New Beta Version of PTGuiPro

[hindenhaag]

Hi guys,

testing settings for NN equipment I have just turned to the new Beta version of PTGui.

Besides new features like the "grid" to align blue skies without CP to be ready to stitch, there a special changes to improve our pano work.

Using fisheye lenses, you had to change "minimize lens distortion" by clicking "heavy and lens shift" in optimizer. Now this is set by default. Less work. Thx Joost!

For me the most important change:

besides "align to Grid" for blue skies or gigapixel panos this is the improvement of the automatic control point generator for fisheye images: "will find more control points which are better spread out over the entire overlap area". This is true!!

I used the new beta version to find LRS on different NN Panoheads with different Nikon Bodies. I compared the Cp in the control point tab in the old version of PTGui to the new one. They are really spread in a better way. In vertical and horizontal. Less bulks.

Using Smooth's Circle Saw Method to find the LRS, I imported the pics to PTGui, aligned, >advanced, >optimizer, >heavy and lens shift - not necessary in the new version, optimized, >Control point in top tab, >Delete worst control points, and it says 5...6...4...8 to delete to get a max distance >2.

Since I use the beta version, I still try "delete worst CP", "nothing to delete", results are below max distance of 2.

Besides several other new functions for me this the next big step in PTGui since the masking function.

Thx a lot Joost.

This is why I stay with NN Products and PTGuiPro and I am very happy with this:
Joost, Nick and Bill listen to their customers and they are always ready for a "surprise".

Thx a lot to you guys.

Regards,
Heinz

[Seacat]

Hi Heinz,

I'll download this beta version later this weekend. Thanks for the information.

Regards,

Johan

[Hugh]

Thanks for the information Heinz.

I have also downloaded this Beta version and it works better, as you say.

The main difference I found was that the results are great without having to go through the Optimizer with "Heavy and Lens Shift" then straightening the image in the Panorama Editor to get straight horizons, which makes processing even faster.

I also like the two Masking screens, which I now find invaluable when dealing with people moving between the exposures.

Yes, I think Joost deserves a lot of credit for the software and continued development.

Best regards, Hugh.

[Nobsch]

Hello @ all

My very first post in this forum hits the PTGUI Beta. I used PTGUI for years, did (and payed) upgrades from 7....up to....9.0. Now the version number did a minor change up to 9.1 and PTGUI exept money for that. For me - no way Jose. I could understand if you have a mayor upgrade to 10.0 but this kind is - "without words" or in kind words "not lucky". During the last three years I paid around 40-50 EURO PLUS TAX per year. AUTOPANO gaves me a mayor upgrade (AUTOPANO GIGA and AUTOPANO TOUR PRO) for free, because I had all "old" licences. And this programms are working very well too.

BTW some german users of PTGUI thinks the same way I do...

So if someone else have the same situation I suggest to have a look to Kolors Autopano Software. It seems more "old-customer friendly".

Sorry if you find some mistakes in my text - but I am not as good, speaking english, as I would like to speak - and I got really angry about PTGUI.

Cheers

Norbert

[hindenhaag]

New reviews for a long expected lens to be delivered: canon 8-15

http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/r...ef8-15f4l.html

[Hugh]

Hello Norbert,

I have also been using PTGui for more years than I care to remember and have been using 9.1 Beta since its releases and can tell you that a lot of work has gone into this latest version, just by using it. For me there are many great improvements from the fitting of the images to create the Equirectangular image to tools such as the Masks (with two screens). Comparing 9.0 with the Beta 9.1 I find that panoramas that needed tweaking (including straightening) in 9.0 are coming in bang on first time in 9.1. I have just processed over a hundred panoramas taken in rooms full of moving people and PTGui 9.1 has made the creating of the panoramas very straight forward and fast. I don't begrudge paying for upgrades when I can see the benefits and notice that there has been a lot of effort behind the scenes. Programmers do need to be rewarded for their efforts and those behind PTGui have clearly put in a lot of effort with this latest version.

I have just downloaded Autopano to have a look and it has done a good job, but how do I get rid of all the "ghosts"?
I have "Anti-ghost" selected.

