I'm a big fan of aerial panoramic imagery for creating huge, high resolution prints. Yet I'm struggling to understand the purpose of 180 deg horizontal panorama option, as offered by DJI. With Mavic 2 Pro wide angle lens (equivalent of 28mm full frame lens) and choosen equirectangular projection, the resulting render is delivering absurdly deformed, unrealistic image. Perhaps funny looking to some, but completely useless to many others. The same sequence of saved images, stitched and projected in rectilinear mode by an dedicated software (i.e. PTGui) delivers more realistic render with straight lines. Still, the most left and right side of the stitch remains deformed beyond recognition and need to be cropped out in post.

Interestingly, the sequence of 180 deg horizontal panorama contains 21 images (3 rows x 7 columns) to cover such width, whilst only mid portion may deliver palatable stitch of an aerial landscape. The 3x3 panorama option is nothing more than just a center portion of 180 deg pano. Therefore the exixtence of 180 deg horizontal panorama option can be explained as a rather silly attempt to entertain some of us ...

Interesting comparisons. Whilst shot one delivers more information, its curved appearance looks un-natural. Shot 4 is the more pleasing, but with, obviously less width. Thanks for the share.

Thanks for sharing

Well done! Congratulations!

Thanks for sharing

Actually I only do manual panoramas.
Exactly for that reason.
Plus I like to make AEB-5 stacks instead of single exposures.

Nice shot btw

Montfrooij Posted at 10-3 08:35
Actually I only do manual panoramas.
Exactly for that reason.
Plus I like to make AEB-5 stacks instead of single exposures.

Since the introduction of automatic panorama sequence by DJI Go 4 app some 2 years ago and the availability of RAW format for selected Phantom/Mavic models, advantages of manual shooting and AEB stacks are nothing but ancient myth. 3x3 panorama option is the fastest, most reliable way of recording properly spaced panorama in RAW format for further stitching and post editing of TIFF images, saving precious battery power ...

Matthew Dobrski Posted at 10-3 11:29
Since the introduction of automatic panorama sequence by DJI Go 4 app some 2 years ago and the availability of RAW format for selected Phantom/Mavic models, advantages of manual shooting and AEB stacks are nothing but ancient myth. 3x3 panorama option is the fastest, most reliable way of recording properly spaced panorama in RAW format for further stitching and post editing of TIFF images, saving precious battery power ...

I tried to squeeze as much out of a raw image as I can with a AEB-5 stack but it still lacks dynamic range on the MP.
Too bad it takes a lot of time to process these stacks, but for me it is the only way to get over the high contrast you often have in drone photography.
Not sure how the M2P will perform with the larger sensor. But for MP it is the best way.

Montfrooij Posted at 10-3 12:22
I tried to squeeze as much out of a raw image as I can with a AEB-5 stack but it still lacks dynamic range on the MP.
Too bad it takes a lot of time to process these stacks, but for me it is the only way to get over the high contrast you often have in drone photography.
Not sure how the M2P will perform with the larger sensor. But for MP it is the best way.

Here's my workflow for dealing with dynamics of RAW panoramic sequences, having access to Adobe (Photoshop, Lightroom, Camera Raw) software:

1. Batch rendering of the RAW (DNG) sequence files into 8-bit uncompressed TIFF format with default Camera Raw settings.
2. Stitching into 8-bit uncompressed TIFF.
3. Cropping in photo editor.
4. Final grading and editing with Camera Raw Filter, employing multiple instances of Graduated and Radial Filter tool for under or overexposed parts of panorama. Any aspect of the image is editable/fixable in a wildly wide range similar to RAW, practically eliminating the AEB concept.

IMO, naturally ...

Matthew Dobrski Posted at 10-3 12:53
Here's my workflow for dealing with dynamics of RAW panoramic sequences, having access to Adobe (Photoshop, Lightroom, Camera Raw) software:

1. Batch rendering of the RAW (DNG) sequence files into 8-bit uncompressed TIFF format with default Camera Raw settings.

Which drone are you using?

Montfrooij Posted at 10-4 01:18
Which drone are you using?

I have several drones with camera, it doesn't matter which I'm using to shot RAW panoramic sequence since my workflow is identical. However, only a specific models of DJI drones with fixed lenses are shooting automated pano under native app control. For Inspire I'm using custom settings in Litchi app.

Hello there Matthew Dobrski. Thank you for reaching out and for posting this wonderful photos you have captured and created. Great work and thank you for your support.

Matthew Dobrski Posted at 10-4 12:30
I have several drones with camera, it doesn't matter which I'm using to shot RAW panoramic sequence since my workflow is identical. However, only a specific models of DJI drones with fixed lenses are shooting automated pano under native app control. For Inspire I'm using custom settings in Litchi app.

I'm asking because the RAW output of MP lets me recover less dynamic range than I get with AEB-5
So maybe I have to change the workflow!

Curious,  Ive pretty much stopped using the 3x3 pano due to the distorted output.

Montfrooij Posted at 10-4 22:13
I'm asking because the RAW output of MP lets me recover less dynamic range than I get with AEB-5
So maybe I have to change the workflow!

Well, if you're after this surreal HDR stuff then AEB approach is the way to go indeed. RAW format is offering more than needed to pull enough details from the darkest shadows of a single image, but that's my opinion ...

DAFlys Posted at 10-5 00:18
Curious,  Ive pretty much stopped using the 3x3 pano due to the distorted output.

What method are you employing to get 3x3 panorama?

Matthew Dobrski Posted at 10-5 00:41
Well, if you're after this surreal HDR stuff then AEB approach is the way to go indeed. RAW format is offering more than needed to pull enough details from the darkest shadows of a single image, but that's my opinion ...

The only thing I 'need' for stills is to overcome the high dynamic range of a frame with both the sun and the ground in it.
I usually don't do these surreal HDR images. (maybe occasionally for fun)
But I like to be able to have both the sun and the ground showing details.
I could not get that when I tried with RAW output.
But maybe I did not take the right road.
I will investigate when I'm in the air again because it is way more efficient to just shoot 1x per frame !

Matthew Dobrski Posted at 10-5 00:48
What method are you employing to get 3x3 panorama?

Leting the drone take it for me.  I get distortion like this -

DAFlys Posted at 10-5 01:14
Leting the drone take it for me.  I get distortion like this -

[view_image]

That's why. Wrong!

Matthew Dobrski Posted at 10-5 01:17
That's why. Wrong!

thats why I gave up with it.