PTGui Version 13: The Powerhouse Panorama Editing Tool Got Even Better

Panorama images gifts distinctive demanding situations, each within the box and all over post-processing. For years, PTGui has been a favourite powerhouse instrument for photographers wanting extra keep an eye on and higher effects than the fundamental sewing gear supply. Now, with the discharge of PTGui 13, this already superb landscape sewing tool will get an important replace, specializing in a streamlined DNG-based workflow, efficiency boosts, and helpful new options. Is it well worth the improve?

Licensing

First issues first: If you bought a non-public license on or after September 1st, 2022, you might be already coated, as PTGui 13 is a loose improve for you. Users with older licenses should buy an improve at a discounted worth. It’s additionally a great time to believe the Pro model, because the function hole between Standard and Pro continues to develop. The Pro license unlocks key purposes like automated optimal seam placement, batch sewing, HDR mixing, tone mapping, standpoint correction, the Fill Holes serve as, and the brand new Patch Tool. In this evaluate, I’ll be having a look on the Pro model, however the one Pro-specific options mentioned are automated seam placement, the Patch Tool, and batch processing.

DNG Processing

One of the few benefits that landscape processing in Lightroom had used to be the DNG workflow. By preserving extra of the uncooked record data, customers had an more straightforward time sewing first after which enhancing a finished landscape, in comparison to the overall landscape workflow of constructing edits to particular person photographs, exporting TIFFs, sewing, then touching up the completed landscape.

Now, alternatively, PTGui helps a a lot more seamless DNG-based workflow. As a snappy recap, DNGs are designed to retailer uncooked symbol knowledge captured through the digital camera sensor, successfully functioning as uncooked photographs. With PTGui 13 supporting stepped forward DNG dealing with and DNG export, you’ll be able to export uncooked recordsdata proper to DNG, import into PTGui, sew the usage of PTGui’s host of complicated projection and alignment gear, then export a last DNG landscape that preserves as a lot of the uncooked knowledge as conceivable. That ultimate DNG landscape can then be simply edited in Photoshop or Lightroom, the usage of the gear you’re used to, with just about the entire latitude of the unique uncooked recordsdata.

To additional strengthen this workflow, PTGui stepped forward the white steadiness adjustment choices, added strengthen for chromatic aberration/pink fringing aid, added strengthen for studying embedded lens corrections from recordsdata like drone cameras or trendy lenses, and continues to strengthen the post-processing choices added in PTGui 12.

All instructed, this implies PTGui necessarily helps a complete uncooked enhancing workflow. It combines to make the relatively difficult landscape enhancing procedure simple to grasp. By getting rid of numerous confusion round colour areas and record varieties, it must additionally yield higher-quality completed panoramas.

Performance Improvements

In the model notes, PTGui mentions that the optimizer has been considerably stepped forward. While I all the time discovered PTGui to paintings briefly and make nice use of higher-end {hardware} (in contrast to some competition), much more pace is best. PTGui says this must be maximum noticeable when optimizing massive (100+ symbol) panoramas.

Another space that has won optimizations is the seam-finding set of rules. The seams decide which parts of the completed symbol are made up of the quite a lot of particular person frames and are generally calculated at 1/8 answer. While that is generally just right sufficient, you’ll be able to squeeze out higher effects round shifting gadgets or sewing mistakes through atmosphere this to 1/4 or 1/2, at the price of slower sewing. Now, alternatively, the a lot quicker set of rules makes those extra robust sewing settings price a ways much less time. If you’re taking pictures panoramas with decrease symbol counts and feature a fairly speedy pc, believe simply defaulting to 1/4 to get even higher effects than from earlier PTGui model defaults.

Exclusive to the Pro model, PTGui 13 introduces a Patch Tool. This instrument is designed to take away undesirable components (like a tripod leg by accident left in shot) or fill small gaps the place supply photographs could be lacking protection, at once throughout the PTGui interface. The completed patch integrates with PTGui’s mixing features to create a unbroken consequence.

When the usage of the instrument, you’ll be able to both patch at once through pasting in every other portion of the picture (Photoshop Patch-style) or export the patch portion of the picture to every other editor like Photoshop, make pixel-level adjustments, then reimport that portion into PTGui to be combined again into the body.

While a doubtlessly helpful addition for some workflows, I discovered the interface a little bit clunky in comparison to devoted retouching gear. If your particular workflow advantages from solving those problems prior to the overall export, it could be precious. Otherwise, I believe many customers will stick with the usage of the superb Content-Aware Fill or near-magic Generative Fill gear in Photoshop at the ultimate stitched landscape. If you’re making plans on the usage of the Patch Tool on your workflow, let me know within the feedback, as I’m curious to look the way it suits in.

Quality of Life Features

PTGui 13 reinforces why this tool maintains its place because the gold same old for devoted landscape sewing. While Adobe’s integrated gear in Lightroom and Photoshop can deal with easy panoramas, novices will to find PTGui extra forgiving of taking pictures mistakes like slight tilting or imperfect nodal level alignment. Its wider vary of projection choices additionally provides a ways higher ingenious keep an eye on over the overall glance in comparison to Adobe’s restricted possible choices.

Now with expanded strengthen for single-shot 360 cameras, PTGui 13 is a great improve possibility for actual property photographers in search of a extra complicated processing instrument for 360 belongings pictures. PTGui brings superb strengthen for producing HDRs, which will lend a hand deal with the dynamic vary boundaries of maximum 360 cameras, whilst the brand new batch processing choices may streamline processing the handfuls of 360 panos a normal belongings may yield.

For skilled landscape shooters, model 13 provides compelling causes to improve. The streamlined DNG workflow is a real game-changer, simplifying the trail to fine quality effects with most enhancing flexibility. The efficiency good points, in particular for advanced initiatives and when the usage of higher-quality seam locating, also are very welcome. Finally, in an generation an increasing number of ruled through subscriptions, it is refreshing to look PTGui care for its perpetual license style with a transparent and truthful improve trail.

If you might be enthusiastic about landscape images, PTGui 13 stays the highest advice. It’s available to buy now at once from the PTGui web site. PTGui additionally provides an absolutely useful trial so you’ll be able to take a look at the entire options for your self. 

What I Liked

• DNG-friendly workflow makes PTGui combine seamlessly into my most popular workflow

• Already nice processing speeds are actually even higher

• Upgrade pricing feels truthful for the longevity of the tool and licensing style

What Could be Improved

• Even tighter integration into Lightroom can be great