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Mark S. Lang
New member
Username: Mark
Post Number: 1
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 9:29 am: |   |
Hello,
I've been taking photos with a Nikon D70 Digital SLR in RAW format, and converting with Adobe to .tiff format before creating my panorama's. My question regards the 28-bit vs. the 45-bit settings. Last night, I ran two panoramic series, both from the same images. The first run I left in the 28-bit format, while the second run I configured to 45-bit. Anyway, the first run (in 28-bit) has a file size of around 21 Meg., and the second run is around 45 Meg. (makes sense) -- however, the main difference I notice in image quality is that the 28-bit image looks better on my monitor (compared to the 45-bit run). And when I say better, the resolution looks about the same, however, the 28-bit run has more vibrant colors. By the way, the reason I want to use the 45-bit configuration is that I'm using a large format HP roll printer to print these panoramas -- so I thought the 45-bit config. would provide better print results. I haven't printed the 45-bit image yet, and compared to the original (28-bit). Maybe the print results will look better? I don't know yet -- but as I said, the 28-bit just looks like it has brighter and more vibrant colors than the same run in 45-bit. Am I missing some point here or perhaps doing something incorrect?
Any suggestions or observations are appreciated.
Mark Lang
Orlando, FL
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John Strait
Moderator
Username: Jstrait
Post Number: 124
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 9:47 am: | |
I am unclear about how you are choosing between 24-bit and 45-bit modes. The Panorama Factory ordinarily chooses the mode automatically based upon the attributes of the imported images.
Are you converting your RAW images to different formats (24-bit and 48-bit) before starting The Panorama Factory or are you choosing the mode by using the option on the Project properties dialog box?
I cannot think of any reason that the colors should be significantly different if you are using the same imported images.
The 45-bit mode does provide for manual color adjustment using the Color tool. Perhaps this can help you adjust the colors in 45-bit mode to your satisfaction.
If you are still having difficulties getting the results you want, please send a customer support request to support@panoramafactory.com so we can have a dialog about the problem. We may need to request additional information to help solve your problem.
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Mark S. Lang
New member
Username: Mark
Post Number: 2
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 10:16 am: | |
In the Project Properties Dialog Box, I select the 45-bit checkbox after I import the images.
I convert my individual RAW images to .tiff format using Photoshop before starting a new project in The Panorama Factory. After I import these .tiff images in the Panorama Factory, I then select the 45-bit checkbox (should this be done before I start a new project?).
Another possibility is that perhaps using less color channels -- I'm not sure if that's a correct way to say it -- then essentially when using 8-bits per color channel, I'm actually seeing more contrast with the 28-bit panoramas compared to the 45-bit mode panoramas? An analogy here is that a color photo in a newspaper might have more vibrant colors than the same photo taken with my camera. I don't know if that's a good analogy -- but what I mean is that a newspaper color photo print would have more color contrast since there're less colors available during printing.
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John Strait
Moderator
Username: Jstrait
Post Number: 127
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 1:57 pm: | |
I think I know what the solution to your problem is.
I think you may have accidentally set the Save with uncorrected colors option. 45-bit mode gives you the option of saving the image with the original uncorrected pixel values or with exposure-corrected pixels. This is so that you can perform exposure correction outside The Panorama Factory if you wish.
This option is not provided for 24-bit images. In other words, 24-bit images are always saved with exposure correction.
It sounds as though you may have accidentally set this option. To check, go to the Save Image As dialog box and click the TIFF settings... to run the TIFF settings dialog box. Make sure that the Save with uncorrected colors option is not selected when you save 48-bit pixels. (This option is provided for TIFF and PNG output formats.)
If this corrects the problem, please post your results to this forum thread.
I hope this helps!
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John Strait
Moderator
Username: Jstrait
Post Number: 128
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 3:12 pm: | |
I re-read your original posting and now I am not sure whether my remarks about Save with uncorrected colors are on-target.
You said that the 45-bit image does not look as vibrant on your monitor. If this is when you viewing it in The Panorama Factory, then the save option is not applicable.
Are you switching to 45-bit mode after stitching? This could also account for the problem. You should choose 24-bit or 45-bit mode after importing but before stitching.
One other note: It may not be helpful to use 45-bit mode unless your original images have more than 24 bits per pixel (8 bits per color channel). 45-bit mode (15 bits per color channel) cannot add information that is not there in the original images. Does the Nikon RAW converter have an option for this? I am familiar only with the Canon RAW converter which has the option of saving either 8 bits per channel or 16 bits per channel.
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Mark S. Lang
New member
Username: Mark
Post Number: 3
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 1:13 am: | |
Here are responses to your last reply, with your questions leading my observations:
"I re-read your original posting and now I am not sure whether my remarks about Save with uncorrected colors are on-target."
I believe the "Save with uncorrected colors" option was not selected when I was doing my testing.
"You said that the 45-bit image does not look as vibrant on your monitor. If this is when you viewing it in The Panorama Factory, then the save option is not applicable."
Actually, I was viewing the two different images using Adope PS.
"Are you switching to 45-bit mode after stitching? This could also account for the problem. You should choose 24-bit or 45-bit mode after importing but before stitching."
I believe I was NOT doing this process correctly. After testing two different trial runs again (after importing & before stitching), I now see a much more improved image (compared to the 24-bit mode).
Actually, now when I view the two different images in Adobe PS, the 24-bit image still looks a little more vibrant -- however, with a little adjusting of the 45-bit image with Adobe, I can achieve much more significant color contrasts, colors, gradients as compared to the 24-bit image. I took a few shots down in the Keys with sand, palm trees and water, and you can see more colors (especially in the reflections of colors in the water) in the 45-bit image. If you want to see what I mean, let me know and I'll upload the two different images, however -- I assume you may need PS to see the difference? I'm not sure there.
"One other note: It may not be helpful to use 45-bit mode unless your original images have more than 24 bits per pixel (8 bits per color channel). 45-bit mode (15 bits per color channel) cannot add information that is not there in the original images. Does the Nikon RAW converter have an option for this? I am familiar only with the Canon RAW converter which has the option of saving either 8 bits per channel or 16 bits per channel."
I'm not sure about this, maybe one of your readers knows? I'll have to do some research. However, based on my results I describe in the last paragraph, I assume the RAW to TIFF converter converts to 16 bits per channel. But isn't this a function of Adobe PS? Or perhaps the Adobe PS Nikon D70 plug-in? I don't use Nikon's software to do any file type conversions, instead, I open the image with Adobe PS, then save the image to a TIFF format. I guess I need to see how many color channels Adobe PS saves my D70 RAW image files just to make sure I'm not seeing things.
Thanks for all your help on this one. |
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