Panoramas

itsneedtokno · Apr 18, 2019

I was wondering if you guys take a couple pictures yourself, then stitch them in LightRoom, or if you let the drone take the shot in Pano mode, which can sometimes take too long, losing the luster of say, a sunset.

EDIT: I was also wondering if taking a horizontal video in 4k would be a better idea? Using screenshots from the video.

DebianDog · Apr 18, 2019

I have had bad luck with letting the Drone do the work. I am not saying it never works just my experiences. I use lightroom for both HDR and Panos

itsneedtokno · Apr 18, 2019

DebianDog said:
I have had bad luck with letting the Drone do the work. I am not saying it never works just my experiences. I use lightroom for both HDR and Panos

I use LR too, because DJI's software is terrible at stitching... But to take the photos, do you prefer using Pano, and putting the images in LR, or taking the photos yourself and stitching?

I feel like I could position the drone quicker than it does.

DebianDog · Apr 18, 2019

No I do everything manually (let LR do it). The only mode I use for photos is bracketing. Usually [3] as I have not found a use for [5] but like all things one day I will probably be sorry.

Kreigor-Celtic Warrier · Apr 18, 2019

I've had some moderate success w/ panoramas, whether
I'm using the MA or my 5 diff hand-helds. LR and PS are
a little to sophisticated for my ole brain. But, I have found
a very simple piece of software that is not only free, but extremely easy to obtain semi good results. It's called Microsoft ICE... (Image Composite Editor)
I've enclosed 2 of (what I think) my recent best.. The first is a construction site, and the 2nd is the Cancer Survivors Memorial for UC Davis Medical Center here in Sacramento.. The construction site was a combo of 5 shots, and the memorial was done w/ 7 shots.. These were done also w/ a tripod, but it would not be out of the realm for a Quad w/ 3 axis gimbal to get the same results
The problem would be in the ability to yaw the correct degrees for the over laps..
I hope this has helped someone out there..

"FLY SAFE"

CanadaDrone · Apr 18, 2019

It's a tiny bit of extra effort, but I stitch my own - you get much better stitching/blending, as well as the benefit of having RAW files to work with.

None of DJI's drones do a great job anytime they have to stitch something, and the only output option is a JPEG - fine for quick sharing or whatever but for anything else I would do my own.

naiku · Apr 18, 2019

I did 2 or 3 with the drone stitching them, hated it being in jpeg (limited editing in post) and seeing where it was stitched together, so I use Lightroom.

I also use the AEB mode for each shot, then merge those 3 as an HDR in Lightroom, then merge all the HDR images into a panorama.

Kreigor-Celtic Warrier · Apr 18, 2019

naiku said:
I did 2 or 3 with the drone stitching them, hated it being in jpeg (limited editing in post) and seeing where it was stitched together, so I use Lightroom.

I also use the AEB mode for each shot, then merge those 3 as an HDR in Lightroom, then merge all the HDR images into a panorama.

Hey Naiku, I'd thought of doing an HDRI in a panorama also. Please let us know how your endeavors turn out??

naiku · Apr 18, 2019

Here's one of the first ones I attempted about 2 weeks ago now...

itsneedtokno · Apr 18, 2019

naiku said:
I did 2 or 3 with the drone stitching them, hated it being in jpeg (limited editing in post) and seeing where it was stitched together, so I use Lightroom.

I also use the AEB mode for each shot, then merge those 3 as an HDR in Lightroom, then merge all the HDR images into a panorama.

I love this idea. I constantly get ground shots that I end up cropping out anyway.

And I only edit .DNG in LightRoom.

Thanks to all for the input!

brett8883 · Apr 18, 2019

This was my first and last DNG hdr pano. Took like 2 hours it felt like to render. And I’m not totally happy with it but wasn’t worth trying to render again

naiku · Apr 19, 2019

brett8883 said:
This was my first and last DNG hdr pano. Took like 2 hours it felt like to render. And I’m not totally happy with it but wasn’t worth trying to render again

How many images was that using? and what sort of computer do you have?

For example the one above that I posted is made up of 9 images, I use Lightroom and merge each group of 3 into single HDR images, I then use Lightroom again to merge them into the HDR panorama. On my computer it probably takes 2 minutes tops for each merge to an HDR, then another minute to merge to the HDR panorama. Mine is a desktop, it's an older Haswell i3 CPU and if I remember correctly it has 12GB of RAM.

If your image is made up of a lot more individual shots, I could see it taking longer, but 2 hours is a crazy amount of time.

dunfr · Apr 19, 2019

Hi - here are 2 Panos I took last year with the Air (sold to fund M2Pro).
The DJI Go stitch JPG is sometimes ok but more often not that good at skies - I always take images in DNG -then stitch in LightRoom (Photomerge - Panorama).
As other people have said 2 hrs means a quick look at your performance settings! More RAM is your friend.
If you are interested I now use Litchi for all my panoramas - much more control.

