Cool free panorama app

<p>Sunday I shot 22 vertical images with my K-5 and da40 from the summit of a nearby mountain to make a panorama. The static panorama stitched up nicely and I'm fairly happy with it despite some hazy conditions due to wildfires elsewhere. But I wanted a better way to view it and did some searching. Microsoft has a neat solution that I still may try but it relies on Silverlight which I know doesn't always play nice on all platforms.<br /> What I found was a site that would take a reduced version of my 183 MP file and make it an interactive 360 panorama. I'm pretty impressed with it. My only real complaint is that I had to reduce the size of the file considerably so the level of zoom isn't what it could be. I may try the MS solution to address that but in the mean time check this out. After following the image link below drag to pan and use your scroll wheel to zoom; be sure to click the arrow in the upper right to go full screen. I thought it was pretty neat especially considering it's free. I tried to embed it but that doesn't seem to work here so click the image to go to the interactive version.<br /> <a href="http://www.dermandar.com/p/eNSTUr/mt-owen-summit"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8460/8023231424_2548887a25_z.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="58" /></a><br /> Does anyone have a better way to do this that would allow higher resolution and still be compatible with different computer platforms? I'm not looking for a paid service, at least not yet. If this had income potential I'd consider it but for now it's more of a novelty.</p>

<p>Matt,<br>

Looks cool, but I don't see any links to the online app or the MS app.<br>

All I've used is the free Photosynth app for my iPhone for panos, also from Microsoft. It's wonderful.</p>

<p>ME</p>

<p><a href="http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/redmond/groups/ivm/ice/">MS I.C.E.</a> is what I used to stitch the original images.<br /> <a href="http://www.dermandar.com/">Dermandar </a>is the online app.</p>

<p>It seems like a very useful app and I might well give it a try.</p>

<p>You may have a look at gigapan: <a href="http://gigapan.com/cms/shop/software">http://gigapan.com/cms/shop/software</a> but I fear it is paid software.<br>

Hugin is freeware stitching software, you may check their website for 360 degree viewers.</p>

Speaking of Photosynth, it's a neat app, but on my iPad I don't seem to be able to get sharp pictures.. And I know it's not

the camera in the iPad, because any stills I have taken of the same scene are crystal clear.

<p>Try HUGIN, I really like it</p>

<p>AutoStitch can stitch 360 degree panoramas, but it delivers a big JPEG as the result. Nothing fancy like what the MS software does. AutoStitch is limited by your system, if you have a lot of RAM you can stitch really big images.</p>

<p>Pretty cool, and a nice image. Too bad the image can't be larger (like full screen).</p>

<p>You can make it full screen if you click in the arrow in the upper right corner.</p>

<p>That is very cool, Matt. As my father says, "You people live in an amazing century."</p>

<p>That's a cool shot, I rarely bother to take 360 panoramas, simply because displaying them is damn near impossible, and I'm more interested in panoramas I can print and sell than digital output. But I do always enjoy seeing them.</p>

<p>I've always used Panorama Factory. My version is old, but with my Nodal Ninja panoramic head, I very rarely have issues with putting a panorama together cleanly. The big advantages of Panorama Factory is the blending of exposures. Though I tend to adjust my exposure throughout the image as I shoot, this really gives me even more blending control.</p>

<p>As my wife will vouch, I like to do things my way, a lot of the new software is great because it's automated, but I've never been happy with automation for the things I care about. If I bother to lug a DSLR, a tripod, and a panoramic head up a mountain, you can bet I care about the end product.</p>

<p>That said, when the images are just for "I was here enjoying life while you were watching TV" bragging rights, I have no issue with automation. A lot of my panoramas the last year have been of that nature. I'll have to check out the MS products.</p>

<p> </p>