Digital Photographer's Software Guide - Bertemes - Net

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The Digital Photographer's Software Guide
Autopano Pro uses a proprietary and patented algorithm called SIFT, which detects
matching areas automatically—far better, says the vendor, than the human eye. It also
has integrated “Smartblend” technology to remove ghosting effects. Another exclusive
feature is the color-correction scheme, which equalizes the color and exposure of the
component images.
Comments
One of the newest panoramic stitchers, Autopano Pro takes automation a step further
with its ability to select the component images as well as stitch them. Panoramic photography
is popular in France, where Autopano Pro is under intensive development. One of
its most remarkable abilities is its “unlimited” capacity for component images. The vendor
mentions that one panorama has been created with 300 pictures “without any issue.”
You can even create a 90-gigapixel panorama without needing a huge amount of RAM
(just a large hard drive). Autopano Pro is extensively documented, with its own Wiki.
Version: Autopano Pro 1.4 (2008)
OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4 and 10.5; Linux kernel 2.4 or higher
RAM: 512MB
Supported file formats: Hundreds of formats; exports JPG, TIFF, PNG, HDR, Adobe Photoshop
PSD, and PSB
Price level: Approx. $120 (includes free updates for one year)
Address: Kolor, 204, Avenue du parc, 73190 Challes les eaux, France
www.autopano.net
ImageAssembler
Vendor: PanaVue
Purpose: Image-stitching software for creating panoramas, with fisheye lens support
Description
ImageAssembler is image-stitching software for joining separate, overlapping images
into multi-row mosaics or panoramas. It comes in three editions: Standard, with basic
tools for the enthusiast; Professional, with the power to make really large images; and
Enterprise, with batch processing facilities.
With ImageAssembler, you can easily create a montage from aerial and satellite photos,
as well as landscape panoramas, maps, medical imagery, or large composite images from
multiple photos of a painting. Its interface allows you to position little flags or markers
to indicate stitching points—a precise method that allows you to tilt the camera and
get away with it. It can warp and blend images as well as adjust their color. There is also
an automatic mode that positions all the images without manual intervention.