Software for aligning images/layers ?

Bright Angel · Mar 18, 2013

Can anyone recommend any software/plugins for perfectly aligning multiple exposures as layers in Ps ?

The "Auto-Align Layers" in Ps CS6 is pretty useless at times.

I'm shooting with a geared head tripod, but, if I shoot a panorama (or single image), I just can't seem to get it pixel perfect in Ps from one side of photo to the other.

Thanks.

steephill · Mar 18, 2013

When shooting panorama you need to be aware of parallax problems. The solution is to use a panorama head on your tripod which allows you to shoot at the nodal point of your lens - e.g. the Nodal Ninja range

Otherwise you could try some of the other pano stitching programs out there like Microsoft ICE or Hugin.

Bright Angel · Mar 18, 2013

steephill said:
steephill wrote:

When shooting panorama you need to be aware of parallax problems. The solution is to use a panorama head on your tripod which allows you to shoot at the nodal point of your lens - e.g. the Nodal Ninja range

Otherwise you could try some of the other pano stitching programs out there like Microsoft ICE or Hugin.

jannefoo · Mar 18, 2013

Even with a tilt/shift lens there will be parallax error. This will result in a stitch that's never pixel perfect.

Bright Angel · Mar 18, 2013

jannefoo said:
jannefoo wrote:

Even with a tilt/shift lens there will be parallax error. This will result in a stitch that's never pixel perfect.

malch · Mar 18, 2013

Bright Angel said:
Bright Angel wrote:

Can anyone recommend any software/plugins for perfectly aligning multiple exposures as layers in Ps ?

The best alignment software, by far, in my view, is align_image_stack.

It's a command line program and not a PS plugin. I normally align a sequence of 16-bit TIFs from the command prompt. Then you can just load the images into a layer stack within PS.

align_image_stack isn't distributed by itself -- look for the Hugin package and you'll find it's included. Open source, cross platform and free!

Bright Angel · Mar 18, 2013

Member said:
malch wrote:

Member said:

Bright Angel wrote:

Can anyone recommend any software/plugins for perfectly aligning multiple exposures as layers in Ps ?

Click to expand...

The best alignment software, by far, in my view, is align_image_stack.

It's a command line program and not a PS plugin. I normally align a sequence of 16-bit TIFs from the command prompt. Then you can just load the images into a layer stack within PS.

align_image_stack isn't distributed by itself -- look for the Hugin package and you'll find it's included. Open source, cross platform and free!

Thank you very much, I'll give it a whirl.

malch · Mar 18, 2013

Bright Angel said:
Bright Angel wrote:

Bright Angel said:

align_image_stack isn't distributed by itself -- look for the Hugin package and you'll find it's included. Open source, cross platform and free!

Click to expand...

Thank you very much, I'll give it a whirl.

In reviewing this thread again, I'm wondering about the order of the steps in your workflow.

With my own HDR/Panos, I've found the best order is:

1. RAW Conversion and the usual stuff.
2. Lens corrections.
3. Some gentle capture sharpening (I figure this helps alignment).
4. Align the exposures of each frame with align_image_stack.
5. Blend the exposures with whatever tool. I like both Enfuse and SNS-HDR. Obviously, you need to use exactly the same settings for each frame that will make up the pano.
6. Stitch the frames to make the pano.
7. Take the pano into Photoshop for finishing.

Originally, I though that stitch before blend would be the best "correct" way to do things. But in practice I found that blend before stitch worked much better and I've seen others report the same thing.

Hope this helps. I'll be interested to see the results since I'm very familiar with the (truly excellent) work you've posted over in the Nikon forums.

Bright Angel · Mar 19, 2013

Member said:
malch wrote:

Member said:

Bright Angel wrote:

Member said:

align_image_stack isn't distributed by itself -- look for the Hugin package and you'll find it's included. Open source, cross platform and free!

Click to expand...

Thank you very much, I'll give it a whirl.

Click to expand...

In reviewing this thread again, I'm wondering about the order of the steps in your workflow.

With my own HDR/Panos, I've found the best order is:

1. RAW Conversion and the usual stuff.
2. Lens corrections.
3. Some gentle capture sharpening (I figure this helps alignment).
4. Align the exposures of each frame with align_image_stack.
5. Blend the exposures with whatever tool. I like both Enfuse and SNS-HDR. Obviously, you need to use exactly the same settings for each frame that will make up the pano.
6. Stitch the frames to make the pano.
7. Take the pano into Photoshop for finishing.