Best regards, Hugh.

[hindenhaag]

Sorry tried to del cause this is the wrong thread for the Canon lens.

Heinz

Hugh,

I have tested Autopano Giga for a long time ago. Very automatically, in former times no possibility to add CP manually, I did not feel so happy trying to "understand the program for me personally". There are improvements now, also with Ghost removals and manually CP placement.

I got the Giga set with integrated "Tour". But now Norbert, the upgrade is very expansive compared to PTGui upgrades.

Norbert, Joost investiert eine ganze Menge Arbeit um sein Program staendig zu verbessern. Und er ist staendig in Kontakt mit seinen Kunden um deren Wuensche so weit als moeglich zu erfuellen und das Programm zu verbessern. Und ab und an muessen wir unsere Upgrade Lizenz erneuern. Rein nach zeitlichem Ablauf. Und das kostet Geld weil Joost nicht umsonst arbeiten kann.

Gegenfrage, waerest du einverstanden bei deiner Arbeitsstelle staending mehr erledigen zu muessen fuer gleichen Lohn? Ueber Jahre hinaus ohne Inflationsausgleich?

Sorry guys, I like Norbert to undertstand what I am talking about, that's why I use the german language.

We do not get new memory cards for the computer without paying, we do not get unlimited upgrade support for software over years. This seems unrealistic to me, but everybody is free to use what he wants.

With kind Regards,
Heinz

[nick fan]

Hello @ all

My very first post in this forum hits the PTGUI Beta. I used PTGUI for years, did (and payed) upgrades from 7....up to....9.0. Now the version number did a minor change up to 9.1 and PTGUI exept money for that. For me - no way Jose. I could understand if you have a mayor upgrade to 10.0 but this kind is - "without words" or in kind words "not lucky". During the last three years I paid around 40-50 EURO PLUS TAX per year. AUTOPANO gaves me a mayor upgrade (AUTOPANO GIGA and AUTOPANO TOUR PRO) for free, because I had all "old" licences. And this programms are working very well too.

BTW some german users of PTGUI thinks the same way I do...

So if someone else have the same situation I suggest to have a look to Kolors Autopano Software. It seems more "old-customer friendly".

Sorry if you find some mistakes in my text - but I am not as good, speaking english, as I would like to speak - and I got really angry about PTGUI.

Cheers

Norbert

Regardless of the type, each license includes free updates for one year after purchase.

If you purchased your PTGui license on or after July 1st, 2009, the upgrade to PTGui 9.0.4 is available free of charge.

The upgrade to the latest beta version (PTGui 9.1beta1) is free if you purchased a license on or after February 1st, 2010.

what do you expect more? Am I/ Are you missing anything?

My purchase was in Aug 2009, so I am not able to upgrade for free now. But I was so grateful to be able to upgrade from V8 to V9 after more than 1 yr of my purchase. V9 works perfectly for me now. I will wait some time for my upgrade after more new features added.

Nick

[DennisS]

I gladly renew my license whenever I can no longer download the full version. Great tool, great support and continued development of the product. What else can a software vendor do? Contrary to popular belief, programmers do not live on Mountain Dew and Snickers bars!

[Hugh]

Heinz,
I used the Internet to translate your German into English so I could understand what you have said to Norbert and I totally agree.
"Norbert, Joost invests a lot of work around his progrief constantly to improve. And he is constant in contact with his customers around their wishes so far as possible to fulfill and to improve the program. And from time to time we must renew our Upgrade license. Pure after temporal expiry. And this does not cost money because Joost free of charge can work.
Counter question, you would be agreed to have to finish more with your job standing for the same wage? For years out without inflation balance?"
The translation may not be perfect, but it conveys the meaning.

Dennis,
I think you have summed it up perfectly!

I really like 9.1.
I thought there was little or no room for improvement, but Joost really has done a good job here.
The difference between 9.0 and 9.1 is really noticeable.

All the best, Hugh.

