Subject: RAW decoding fails intermittently in batch mode — appears to be GPU VRAM related
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David Zuma
Jun 18, 2026, 3:03:01 PM (4 days ago) Jun 18
to PTGui Support
Hello,
I'm running PTGui Pro 13.9 on Ubuntu 22.04 (headless server, batch processing launched via command line with -batch using a virtual display Xvfb on :99). GPU is an NVIDIA RTX 5060 (8 GB VRAM), with 128 GB system RAM.
Workflow: I process batches of ~25 panoramas at once, each made of 30 HDR source images (Olympus E-M1 Mark II ORF files, 10 positions × 3 exposures).
Problem: When processing a large batch, after a certain number of panoramas (variable, around the 4th–10th), one panorama fails with this error:
"The RAW files of this camera (E-M1MarkII) are currently not supported by the RAW converter in PTGui. To use these images, convert them to 16-bit TIFF files..."
The key points that make this confusing:
- The ORF files are perfectly valid — ExifTool reads them without any warning, and the same file opens and stitches without any problem when I load it manually in the PTGui GUI.
- It fails on a different image each time — it's not a specific corrupt file.
- It only happens in batch mode with many projects, never when processing a single panorama manually.
- When monitoring with nvidia-smi, I can see PTGui reaching peaks of almost 6 GB of VRAM near the end of each panorama. On an 8 GB card, if anything else is using VRAM, the peak has no room and the RAW decode seems to fail.
I found a related thread ("Crashing in batch mode") where you recommended disabling GPU acceleration. I tried limiting MaxVideoRamUsage (tested 5389 and 4000 MB) but failures still occur on random images — lowering the limit just changes which panorama fails.
Questions:
- Is this a known limitation of the GPU RAW decoder when VRAM is tight during batch processing?
- When the RAW decoder fails to allocate GPU memory, is it expected that it reports the error as "camera not supported" rather than an out-of-memory error? The misleading message made this very hard to diagnose.
- Is fully disabling OpenCL (EnableOpenCL=0) the recommended approach for unattended batch processing on an 8 GB card, or would more VRAM (16–24 GB) reliably solve it?
Thank you for any guidance.
PTGui Support
Jun 19, 2026, 11:36:33 AM (4 days ago) Jun 19
to pt...@googlegroups.com
Hi David,
This error is indeed from the raw converter in PTGui, but the raw
conveersion doesn't use the GPU at all.
It's weird indeed if the problem occurs randomly. Could you make one
project available for download for which the error is triggered? Let me
try and see if I can reproduce the error.
Kind regards,
Joost Nieuwenhuijse
www.ptgui.com
On 6/18/26 21:03, David Zuma wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I'm running PTGui Pro 13.9 on Ubuntu 22.04 (headless server, batch
> processing launched via command line with -batch using a virtual display
> Xvfb on :99). GPU is an NVIDIA RTX 5060 (8 GB VRAM), with 128 GB system RAM.
>
> *Workflow:* I process batches of ~25 panoramas at once, each made of 30
> any warning, and the *same file opens and stitches without any
> problem when I load it manually* in the PTGui GUI.
> * It fails on a *different image each time* — it's not a specific
> corrupt file.
> * It only happens in *batch mode with many projects*, never when
>
> 1. Is this a known limitation of the GPU RAW decoder when VRAM is tight
> during batch processing?
> 2. When the RAW decoder fails to allocate GPU memory, is it expected
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "PTGui Support" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
> an email to ptgui+un...@googlegroups.com
> <mailto:ptgui+un...@googlegroups.com>.
> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/
> ptgui/0be4a111-14d5-4fbd-abe5-dca6fc42783fn%40googlegroups.com <https://
> groups.google.com/d/msgid/ptgui/0be4a111-14d5-4fbd-abe5-
> dca6fc42783fn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
This error is indeed from the raw converter in PTGui, but the raw
conveersion doesn't use the GPU at all.
It's weird indeed if the problem occurs randomly. Could you make one
project available for download for which the error is triggered? Let me
try and see if I can reproduce the error.
