FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
From Autopano
This page is a list of questions and answers of issues for which we are frequently contacted. Please read this page before contacting us.
Installation / Registration
Which operating systems are supported?
Autopano Pro is multi platform software. It can run on:
- Microsoft Windows XP / 2000 / Vista
- Apple Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger' or Mac OS 10.5 'Leopard'
- Linux kernel 2.4 or more
What is the recommended configuration?
To run Autopano Pro correctly, your computer should have at least:
- Processor: 1 Ghz
- RAM: 1 GB
- Display: 1024 x 768 minimum
You can give it a try to know if the program runs well on your computer.
What are the differences between the demo version and the full one?
Autopano Pro has some functional limitations in demo mode:
- All rendered images have a watermark
- Projects files (.pano) cannot be saved
- Export to Panotools is limited (only the first image pair will be exported with all control points)
These are the only 3 limitations; the rest of the software is fully functional. Moreover, the trial version is not time-limited. You can use the unregistered version for as long as you want to evaluate the program.
How do I get a full copy of Autopano Pro?
- 1. Download Autopano Pro and install it.
- 2. Create an account on our online shop and buy a registration code.
- 3. You receive the code by e-mail. Copy and paste it in Autopano Pro as mentioned here.
You're done!
I didn't receive my registration code, why?
After purchasing Autopano Pro on our online shop, you should receive very shortly the registration code via e-mail. If you don't receive the e-mail, it is likely because it was wrongly detected as a Spam or junk mail by your mail program or your Internet Service Provider. Please check your junk mail filter, your Spam folder and the Spam settings of your Internet Service Provider.
If you have a Spam folder or a junk mail folder, check for a mail from Kolor Shop or 
with the object [ Kolor Shop ] Your Invoice.
Add these e-mail addresses in your contacts to avoid them to be detected as Spam :
If you did not find any message from us in your Spam or junk mail folder, please contact us, but use another e-mail account otherwise you may not receive our reply either.
If, after sending this e-mail, you do not receive a reply from us within a week, it means that our reply was also rejected by your ISP or mail program. In this case, please send us your telephone number so that we can call you and fix your problem.
My registration code does not work, why?
Autopano Pro asks for your user e-mail and your registration code. Be sure to type them exactly as mentioned in your order confirmation e-mail.
To be sure to enter the correct registration code, copy it from the e-mail you received from us, and paste it in Autopano Pro. If you prefer to type it manually, be careful with the letters and numbers like I, 1, L, etc. which can be confusing.
You can verify all your registration details on your user account.
I lost my registration code; how to get it back?
Log into your user account and you will find all your registration details.
I cannot log into my user account, what should I do?
If you lost your password, please use this form to get your password back via e-mail.
If you lost your password and if you also changed your e-mail address, please contact us.
How can I change my e-mail address?
In your user account, you cannot modify your e-mail address by yourself. Please contact us to do so.
How do I uninstall Autopano Pro?
- On Microsoft Windows: go to All the programs, then Autopano Pro and click on Uninstall
- On Apple Mac OS: delete Autopano Pro directly from your Applications folder and delete the com.kolor.Autopano.plist file located in the Library/Preferences folder.
How to get Autopano Pro CD-ROM?
Autopano Pro is sold as a downloadable file. We do not sell a boxed version.
If you wish to burn a CD-ROM of Autopano Pro, we prepared an ISO file which is ready to burn. It contains the latest version of Autopano Pro and videos from the online documentation. The ISO file is to download on the bottom of the download page.
Autopano Pro's Features
What are the differences between Autopano Pro and the free Autopano v1.03?
Autopano v1.03 is a free extension for Panotools. It generates controls points but does not perform any of the other steps required to obtain a panorama (optimization, color correction, projection and blending). The SIFT algorithm used in this extension was written after a quick overview of the original publication.
Autopano Pro uses a professional license of the SIFT algorithm written by Dr Lowe, the algorithm creator himself. This is why the SIFT algorithm used in Autopano Pro is in many way superior to the one used in Autopano v1.03.
Autopano Pro is also a complete solution managing all aspects involved in panorama creation. It’s a standalone piece of software, allowing the easy creation of panoramas, from A to Z.
What are the differences between Autopano Pro and AutoStitch?
Even though Autopano Pro is based on a license including AutoStitch, the two programs are very different. In fact, only one common point remains between them: the SIFT algorithm for control points detection. All other algorithms were recreated or improved.
- higher detection quality,
- better repartition of the control points,
- exclusive color correction system,
- lens distortion correction not present in AutoStitch,
- HDR support,
- Fisheye lenses support,
- numerous input/output formats supported, etc.
Assembling the same group of source images with the two programs will give you an idea of the progresses introduced in Autopano Pro.
What are the differences between Autopano Pro and Panotools?