[Bill Bailey]

Hello @ all

My very first post in this forum hits the PTGUI Beta. I used PTGUI for years, did (and payed) upgrades from 7....up to....9.0. Now the version number did a minor change up to 9.1 and PTGUI exept money for that. For me - no way Jose. I could understand if you have a mayor upgrade to 10.0 but this kind is - "without words" or in kind words "not lucky". During the last three years I paid around 40-50 EURO PLUS TAX per year. AUTOPANO gaves me a mayor upgrade (AUTOPANO GIGA and AUTOPANO TOUR PRO) for free, because I had all "old" licences. And this programms are working very well too.

BTW some german users of PTGUI thinks the same way I do...

So if someone else have the same situation I suggest to have a look to Kolors Autopano Software. It seems more "old-customer friendly".

Sorry if you find some mistakes in my text - but I am not as good, speaking english, as I would like to speak - and I got really angry about PTGUI.
Cheers
Norbert

Hi Nobsch,
We would like to welcome you to the forum and hope your posting might go beyond this one slamming of PTGui. As you will note there are many supporters of this software and it has worked well for many for a long time. When a "one time poster" shares dissatisfaction about a vendor in public forum, while giving praise to other vendor, we suspect this could be a software competitor or strong advocate of competitor themselves attempting to sway public opinion.
You opinions are always welcomed - we just encourage others to let the dust settle a bit while this drives by.
see also: http://www.nodalninja.com/forum/show...highlight=poll

Bill

[badders]

Hugh,

Is the thumbnail from APG the "preview" window or the final rendered image? Just it looks like the preview image which doesn't reflect what gets finally rendered and won't show the ghosting removal.

[Hugh]

Thanks for your help Badders,

You are right about the "preview" as opposed to the "rendered" view, which is the result of my not looking deep enough into the software.
I have now explored Autopano some more and the ghosts have disappeared automatically!
I like the interface.
There are clearly some very clever people around who deserve to be rewarded for providing us with the tools to enjoy creating panoramas.

All the best, Hugh.

[Nobsch]

Hello at all,

Unfortunately I didn't found the time to join this forum. So here is my delayed answer.

First of all - Thank you for your answers!

Actually I like PTGUI - really! The results I got are mostly quite perfect. I understand also, that I must pay for a good programm. But I do not like paying for timeperiods, in this case nearly every single year - that's all. Because I use the stitching programm "just for fun" and built only a few panoramic pictures a year - for me it's too expensive. This circumstance make me sad and angry at the same time.

Get me right, I am NOT praising this "other vendor", I only talk about my experiences and opinions. During the last years I paid hundred of Euros (only for PTGUI) for maybe 50 panoramas I built with.
If you think "This guy is quite stupid" I must say - your really right. Paying such a lot of money is stupid, isn't it?

Heinz, ich verstehe Deine Argumente! Verstehst Du auch warum mich das so geärgert hat / ärgert? Die Programmierer des anderen Programms wollen auch Geld verdienen bzw. verdienen damit auch gutes Geld - gehen dabei aber einen, aus meiner Sicht kundenfreundlicheren Weg.

Hugh, as I wrote right now - I do panos only few times a year and, unfortunately, for the same reason I can't answer your ghost-question now. Perhaps you can send me files so I can tell you more afterwards. Important - I do not want to start a direct comparison! But I am curious too. - I was really curious about this new functions in PTGUI, but it seems I have to use my old version "a little bit longer".

Right now I realised Hughs and badders answers. Thanks!

Nevertheless, In the past I had problems to stitch panos with a bigger part of blue heaven and I hoped the new PTGUI Version will give me a good solution - finally - but my timeperiod was over.

Cheers.
Norbert

BTW: I am not a "one-time-poster" - be so kind and give me a little more time.
and if you like - see my www.charismEye.com

[DennisS]

If you think "This guy is quite stupid" I must say - your really right. Paying such a lot of money is stupid, isn't it?

Nobsch

Some people put a high value on their time and do not want to mess around with inferior solutions. Apparently PTGui has little or no value to you. It would be stupid for you to spend the money. Continue to search out free solutions. That, for you, would be smart. If you do come to the point where you see the value in PTGui, you can join the rest of us stupid people.

Still "stupid" in Los Angeles,

Dennis