PTGui Pro is universally recognized as the gold standard panoramic image stitching software for professional 360 photographers. When capturing multi-shot DSLR panoramas or bracketed HDR exposures, PTGui Pro analyzes overlapping image features, calculates lens distortion parameters, aligns control points, and blends exposures into seamless 2:1 equirectangular panoramas. In this step-by-step tutorial, we walk through the complete PTGui Pro stitching pipeline.
1. 1. Step-by-Step PTGui Pro Workflow
- Load Images: Drag overlapping RAW or JPEG frames into PTGui Pro.
- Align Images: Click 'Align Images'. PTGui automatically detects feature control points across overlapping image regions.
- Audit Control Points: Open the Control Point Table. Delete bad control points with error values above 3.0 to achieve sub-pixel alignment accuracy.
- Exposure Fusion / HDR: Enable Exposure Fusion to blend multi-bracketed exposures cleanly, recovering window highlights and shadow details.
- Export Panorama: Set output format to Equirectangular (2:1 aspect ratio) JPEG or TIFF, then click Create Panorama.
- Step 1: Load overlapping panoramic photos into PTGui Pro.
- Step 2: Run automatic control point feature alignment.
- Step 3: Audit control points, removing distance errors above 3.0.
- Step 4: Enable Exposure Fusion HDR to balance indoor and window lighting.
- Step 5: Export 2:1 ratio equirectangular JPEGs for PanoPublish cloud upload.
2. 2. Exporting & Publishing via PanoPublish
Once PTGui exports your stitched equirectangular JPEGs, drag them directly into PanoPublish for cloud hosting, white-label CNAME subdomains, and direct Google Maps Street View sync with zero per-export fees.
- Cloud Storage & Tile Streaming: Serving gigapixel panoramas fast via global CDNs.
- Zero Upload Fees: Unlimited Google Maps publishing included in flat INR plans.
Common Questions & Answers
What is the difference between PTGui Standard and PTGui Pro?
PTGui Pro includes advanced features essential for 360 virtual tours, including HDR exposure fusion, mask editors, and viewpoint correction for nadir shots.
How many control points are needed per image pair in PTGui?
PTGui generates 20 to 50 control points automatically per overlapping pair, which is sufficient for sub-pixel stitching accuracy.