We kept and will keep compatibility between our products and Panotools. Both solutions are offering interesting functionalities and we think that keeping import/export routines to and from Panotools can benefit to both solutions.
Autopano Pro versus Adobe Photoshop CS3?
If we had to make a comparison chart between Photoshop CS3 panorama ability and Autopano Pro, it would be all about control:
- In CS3, you don't have control of final panorama look (to straighten building for example along a panorama). In Autopano Pro, you have full control over it: How to straighten a panorama
- The Autoblend feature in CS3 has a big issue, it does only correct color difference on the pixels that are visible. So if you paint into a mask created by Autoblend to reveal or hide some parts of the panorama (for moving object for example), it's just useless because the pixel doesn't have the right color. You cannot use this. In Autopano Pro, every part of every picture even if not used, is color corrected to allow you to use it if you need it. Here's how to edit in Photoshop an Autopano Pro panorama : Photoshop Layer Edition
Autoblend feature is not quite as good as our equivalent blender, Smartblend. You can see a quick review here : Autoblend, Smartblend, Enblend
- Color correction. CS3 has one, but it's a hack, not the real solution. We solve the real equation and it really does the difference. So we can provide you a real HDR stitcher. You can see our color correction system here : http://en.wiki.autopano.net/Color_and_Brightness
Does Autopano Pro support fisheye lenses?
Fisheye lenses are now supported by Autopano Pro (since version 1.4). A fisheye lens enables you to make less shots to create a full 180° or 360° panorama. It is a great advantage for the production of virtual tours, for instance. Our solutions can deal with all fisheye types – full-frame, circular fisheye on reflex camera, or digital camera fisheye accessories. Results are obtained in the same way, and just as simply as with a standard lens.
What file formats are supported for input?
List of the supported file formats
The recommended file formats for panorama stitching are those used by digital cameras.
- JPEG – No particular comment on this file format.
- TIFF - 8 or 16bits, the file must not contain an alpha channel.
- PNG - 8 or 16bits, the file must not contain an alpha channel.
- RAW files – This generic raw term, is used to designate "raw sensor data" files of each camera brand (or one model of a brand), it can be NEF for Nikon, CRW or CR2 for Canon, etc.
At the current time Autopano Pro supports the following RAW formats: CRW, CR2, RAF, NEF, SRF, SR2, ORF, MRW, PEF.
- DNG - The Digital Negative format from Adobe allowing to store any raw file in a unified raw format.
- HDR - The radiance format is supported and allows to stitch HDR panoramas from HDR source images.
But that’s not all! The complete list is given here: Complete list of supported file formats All formats containing at least three channels (R,G,B) with a minimum of 8bits are supported. Be aware that formats containing an alpha channel are not supported.
EXIF Data
The "EXIF data" contain numerous information regarding shooting parameters. You can refer to the EXIF data definition provided on the following web-site: EXIF Definition
Autopano Pro analyzes the EXIF data to extract several pieces of information:
- The lens focal length. This parameter speeds up the stitching process. When Autopano Pro cannot retrieve the focal length, it assumes that a "standard" lens (50mm in 35mm format) was used.
Be aware that Autopano Pro calculations are based on a 35mm equivalent. In order to calculate the 35mm equivalent of the focal length stored in the EXIF data, it is necessary to know the size ratio between the sensor used for capture and a 35mm sized sensor. A complete table is given in the cameras.txt file located in the resources folder of the Autopano Pro installation folder.
See the page describing the cameras.txt file - Shutter speed and aperture. These two bits of information are mandatory for the HDR mode (if they are not included in the file, the HDR option is disabled in Autopano Pro).
- Other information are retrieved, like the date and time of capture in order to sort the source images in groups, or the ISO value, even if not used at the present time this information is valuable.
Regarding the cameras.txt file, it is possible that some errors remain in this file. If after loading a source image in a group, the focal displayed is obviously wrong, you can be sure that there is an error in the cameras.txt file. In the same way, if the software does not correctly decode the EXIF data even though they are present in the image file, it is because the model of the camera used for capture isn’t currently included in the cameras.txt file. In such a case do not hesitate to send us the problematic image file so we can rapidly correct the cameras.txt file and include support for your camera in the software.
Technical Advice
How to save a panorama as a .JPG or .TIFF file?
You should distinguish 2 concepts:
- Project saving : Saving a project means saving all parameters that permitted the stitching, and all modifications you made. This is helpful if you want to get back to the project at a later moment. To save the project, click on
in Autopano Pro. The file created has the type .pano. Find out more about saving project files.
- Project rendering : Rendering a project means launching the final stitching and saving the resulting file as an image of one of these types: .JPG, .TIFF, .PNG, .HDR or multilayered .PSD. To render the project, click on this icon in the program:
. Find out more about the render settings.
Which programs support TIFF files from Autopano Pro?
Autopano Pro can render TIFF images with several options: 8 or 16 bits, integrated layers or not.
