Lightroom/Photoshop Panorama Photo Merge - Curved horizon issue

[joejoejoe]

I am using photoshop to stitch together 40 photos of the grand canyon I'd like to combine into a larger panorama.

The photos are in Lightroom (Canon Raw files from a 5D mk ii). I highlight them and select the merge as panorama in photoshop option.

I choose perspective combine (the first option).

Once the photos are combined (a process that takes about 15 minutes), the horizon is very, very curved, and heavily distorted, as if the photo was taken with a fish eye lens (each individual frame is shot at 70mm).

What is the best way to straighten the horizon and remove the distortion to make the photo appear natural?

Lastly, I want to maintain the RAW info so that I can edit the photo to it's full potential in lightroom, however photoshop only lets me export hte panorama as a tiff or jpeg. What's the best way to retain as much information as possible in this scenario?

Thank you all for your help.

 

[joejoejoe]

Found the answer on another forum. Photoshop has an adaptive Wide Angle filter to help correct these problems:

http://tv.adobe.com/watch/understan...-images-with-the-adaptive-wide-angle-command/

As for the RAW situation, the RAWs must be edited in lightroom before porting to photoshop. Photoshop cannot directly edit Raw files (unless you're in the initial raw editor), so once you open the photo in photoshop it's automatically a tiff.

 

[robgendreau]

Found the answer on another forum. Photoshop has an adaptive Wide Angle filter to help correct these problems:

http://tv.adobe.com/watch/understan...-images-with-the-adaptive-wide-angle-command/

As for the RAW situation, the RAWs must be edited in lightroom before porting to photoshop. Photoshop cannot directly edit Raw files (unless you're in the initial raw editor), so once you open the photo in photoshop it's automatically a tiff.

You might also look at DxO's plugins for correcting perspective and lens distortions; even more capable than PS.

And not to nitpick, but you never edit RAWs...that's why they are RAW. They always get coverted once you begin to edit. But the process of going from RAW data to that editable image itself can be tweaked. Using the example of DxO, it will take the RAW and can apply the lens data to make lens corrections as it processes the RAW itself, which might produce better or preferable results than doing the same thing in ACR or LR. It too then makes a TIFF that you can mess with in PS. I say this because with some lenses doing this in DxO (or your camera software, or whatever RAW processor you prefer) may produce better images for PS to use in making the panorama. YMMV.

 

[joejoejoe]

You might also look at DxO's plugins for correcting perspective and lens distortions; even more capable than PS.

And not to nitpick, but you never edit RAWs...that's why they are RAW. They always get coverted once you begin to edit. But the process of going from RAW data to that editable image itself can be tweaked. Using the example of DxO, it will take the RAW and can apply the lens data to make lens corrections as it processes the RAW itself, which might produce better or preferable results than doing the same thing in ACR or LR. It too then makes a TIFF that you can mess with in PS. I say this because with some lenses doing this in DxO (or your camera software, or whatever RAW processor you prefer) may produce better images for PS to use in making the panorama. YMMV.

Thank you, I'll check them out.

Yes--that makes sense re: RAW files and I noted that in my second post above.

I thought PS already had an option to correct lens vignetting and geometric distortion when making a panorama but your option sounds more powerful. I will certainly check it out.

Now if only my computer didn't become unusable for 10+ minutes at a time when stitching together these babies.

I appreciate the input!