Kreigor-Celtic Warrier · Apr 19, 2019

I don't understand the attraction of sitting 2 hrs in LR
for one photo, when almost the same results can be achieved in 2 min w/ MS ICE??? I'm not that particular abt my pix, and I would think most folks will agree, if you are not selling your pictures, well then, leave that to the PROs.. The minute this hobby starts to become work for me, then , I'm done.. I'll move onto something else that helps keep these ole bones and grey matter operating in tip-top conditions.. The only person I have to impress or make happy is me.. And that's been working fairly well for the past 25 yrs + .. ?

>>>>>>>>FLY SAFE>>>>>>>>

brett8883 · Apr 19, 2019

naiku said:
How many images was that using? and what sort of computer do you have?

For example the one above that I posted is made up of 9 images, I use Lightroom and merge each group of 3 into single HDR images, I then use Lightroom again to merge them into the HDR panorama. On my computer it probably takes 2 minutes tops for each merge to an HDR, then another minute to merge to the HDR panorama. Mine is a desktop, it's an older Haswell i3 CPU and if I remember correctly it has 12GB of RAM.

If your image is made up of a lot more individual shots, I could see it taking longer, but 2 hours is a crazy amount of time.

I believe this was 9 groups of 3 so 27 total and I merged them together as one go using Lightroom’s HDR Pano. I know I could have made 3 panos and then merged them into one HDR but sometimes due to stitching inconsistencies they won’t line up properly.

I have a 2015 MacBook Pro with 8 gigs of Ram and I might have been exaggerating with the 2 hours but it took at least 45 mins to generate a preview and then probably another 15 to render the output.

dunfr · Apr 19, 2019

To save some time just select one best exposed of the 3 aeb images in LR and just stitch the 9 best you have selected. The final result (for me) is as good an HDR merge. - saves a bit of time; one Preview and one render.

brett8883 · Apr 19, 2019

Kreigor-Celtic Warrier said:
I don't understand the attraction of sitting 2 hrs in LR
for one photo, when almost the same results can be achieved in 2 min w/ MS ICE??? I'm not that particular abt my pix, and I would think most folks will agree, if you are not selling your pictures, well then, leave that to the PROs.. The minute this hobby starts to become work for me, then , I'm done.. I'll move onto something else that helps keep these ole bones and grey matter operating in tip-top conditions.. The only person I have to impress or make happy is me.. And that's been working fairly well for the past 25 yrs + .. ?

>>>>>>>>FLY SAFE>>>>>>>>

I agree but I think if I just use fewer images that would have worked better. That photo was a HDR pano not just a pano. HDR or high dynamic range consists of multiple layers of photos at different exposures. You’ll notice the mountain in the foreground is properly exposed even though I’m facing the sun. It actually looks weird in this example but that wouldn’t be possible without the HDR part. Without it those mountains and snow would be under exposed, it would have looked more natural though

Kreigor-Celtic Warrier · Apr 23, 2019

brett8883 said:
I agree but I think if I just use fewer images that would have worked better. That photo was a HDR pano not just a pano. HDR or high dynamic range consists of multiple layers of photos at different exposures. You’ll notice the mountain in the foreground is properly exposed even though I’m facing the sun. It actually looks weird in this example but that wouldn’t be possible without the HDR part. Without it those mountains and snow would be under exposed, it would have looked more natural though

Agree w/ yer post, and I've been doing HDRI for abt 2 yrs and just love it .. Don't care for the surreal stuff,
but do enjoy enhancing older dull ones. Been using Photomatix Pro w/o the $99 fee and it leaves 3 watermarks
after photo is saved.. Just found out that an earlier ver is avail for abt $40 .. so, that's what I'm saving up
to get next..
I often buy online thru B & H photo in Brooklyn, NY and if over $49, expedited shipping is free and no tax, also.

brett8883 · Apr 23, 2019

Kreigor-Celtic Warrier said:
Agree w/ yer post, and I've been doing HDRI for abt 2 yrs and just love it .. Don't care for the surreal stuff,
but do enjoy enhancing older dull ones. Been using Photomatix Pro w/o the $99 fee and it leaves 3 watermarks
after photo is saved.. Just found out that an earlier ver is avail for abt $40 .. so, that's what I'm saving up
to get next..
I often buy online thru B & H photo in Brooklyn, NY and if over $49, expedited shipping is free and no tax, also.

I usually just use HDR Pro in Photoshop but in this particular case I used Lightroom Classic CC’s HDR Pano feature and did it all in one go. Not sure if that can be done with HDR Pro. I usually make a 32 bit file and then use camera raw to do the rest.