Kind regards,
Joost Nieuwenhuijse
www.ptgui.com
On 6/18/26 21:03, David Zuma wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I'm running PTGui Pro 13.9 on Ubuntu 22.04 (headless server, batch
> processing launched via command line with -batch using a virtual display
> Xvfb on :99). GPU is an NVIDIA RTX 5060 (8 GB VRAM), with 128 GB system RAM.
>
> HDR source images (Olympus E-M1 Mark II ORF files, 10 positions × 3
> exposures).
>
> *Problem:* When processing a large batch, after a certain number of
> exposures).
>
> panoramas (variable, around the 4th–10th), one panorama fails with this
> error:
>
> "The RAW files of this camera (E-M1MarkII) are currently not
> supported by the RAW converter in PTGui. To use these images,
> convert them to 16-bit TIFF files..."
>
> The key points that make this confusing:
>
> * The ORF files are *perfectly valid* — ExifTool reads them without
> error:
>
> "The RAW files of this camera (E-M1MarkII) are currently not
> supported by the RAW converter in PTGui. To use these images,
> convert them to 16-bit TIFF files..."
>
> The key points that make this confusing:
>
> any warning, and the *same file opens and stitches without any
> problem when I load it manually* in the PTGui GUI.
> * It fails on a *different image each time* — it's not a specific
> corrupt file.
> * It only happens in *batch mode with many projects*, never when
> processing a single panorama manually.
> * When monitoring with nvidia-smi, I can see PTGui reaching peaks of
> almost 6 GB of VRAM near the end of each panorama. On an 8 GB card,
> if anything else is using VRAM, the peak has no room and the RAW
> decode seems to fail.
>
> I found a related thread ("Crashing in batch mode") where you
> recommended disabling GPU acceleration. I tried limiting
> MaxVideoRamUsage (tested 5389 and 4000 MB) but failures still occur on
> random images — lowering the limit just changes which panorama fails.
>
> *Questions:*
> if anything else is using VRAM, the peak has no room and the RAW
> decode seems to fail.
>
> I found a related thread ("Crashing in batch mode") where you
> recommended disabling GPU acceleration. I tried limiting
> MaxVideoRamUsage (tested 5389 and 4000 MB) but failures still occur on
> random images — lowering the limit just changes which panorama fails.
>
>
> 1. Is this a known limitation of the GPU RAW decoder when VRAM is tight
> during batch processing?
> 2. When the RAW decoder fails to allocate GPU memory, is it expected
> that it reports the error as "camera not supported" rather than an
> out-of-memory error? The misleading message made this very hard to
> diagnose.
> 3. Is fully disabling OpenCL (EnableOpenCL=0) the recommended approach
> out-of-memory error? The misleading message made this very hard to
> diagnose.
> for unattended batch processing on an 8 GB card, or would more VRAM
> (16–24 GB) reliably solve it?
>
> Thank you for any guidance.
>
> --
> (16–24 GB) reliably solve it?
>
> Thank you for any guidance.
>
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "PTGui Support" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
> an email to ptgui+un...@googlegroups.com
> <mailto:ptgui+un...@googlegroups.com>.
> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/
> ptgui/0be4a111-14d5-4fbd-abe5-dca6fc42783fn%40googlegroups.com <https://
> groups.google.com/d/msgid/ptgui/0be4a111-14d5-4fbd-abe5-
> dca6fc42783fn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
David Zuma
Jun 22, 2026, 3:18:23 AM (22 hours ago) Jun 22
to PTGui Support
Subject: Re: RAW decoding fails intermittently in batch mode
Hi Joost,
Thank you for the quick reply.
That's very interesting — I assumed it was GPU-related because I found a clear correlation: with OpenCL disabled (EnableOpenCL=0), the error never occurs. With GPU acceleration enabled, the error appears intermittently in batch mode (on a different image each time, after processing a few panoramas). The exact same project, with the same RAW files, processes without any error once OpenCL is off.
I know you say the RAW converter doesn't use the GPU, so I can't explain why disabling it fixes the problem — but the correlation is very consistent in my setup. Perhaps it's an indirect effect (timing/concurrency), since without the GPU everything runs slower and more sequentially.
