Patch tool and Exposure Fusion
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Erik Krause
Mar 29, 2026, 1:09:36 PMMar 29
to PTGui Support
Hello Joost,
I like the Patch Tool very much. However, I currently stitch a panorama
with a missing part in the clear blue sky directly above the sun. Easy
job for the Patch Tool, I thought.
It's from non-bracketed (but pretty high DR) raw images. If I apply
Exposure Fusion and then use the Patch Tool, the patch is somehow washed
out, has less contrast and doesn't fit well in the rest of the panorama
causing uneven brightness in the sky. Namely overexposed areas, like the
sun, are not white but grey.
If I switch off Exposure Fusion (or use Tone mapping instead), then do
the patch and switch it on again afterwards, anything looks fine, the
sun is white, the seams are invisible and the sky smooth.
This is PTGui 13.7, DNGs converted with Adobe DNG Converter from Sony
A7R4 ARWs. Patch file format is OpenEXR.
By the way: The EV slider in the Patch Tool is way too narrow to allow
for a fine adjustment, especially since the brightness of the patch
display is not the same as in Detail Viewer or Pano Editor. It would be
nice if the EV slider resized along with the window width.
--
Erik Krause
http://www.erik-krause.de
I like the Patch Tool very much. However, I currently stitch a panorama
with a missing part in the clear blue sky directly above the sun. Easy
job for the Patch Tool, I thought.
It's from non-bracketed (but pretty high DR) raw images. If I apply
Exposure Fusion and then use the Patch Tool, the patch is somehow washed
out, has less contrast and doesn't fit well in the rest of the panorama
causing uneven brightness in the sky. Namely overexposed areas, like the
sun, are not white but grey.
If I switch off Exposure Fusion (or use Tone mapping instead), then do
the patch and switch it on again afterwards, anything looks fine, the
sun is white, the seams are invisible and the sky smooth.
This is PTGui 13.7, DNGs converted with Adobe DNG Converter from Sony
A7R4 ARWs. Patch file format is OpenEXR.
By the way: The EV slider in the Patch Tool is way too narrow to allow
for a fine adjustment, especially since the brightness of the patch
display is not the same as in Detail Viewer or Pano Editor. It would be
nice if the EV slider resized along with the window width.
--
Erik Krause
http://www.erik-krause.de
PTGui Support
Mar 30, 2026, 3:16:29 AMMar 30
to pt...@googlegroups.com
Hi Erik,
Could you share the project with me so I can take a look?
You can slow down the EV (or any) slider by holding down the shift key
while dragging. I'll make it a bit wider.
Kind regards,
Joost Nieuwenhuijse
www.ptgui.com
Could you share the project with me so I can take a look?
You can slow down the EV (or any) slider by holding down the shift key
while dragging. I'll make it a bit wider.
Kind regards,
Joost Nieuwenhuijse
www.ptgui.com
Erik Krause
Mar 30, 2026, 4:05:44 PMMar 30
to pt...@googlegroups.com
Am 30.03.2026 um 09:16 schrieb 'PTGui Support' via PTGui Support:
> Could you share the project with me so I can take a look?
Find it at https://we.tl/t-hwwoXZuP6HsROE34 (valid 3 days)
> Could you share the project with me so I can take a look?
I stripped it down to one image and one patch, but the settings are from
my original project. To reproduce you can place the Detail Viewer
anywhere in the image, but it's most notable on the sun. Create a patch
in PTGui Patch Editor (no need to actually patch anything) and close it.
PTGui Support
Apr 2, 2026, 1:59:10 AMApr 2
to pt...@googlegroups.com
PTGui Support
May 11, 2026, 2:50:54 PM (2 days ago) May 11
to pt...@googlegroups.com
Hi Erik,
I've investigated but I don't think this can be fixed. This is a
limitation of the patch tool, it just will not always work well in
combination with exposure fusion. You need to use true hdr here.
The problem with patching in combination with exposure fusion is that
PTGui would actually need to create multiple patch images, one per
exposure level. This would make patching complicated. So instead it
creates a pre-fused patch image but this is a compromise and it will not
always blend in perfectly.
I've investigated but I don't think this can be fixed. This is a
limitation of the patch tool, it just will not always work well in
combination with exposure fusion. You need to use true hdr here.
The problem with patching in combination with exposure fusion is that
PTGui would actually need to create multiple patch images, one per
exposure level. This would make patching complicated. So instead it
creates a pre-fused patch image but this is a compromise and it will not
always blend in perfectly.
Erik Krause
May 12, 2026, 2:31:12 PM (18 hours ago) May 12
to pt...@googlegroups.com
Am 11.05.2026 um 20:50 schrieb 'PTGui Support' via PTGui Support:
> The problem with patching in combination with exposure fusion is that
> PTGui would actually need to create multiple patch images, one per
> exposure level. This would make patching complicated. So instead it
> creates a pre-fused patch image but this is a compromise and it will not
> always blend in perfectly.
Is it not possible to handle the patch image the same as the source
> The problem with patching in combination with exposure fusion is that
> PTGui would actually need to create multiple patch images, one per
> exposure level. This would make patching complicated. So instead it
> creates a pre-fused patch image but this is a compromise and it will not
> always blend in perfectly.
images in case of non-bracketed shots? That is, use an HDR format for
the patch images, but extract multiple exposures after patching to match
the exposures of the source images?
PTGui Support
May 12, 2026, 2:45:54 PM (18 hours ago) May 12
to pt...@googlegroups.com
Yes I guess that would solve the issue for this case. But it's easy to
work around and I bet that some other PTGui user is be depending on the
current behavior, so I'm reluctant to change this..
work around and I bet that some other PTGui user is be depending on the
current behavior, so I'm reluctant to change this..
Erik Krause
May 12, 2026, 2:54:08 PM (18 hours ago) May 12
to pt...@googlegroups.com
Am 12.05.2026 um 20:45 schrieb 'PTGui Support' via PTGui Support:
> I bet that some other PTGui user is be depending on the
> current behavior
Really? I can't imagine anyone wanting a poor result. And I don't think
> I bet that some other PTGui user is be depending on the
> current behavior
it's like the improved tone mapping behavior, which was more a matter of
personal preference. Or is there a scenario in which the outcome could
actually turn out better?
PTGui Support
2:24 AM (7 hours ago) 2:24 AM
to pt...@googlegroups.com
Yes, it would be a change in behavior and I suspect there will be a case
where a user relies on the current behavior. I'll revisit this for the
next major update.
where a user relies on the current behavior. I'll revisit this for the
next major update.
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