This was done with the demo version of Autostitch, and I think I should have waited for the next one. Here's why: - ..................................................
It does a nice job of fitting the four images together without obvious mistakes, but it also does some really strange things to the resolution or aspect ratio or whatever we should call this almost 28-percent widening of the nearest portions on the finished composite. It also added a curve or bend in straight lines. What is that? Is this some kind of 'astronomical projection' being applied to the pixels to assign them all individual 'orbits' around some pre-determined central point of the composition? If it is, I have news - it may be working fine, but it looks all cockeyed..... you're bending my space all out of shape. Even cropping it can't fix bent lines. But it really does work nicely on its own to fit together multiple images. Now, if only it could keep the lines looking the same way that eyes see them. Without a 28 or 29% distortion in the foreground, and a heightening of the trees in the background.
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When I work on this type of thing in Microsoft's ICE (Image Composit Editor) there are settings to correct for this. You see, when you "look" at something it tends to bow and twist based on the angle of view. Like if you look at a stockade fence, the ends will tend to bend down. Why this happens is a mystery to me, but my eye does catch it.
ReplyDeleteSo it may be that your software is trying to correct for this. In ICE, you can control this effect somewhat.
Hope that help a little. Of course, I could be all wet as well. :-)
@ Tommy -
ReplyDeleteI must say 'Thank You' for putting me onto Microsoft's ICE, which I'd never heard of before. Just checked the website for it, and it's something I'm going to spend some time on, for sure. I've downloaded the program and the HD View and now hopefully I can learn how it all does its thing, and how to use it.
I have a suspicion that this UBC project a few years ago with their
'Autostitch' may have been at the roots of it, because I know they were very anxious to get it out there, and who better than Microsoft to help with that? At a quick glance, it seems that Microsoft's Research has polished it up and smoothed out the rough edges, and got it going as it was
originally hoped that it would work. If so, good on them! Our University of British Columbia people must be quite proud of where this has gone and how it has matured in just a few years.
That video about the Golden Gate Bridge and its 200 images was really impressive! Thanks again, Tommy.....and do enjoy your day!
OOPS, here comes a senior moment. What "video about the Golden Gate Bridge"?
ReplyDeleteBy the way, another piece of software from Microsoft that I've had fun with is Microsoft Research AutoCollage. It puts collages together very nicely.
@ Tommy -
ReplyDeleteThe video talking about the Golden Gate Bridge was on the Microsoft site that I found searching Google for "Microsoft 'ICE' ", and it was not easy to watch, because it kept stopping to re-buffer every few seconds. I hope the program works better than their demo-video, which didn't run worth a shit!
Speaking of Collages, I'm assuming that you've also tried Google's Picasa feature for making them.
With it, you can keep re-arranging until you stumble onto a layout that grabs you, and then keep that.
I guess they haven't heard of drag and drop....I haven't tried it lately, but that's how it was in the earlier versions. Google's people do some nice work - too bad they hardly ever finish it off properly. Like the text formatting in this latest blogger template.
It takes two hands to corral the goddamned cursor when it's supposed to be going down to the next line's beginning, but jumps all over the place for no reason.
Who screwed the code on that one?
Is spending time re-formatting all our text the way we pay for this?
Sometimes, I really wonder, while I'm cussing a lot.