creating panoramic images

Good Afternoon, When stitching together panoramic images (using Photoshop Elements 2.0) occasionally there are vertical or diagonal lines in the final image. (see attached image) I'm assuming that these are caused by two things: the camera not remaining perfectly level from one frame to the next and inconsistencies in the lens at its outer edges. Would you say these are accurate statements? What can I do to eliminate these lines (after the fact for this shot) or prevent them in the future? I'm using a ballhead, which I know is not the optimum tool for this task. Thanks.

Eric Virkler
Faces of Nature Photography
www.ericjvirkler.com

Hi Eric,

I am not an expert but have persevered with panoramas through a number of renditions of different software and so would suggest that some of the more recent releases of software may be more forgiving than PE2. In PS4 the panorama software is quite excellent and way ahead of PS3, so maybe the more recent releases of PE could also be of help.

You don't mention the camera or lens you have used or any of the technicals, so it is difficult to form an opinion on that basis.

If your software allows, you can perhaps keep the montage at different layers and manually adjust the different edges to give a more pleasing join.

Good luck,

Gerald

The cameras I've used for this range from the Canon 50D and 40D to the Digital Rebel. I'm usually using Canon's 18-55mm or 28-135mm lenses. Always manual focus, manual exposure, and tripod.

My sister-in-law uses CS3, I'll try the same images on that and see how much better the results are. Thanks.

Eric

Hi Eric - I'm not really familiar with elements, but I sometimes have had this happen in PS4. The lines appear at the points where the images are stitched together. However after flattening the image they just go away. Once it's flattened, you can continue any other editing of the assembled image.

I've found Adobe's panorama routine to be mediocre at best, at least up untill CS3. I've switched to Microsoft ICE which does a much better job and it's free as well. http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/...roups/ivm/ice/

Thanks for the help guys. Mark, I tried flattening the layers but the lines remained.

wijnands - I downloaded the free 64-bit version. When I try to run it there are two options: Repair or Remove Microsoft ICE. Neither makes sense to me. Did you run across this?

Does anyone know what steps I should be taking at the time of capture to eliminate getting these lines when I post-process.

Eric

Try to keep at least 1/3 overlap.

The install error sounds like it's either already installed or there's some leftover bits in a temp folder someplace.

the easiest thing I have found is make sure you level the tripod head, shoot with a 1/3 overlap and then expect to do some cropping, so shoot a bit wider and crop if necessary. Below is a shot done with 6 stitched images, the head leveled and panned with about 1/3 overlap. I do not use an indexed pan panoramic head for stitching since I shoot so many different focal lengths, I just do the 1/3 overlap. It works fine. This photo hangs in my living room, 24"x114". the detail is outstanding. shot with a Canon 5D. My girlfriend is standing next to the rock on the right 1.3 of the photo. I have done many versions of this pre dawn alpin-light bathing the Eastern Sierras. the actual print is a bit lighter in the foreground and a bi tless magenta on the foreground rocks..