| Panorama & Object Processing Software |
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There are numerous panorama and object movie software vendors. The most comprehensive list is found at James Rigg's Panoguide site. The software described below is in everyday use at CHI. |
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Panorama Tools software by Helmut Dersch |
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Helmut Dersch is a professor at Technical University Furtwangen who has written an extensive set of tools used to process digital images, produce panoramas and display panoramas and object movies. His image editing and pano creation software Panorama Tools comes in the form of photoshop plug-ins for Mac and Windows, a Gimp plug-in for Linux and a non-plug-in Linux version. His display Software, PTViewer operates on Linux, Mac, and Windows in a Java based version and on Mac and Windows in a native version. QTVR format object movies can be displayed by PTviewer without installation of QuickTime (TM) software. These tools are extremely powerful, open source, highly recommended by CHI, and FREE!
Helmut Dersch's software can currently be down loaded from the following sites: |
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PanoTools wiki
The wiki that aims to show you what you can do with the panorama tools and how to use them the best way. |
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www.panotools.info (...)
This website is a portal site for the PanoTools group at Yahoo |
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webuser.fh-furtwangen.de (...)
PTViewer 3.12 is the most recent version. It can display standard low dynamic range panos and QTVR object movies and now comes with High Dynamic Range (HDR) display capabilities. Popular HDR file formats can be converted for display with the new PTConvert tool. |
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www.tawbaware.com (...)
Pano creation and image editing software Pano Tools 2.6, the latest version, can be downloaded here. Max Lyons has added small modifications to the code and an automatic installation utility for part of the distribution. In this version fisheye lens field of view is limited to 160 degrees. |
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www.path.unimelb.edu.au (...)
Pano creation and image editing software Pano Tools 2.6, the latest version distributed directly by Helmut Dersch, can be downloaded here. This distribution has no automatic setup utility so make sure to look at the installation directions. In this version fisheye lens field of view is limited to 160 degrees. |
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home.no.net/dmaurer (...)
Pano creation and image editing software Pano Tools 2.1, an earlier version, can be downloaded here. In this version fisheye lens field of view is not limited to 160 degrees. |
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Panorama Tools User Interface Software |
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Panorama Tools has the disadvantage of lacking a simple to operate user interface. It can be difficult to use since it requires the user to write command scripts. Several low cost software user interface front ends have been developed to address this problem.
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ptgui.com
PTGui 3.6 is pano creation software for Windows. |
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tawbaware.com (...)
PTAssembler is an alternative pano creation software for Windows |
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kekus.com (...)
PTMac is pano creation software for Mac in both Classic and OSX flavors. |
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tawbaware.com (...)
Image Stacker is a front end for PTAssembler, part of the Panorama Tools distribution. |
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Panorama Tools Software Tutorials |
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forum.panotools.info (...)
A great source of information on all aspects of Helmut Dersch's software. |
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www.all-in-one.ee (...)
Helmut Dersch's discussion of correcting barrel and pincushion distortion |
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epaperpress.com (...)
Excellent tutorial by Thomas Niemann covering a broad set of issues involved in panorama creation including image distortion correction and the nature of panoramic projection methods. |
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www.path.unimelb.edu.au (...)
Ben Kreunen 'Big Ben' offers a broad ranging discussion of many issues involved in pano photography, creation, and publishing |
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www.all-in-one.ee (...)
Helmut Dersch's discussion of fisheye lens distortion correction for architectural photography |
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vrm.vrway.com (...)
A tutorial by Charles Evans describing a simple method for rectilinearizing fisheye lens based images. |
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homepage.ntlworld.com (...)
A tutorial explaining the how to create panos using a fisheye lens on a digital camera. |
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QuickTime and Apple Software |
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apple.com (...)
Download page for QuickTime software |
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developer.apple.com (...)
Useful utilities for working with QuickTime panoramas and object movies |
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worldserver.com (...)
Written by Ken Turkowski, this site contains many useful QTVR explanations, Tips, software, and calculators. |
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utexas.edu (...)
This is a tutorial that shows how to generate object movie content with a video camera |
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panoshow.com (...)
Panocube is a drag and drop converter for Windows that converts spherical (equirectangular) panos into cubic QuickTime panos. |
| Panorama Hardware |
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General Hardware |
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roundshot.ch (...)
This is a computer controlled pano head that can be reconfigured to also capture object movies |
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peaceriverstudios.com
Both computer controlled and manual pano heads |
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kaidan.com
Manual Pano heads |
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manfrotto.com (...)
Manual pano heads. Choose "Photo and Video Camera Supports" then "QTVR" |
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kaidan.com (...)
This is a clear summary of the issues involved in finding a lens' nodal point. |
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Film Based Pano Photography |
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panoramicassociation.org (...)
The IAPP is an association of pano photographers still relying primarily on film based imaging. |
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Automatic Scanline Panorama Capture Systems |
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spheron.com |
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panoscan.com |
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www.roundshot.ch (...) |
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| Reflection Based Pano Photography |
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Single Image Parabolic Reflectors |
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kaidan.com
Look at the 360 One VR product |
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0-360.com
0-360 Panoramic Optic is a reflection sphere for shooting panoramas |
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Reflection Spheres |
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www.debevec.org (...)
Tutorial on creating a light probe. From HDRSHOP page choose "Tutorials" then "Creating a Light Probe Image" |
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radio.weblogs.com (...)
This site contains information about building High Dynamic Range (HDR) panoramas. |
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gregdowning.com (...)
Written by Greg Downing, this tutorial describes the generation of a HDR spherical panorama. |
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vrm.vrway.com (...)
This article in VRMAG is a discussion of building panoramas with Greg Downing. |