Originally, I though that stitch before blend would be the best "correct" way to do things. But in practice I found that blend before stitch worked much better and I've seen others report the same thing.

Hope this helps. I'll be interested to see the results since I'm very familiar with the (truly excellent) work you've posted over in the Nikon forums.

Thanks again for the advice.

At the moment I'm using Lightroom 4.3 and Ps CS6.

I apply a user preset to all the images for the scene I've shoot, this includes lens corrections when applicable (there doesn't seem to be one for the Canon 17mm TS).

I choose the 2 (or 3) images of the same exposure, and tell Lr to send them to Ps and create a pano.

I do the same with the with the other images of the same exposure.

Then when both photos are in Ps, I flatten each one, put the lighter photo over the darker one, as a layer (using the shift key, to centralise them).

But, one side could be perfectly aligned, but, the other side is out.

Both are two recent shots I've had trouble with (2 shot pano's).

--
www.MarkSykesPhotography.co.uk

malch · Mar 19, 2013

Bright Angel said:
Bright Angel wrote:
I choose the 2 (or 3) images of the same exposure, and tell Lr to send them to Ps and create a pano.
I do the same with the with the other images of the same exposure.

Then when both photos are in Ps, I flatten each one, put the lighter photo over the darker one, as a layer (using the shift key, to centralise them).

But, one side could be perfectly aligned, but, the other side is out.

When trying to blend two or more exposures that cover the same area of the frame, align_image_stack is the tool you want to ensure that the images stack perfectly one on top of the other.

That's different from stitching two or more frames together to make a pano, which is where I think you're having problems.

In that case, how much overlap do you have between the frames? In my view, you need at least 30% overlap for good stitching.

Of course, there's also a question of what stitching software to use. Personally, I've had good results with these two:

http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/redmond/groups/ivm/ice/

http://www.kolor.com/image-stitching-software-autopano-giga.html

Bright Angel · Mar 19, 2013

Member said:
malch wrote:

Member said:

Bright Angel wrote:
I choose the 2 (or 3) images of the same exposure, and tell Lr to send them to Ps and create a pano.
I do the same with the with the other images of the same exposure.

Then when both photos are in Ps, I flatten each one, put the lighter photo over the darker one, as a layer (using the shift key, to centralise them).

But, one side could be perfectly aligned, but, the other side is out.

Click to expand...

When trying to blend two or more exposures that cover the same area of the frame, align_image_stack is the tool you want to ensure that the images stack perfectly one on top of the other.

That's different from stitching two or more frames together to make a pano, which is where I think you're having problems.

In that case, how much overlap do you have between the frames? In my view, you need at least 30% overlap for good stitching.

Of course, there's also a question of what stitching software to use. Personally, I've had good results with these two:

http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/redmond/groups/ivm/ice/

http://www.kolor.com/image-stitching-software-autopano-giga.html

Thank you for the advice.

I'm over lapping at 50%, when using the TS lens.

Lilien · Apr 11, 2013

Bright Angel wrote:

Bright Angel said:
I'm over lapping at 50%, when using the TS lens.

When you use a TS lens for panoramic photography you have to try (e.g. with a macro rail) to move/shift the camera and not the lens (keep the lens stationary).

Regards!

Juergen

DWare · Apr 11, 2013

I tend to do a lot of stack alignments in photoshop. The auto-align usually works fine for me but everynow and then it goes wacky. When this occurs, I set blend mode of the layers to difference and move the top layer with the cursor until the layers go black, which only happens when alignment is perfect. I'm not sure if this will work for your situation with the tilt lens but I suspect it will and cost and effort in learning a new program is nill as you already have the program. Good luck!

Doug

drh681 · Apr 11, 2013

Just out of curiosity, are you turning off the image stabilizer?

or have you tried a corded shutter release? It's possible that just pushing the shutter button shifts the frame that fraction of an inch...

Jon Lewis · Oct 12, 2013

Hi
Don't forget you are no ring the lens not the film (sensor)
You need the bracket that holds the lens and lets the camera move
Jon

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