc. ...

Camera Advance. mnApps. ...

360. TeliportMe. ...

PhotoStitch Lite. JUPE Software.

Do you know of any panorama stitching programs for Mac OS???

Dale D · Aug 5, 2021

Drone_Pilot said:
Top 10 most popular free and paid panorama apps for Android

Panorama beta. Sony Ericsson. Photography. ...

Photaf 3D Panorama (Free) Oren Bengigi. Photography. ...

Photaf 3D Panorama Pro. Oren Bengigi. Photography. ...

Camera Advance Lite. mnApps. Photography. ...

Sfera. Yudo inc. ...

Camera Advance. mnApps. ...

360. TeliportMe. ...

PhotoStitch Lite. JUPE Software.

Ooops! Just Googled it- here is a list they gave me
Best Photo Stitching Software for Panoramas

Panorama Studio.
Hugin.
PTGUI Pro.
Panoweaver 10.
Image Composite Editor.
GigaPan Stitch.
Panorama Stitcher.
PhotoStitcher.

Drone_Pilot · Aug 5, 2021

Dale D said:
Do you know of any panorama stitching programs for Mac OS???

Hugin Panorama Software

Autostich those are the only two I know for Mac they will work also an Android and iOS

Kilrah · Aug 5, 2021

I process the DNGs in Lightroom then stitch in ICE.

Hummingbird.UAV · Aug 5, 2021

Dale D said:
I've been frustrated and feeling stupid with my new Mini 2 in the pano mode trying to achieve a globe 360 image using DNG files. The pano mode where I press the globe image produces both 26 JPG and 26 DNG images since I have set the RC to save the RAW files. But now, I still cannot process the 26 RAW images in Photoshop or Lightroom. I do not own other software for this such as Kuula. What does everyone do with these 26 images since the Mini 2 does not synthesize one automatically like my Mavic 2 Pro does. Need help.

Dale

Your controller can automatically stitch the pano after landing the drone. After landing here are the steps.
Keep everything turned on.
Hit the play icon on lower right side of the view device, a window opens showing what is on the micoSD card.
On the pano shots, select one to view it. The system with then transfer the 26 image files to the Fly app and stitch them.
It will then show the completed pano that you can pan around.
The completed file will be saved in the view device. The file will NOT be on the micoSD card.
If the fly app is on an iPhone the pano will also be saved to the devices photo folder.
Hope this helps.

Skybuyer · Aug 5, 2021

Others have provided a lot of good advice. As others have said, process the raw images first before trying to stitch them together. With RAW you're asking your computer to do a lot. Also @Meta4 said, there is no need to shoot panos in raw. I concur.

SethB · Aug 6, 2021

I’ve done thousands of terrestrial spherical panoramas with PTGui. It is the pro standard, and is available for Mac and PC.

As to raw workflow, there are choices. PTGui will accept Raw using the DCRAW library. DCRAW is freeware/shareware and is not as versatile as the Adobe Camera Raw engine in Photoshop and Lightroom.

The usual answer for efficient workflow at best quality in PTGui is to shoot raw, batch process (with NO local corrections) in PS or LR, then stitch JPGs or PNGs in PTGui.

However PTGui will not only accept raw, it will allow you to stitch to a 14-bit TIFF (maybe TGA too?), an alternative workflow that is much more tedious but allows keeping high color resolution color grading to the end of the workflow.

Andrex · Aug 6, 2021

You should read this thread for some good advice:

360 photo light\dark spots?

Hello all, new here OBVIOUSLY :D ....i'm been doing video and photos with my MA2 and just started playing with 360 photos. (Been using Gear 360 (both versions) and Insta360 OneX for a bit now) My problem is the exposure of each pano shot that the drone takes. Doesn't matter where the sun is...

mavicpilots.com

ItalianNSeattle · Aug 6, 2021

Dale D said:
I've been frustrated and feeling stupid with my new Mini 2 in the pano mode trying to achieve a globe 360 image using DNG files. The pano mode where I press the globe image produces both 26 JPG and 26 DNG images since I have set the RC to save the RAW files. But now, I still cannot process the 26 RAW images in Photoshop or Lightroom. I do not own other software for this such as Kuula. What does everyone do with these 26 images since the Mini 2 does not synthesize one automatically like my Mavic 2 Pro does. Need help.

Dale

Hi, You can't process a pano as a raw file. You need to use jpegs. May I suggest you reach out to someone like Matt Kloskowski He is the photographer I follow and learn from. He created this Youtube video back a few years ago and both tools are so much better now.. Photography | Matt Kloskowski He is really approachable and helpful There should be a quick tutorial on Adobe as well. Not sure if you are using an older version of Adobe or the current version

Jagerbomb52 · Aug 6, 2021

ItalianNSeattle said:
Hi, You can't process a pano as a raw file. You need to use jpegs. May I suggest you reach out to someone like Matt Kloskowski He is the photographer I follow and learn from. He created this Youtube video back a few years ago and both tools are so much better now.. Photography | Matt Kloskowski He is really approachable and helpful There should be a quick tutorial on Adobe as well. Not sure if you are using an older version of Adobe or the current version

Please explain why you cannot process a pano from raw photos. I don't seem to have any problems doing just that using PanoramaStudio 3 Pro. Willing to learn of any problems you might be having.

ItalianNSeattle · Aug 6, 2021

Just checked some tutorials I was wrong (I admit it!) It should work. I don't mind learning new things!
Lightroom series part 25: How to merge a raw panorama in Lightroom

Dale D · Aug 6, 2021

Agustine said:
Please explain why you cannot process a pano from raw photos. I don't seem to have any problems doing just that using PanoramaStudio 3 Pro. Willing to learn of any problems you might be having.