- 16-bits TIFF files cannot be opened by LightZone, RawTherapee, FastStone Viewer.
- Adobe Photoshop can open all types of TIFF from Autopano, but it opens them as a single layer file, even if it is a multilayer file. Use Gimp to open multilayer TIFF files.
Should I pre-process the RAW files?
This will depend on the panorama:
- If the panorama was entirely shot in manual mode and the shooting parameters did not vary during the whole capture time, it is then best to pre-process the raw files outside of Autopano Pro. The raw processing programs will eventually give better results than our software, as its primary purpose is image stitching and not raw processing. In such a case you should be cautious and make sure that the raw processing parameters do not change from one source image to another, if you do not follow this guideline all benefits from using an external raw processing program will be lost.
- In Camera Raw, all the following must be disabled:
- Exposure: auto
- Shadows: auto
- Brightness: auto
- Contrast: auto
- In Camera Raw, all the following must be disabled:
- If the panorama contains bracketed images, or if the shooting parameters changed during capture, it is the better to let Autopano Pro process the raw files.
- If the panorama is assembled from a lot of sources images (> 100 images), Autopano Pro can take a long time to process the raw files, and it will do it every time the corresponding .pano project file is loaded. In such a case, it can be a good idea to pre-process the raw files and export them in a 16bits file format, making sure the processing parameters are the same for all images, to speed up the loading of the .pano file in case you often come back to it.
Which processing tasks must be performed before Autopano Pro and which ones must be performed after?
Not an easy question :-) Here is an answer given regarding a debate on DxO.
DxO
DxO does things that Autopano Pro doesn’t (yet…) : chromatic aberrations, noise, etc. But there are things it’d better leave alone: Lens distortion correction, D-Lighting.
Uncertainties
Lens distortion: The algorithm used by DxO is based on lab measures of the average image distortion for a given camera/lens couple at a given focal length. By reading the EXIF data, DxO will then correct the image based on the distortion he knows is produced at this particular focal length for this particular camera/lens couple. 2 problems:
- No lens is exactly identical to another. A friend of mine who owns a lens testing equipment often mentions it to me. So, even though we can perform a average distribution of the distortion produced by a given model of lens, it is possible that the one you own is not located in the center of the Gaussian scale (if it is located on the good side, on the very good side, then you should keep it).
- The relation between focal length and distortion can be greater with some zooms. The problem is that the focal length is not accurately recorded in the EXIF data, it’s what we call a discrete value. On my Sigma 17-35mm I get the following values: 17, 19, 21, 23, 28, 35 (6 values and nothing in between). How do we do then?
So why does Autopano Pro obviously do a better job?
When looking at two images the resulting knowledge is greater than the sum of the information of the individual images taken separately.
Let’s illustrate this concept with a metaphor:
- Sentence 1: "The average temperature in Marseille is 22°C over the year". This sentence contains one bit of information.
- Sentence 2: "The average temperature in Paris is 18°C over the year". This sentence also contains one bit of information.
Now let’s combine everything in the same sentence:
- Sentence 3: "The average temperature in Marseille is 22°C over the year, while it is 18°C in Paris". The two bits of information of the original sentences are present, but much more is now available. We can deduct that the climate is warmer in Marseille than in Paris. We can see that the difference is exactly 4°C. Marseille must be located south of Paris, etc. By putting two bits of isolated information together we can deduce information that did not exist at first!
It’s the same for image assembling. I can get a lot more information when I get a match/stitch than before. When analyzing the pixels contained in the overlapping area between two images we can calculate:
- the exact focal length: all is needed is to relate pixels to each other.
- distortion: same as above.
- by measuring the brightness changes between some pixels of both images representing the same thing (same object, same sky, etc.) we can recalculate the sensor response curve, the white balance, and much more.
The resulting accuracy of this approach is far greater than with any other method. For distortion correction, when I can estimate that DxO can generate a 15% or 20% accuracy because of all the uncertainties given above, Autopano Pro can easily fall under 1% as we produce hundreds of constraints for a few unknowns by relating images to each other.
The focal length is a special case. We can obtain a decent accuracy starting with 2 images, but only an excellent accuracy when we “close” the panorama (i.e. the panorama covers 360° and the last image of a row “plugs” onto the first image of the same row).
Another note: since the distortion is calculated for each panorama it is possible to apply more or less correction for each particular case. This is exactly what Autopano Pro is doing. If some more correction is needed on the lens to render a particular panorama Autopano Pro will do it. There is no way to achieve this with DxO.
Last note: This might be an advantage of DxO, and since they do not communicate on what they are really doing in the software, I can’t really tell. The lens model: they are numerous ranging from very simple ones to very complicated ones. Autopano Pro is using a standard model, maybe DxO uses a better model (or the same), I don't know.
Interpolators and Blenders: which options to choose?
Refer to this document to understand the differences: Interpolation and blenders