Of course you are wrong. I have been processing panos in RAW for many years. Here is the technique I use. Not only do I process the DNGs in RAW, using Adobe Camera RAW (ACR), I can gain the benefits of using ACR for the global adjustments. That is why I save my drone RAW files when I do panoramas.

SethB · Aug 6, 2021

Lightroom and Photoshop are great for ultra-wide-angle panoramas in most circumstances. Like a flat photo, but taken with a virtual ultra-wide lens, such panos are typically stitched from three to twelve photos.

@Dale D used the term ”globe 360 image”. I believe he’s speaking of spherical panoramas, stitched out of the 26 photos a Mini 2 shoots in 3(?) rows, all the way around in 12(?) columns.

The standard for a stitched 360 is an equirectangular projection (it must be flattened for output as an image file) that is 360-deg wide by 180-deg high. A pano player projects the equirectangular image on the inside of a sphere to convert it for a 360 viewing experience. Sadly, most spherical panos are viewed on flat displays, retaining access to the complete sphere but losing so much of the interaction we’re used to, like turning our head to see more. That’s where VR headsets come in, spherical pano stills or video are amazing on VR headsets…

This is different than what most landscape photographers think of as a panorama, a wider view stitched from multiple images.

<<<edit>>>
@Dale D, are you aiming for full 360x180 images? They are also the starting point for Little Planet projections, the centered globe surrounded by sky.

Dale D · Aug 6, 2021

ItalianNSeattle said:
Hi, You can't process a pano as a raw file. You need to use jpegs. May I suggest you reach out to someone like Matt Kloskowski He is the photographer I follow and learn from. He created this Youtube video back a few years ago and both tools are so much better now.. Photography | Matt Kloskowski He is really approachable and helpful There should be a quick tutorial on Adobe as well. Not sure if you are using an older version of Adobe or the current version

Of course you are wrong. I have been processing panos in RAW for many years. Here is the technique I use. Not only do I process the DNGs in RAW, using Adobe Camera RAW (ACR), I can gain the benefits of using ACR for the global adjustments. That is why I save my drone RAW files when I do panoramas.

Agustine said:
Please explain why you cannot process a pano from raw photos. I don't seem to have any problems doing just that using PanoramaStudio 3 Pro. Willing to learn of any problems you might be having.

Dale D · Aug 6, 2021

SethB said:
Lightroom and Photoshop are great for ultra-wide-angle panoramas in most circumstances. Like a flat photo, but taken with a virtual ultra-wide lens, such panos are typically stitched from three to twelve photos.

@Dale D used the term ”globe panorama”. I believe he’s speaking of spherical panoramas, stitched out of the 26 photos a Mini 2 shoots in 3(?) rows, all the way around in 12(?) columns.

The standard for a stitched 360 is an equirectangular projection (it must be flattened for output as an image file) that is 360-deg wide by 180-deg high. A pano player projects the equirectangular image on the inside of a sphere to convert it for a 360 viewing experience. Sadly, most spherical panos are viewed on flat displays, retaining access to the complete sphere but losing so much of the interaction we’re used to, like turning our head to see more. That’s where VR headsets come in, spherical pano stills or video are amazing on VR headsets…

This is different than what most landscape photographers think of as a panorama, a wider view stitched from multiple images.

What I am looking for is a nice You Tube video which will tell me how to take my 26 Mavic Mini 2 images, saved in RAW files, and make a "global" or spherical panorama that can be viewed up, right, down, and left-e.g.: 360 degrees such as the ones I see in 360 cities. (www.360cities.net).

Dale

SethB · Aug 6, 2021

Dale D said:
What I am looking for is a nice You Tube video which will tell me how to take my 26 Mavic Mini 2 images, saved in RAW files, and make a "global" or spherical panorama that can be viewed up, right, down, and left-e.g.: 360 degrees such as the ones I see in 360 cities. (www.360cities.net).

Dale

Most all of my experience is with PTGui. Their home page has a good overview of the functions:

Photo stitching software 360 degree Panorama image software - PTGui Stitching Software

PTGui is image stitching software for stitching photographs into a seamless 360-degree spherical or gigapixel panoramic image

www.ptgui.com

Florian Knorn has a good series of very detailed tutorials exploring Photoshop and PTGui:

Tutorial 1

This tutorial shows my three favourite panorama shooting techniques, all using an 8mm fisheye lens both on full...

www.pano-guru.com

PTGui has eight of Florian’s tutorials specific to PTGui in this playlist:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiaof7dM5yj6642MO1xaVz_R_2LR4kk3H

Dale D · Aug 6, 2021

SethB said:
Most all of my experience is with PTGui. Their home page has a good overview of the functions:

Photo stitching software 360 degree Panorama image software - PTGui Stitching Software

PTGui is image stitching software for stitching photographs into a seamless 360-degree spherical or gigapixel panoramic image

www.ptgui.com

Florian Knorn has a good series of very detailed tutorials exploring Photoshop and PTGui:

Tutorial 1

This tutorial shows my three favourite panorama shooting techniques, all using an 8mm fisheye lens both on full...

www.pano-guru.com

PTGui has eight of Florian’s tutorials specific to PTGui in this playlist:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiaof7dM5yj6642MO1xaVz_R_2LR4kk3H

Thanks a lot Seth- I was afraid I'd have to got with PTGui. It burns my a.. that my Mavic 2 Pro will synthesize the pano but the Mavic 2 mini will not.