Some context on my setup, in case it's relevant:
- Ubuntu 22.04, headless, running via command line with -batch and a virtual display (Xvfb on :99)
- NVIDIA RTX 5060 (8 GB), driver 595.80
- The RAW files (Olympus E-M1 Mark II ORF) are on an external SSD
- Batches of ~25 projects launched at once, each with 30 source images
- The files are valid: ExifTool reads them fine, and the same file that fails in batch stitches perfectly when opened manually in the GUI
I'll prepare one of the projects that triggers the error and send you a download link so you can try to reproduce it. I'll include the ORF files and the .pts.
Kind regards,
David
David Zuma
Jun 22, 2026, 4:05:33 AM (22 hours ago) Jun 22
to PTGui Support
I'd be happy to send you one of the projects that triggers the error so you can try to reproduce it (I'll include the ORF files and the .pts). Since I'd rather not make the project public, could you let me know which email address I can send the download link to privately?
Kind regards,
David
El viernes, 19 de junio de 2026 a las 17:36:33 UTC+2, PTGui Support escribió:
PTGui Support
Jun 22, 2026, 7:51:08 AM (18 hours ago) Jun 22
to pt...@googlegroups.com
Hi David,
Could you share your files with sup...@ptgui.com?
> which email address I can send the download link to privately?*
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/>
> > ptgui/0be4a111-14d5-4fbd-abe5-dca6fc42783fn%40googlegroups.com
> <http://40googlegroups.com> <https://
> > groups.google.com/d/msgid/ptgui/0be4a111-14d5-4fbd-abe5- <http://
> groups.google.com/d/msgid/ptgui/0be4a111-14d5-4fbd-abe5->
> > dca6fc42783fn%40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer <http://40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>>.
> groups.google.com/d/msgid/ptgui/91b5a743-8974-4cec-9638-
> cc6d4c2b536cn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
Could you share your files with sup...@ptgui.com?
On 6/22/26 10:05, David Zuma wrote:
> I'd be happy to send you one of the projects that triggers the error so
> you can try to reproduce it (I'll include the ORF files and the .pts).
> Since I'd rather not make the project public, *could you let me know
> I'd be happy to send you one of the projects that triggers the error so
> you can try to reproduce it (I'll include the ORF files and the .pts).
> which email address I can send the download link to privately?*
>
> Kind regards,
> David
>
>
> El viernes, 19 de junio de 2026 a las 17:36:33 UTC+2, PTGui Support
> escribió:
>
> Hi David,
>
> This error is indeed from the raw converter in PTGui, but the raw
> conveersion doesn't use the GPU at all.
>
> It's weird indeed if the problem occurs randomly. Could you make one
> project available for download for which the error is triggered? Let me
> try and see if I can reproduce the error.
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Joost Nieuwenhuijse
> www.ptgui.com <http://www.ptgui.com>
> Kind regards,
> David
>
>
> El viernes, 19 de junio de 2026 a las 17:36:33 UTC+2, PTGui Support
> escribió:
>
> Hi David,
>
> This error is indeed from the raw converter in PTGui, but the raw
> conveersion doesn't use the GPU at all.
>
> It's weird indeed if the problem occurs randomly. Could you make one
> project available for download for which the error is triggered? Let me
> try and see if I can reproduce the error.
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Joost Nieuwenhuijse
> > ptgui/0be4a111-14d5-4fbd-abe5-dca6fc42783fn%40googlegroups.com
> <http://40googlegroups.com> <https://
> > groups.google.com/d/msgid/ptgui/0be4a111-14d5-4fbd-abe5- <http://
> groups.google.com/d/msgid/ptgui/0be4a111-14d5-4fbd-abe5->
> > dca6fc42783fn%40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer <http://40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>>.
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "PTGui Support" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
> an email to ptgui+un...@googlegroups.com
> <mailto:ptgui+un...@googlegroups.com>.
> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/
> ptgui/91b5a743-8974-4cec-9638-cc6d4c2b536cn%40googlegroups.com <https://
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "PTGui Support" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
> an email to ptgui+un...@googlegroups.com
> <mailto:ptgui+un...@googlegroups.com>.
> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/
> groups.google.com/d/msgid/ptgui/91b5a743-8974-4cec-9638-
> cc6d4c2b536cn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
PTGui Support
Jun 22, 2026, 7:54:52 AM (18 hours ago) Jun 22
to pt...@googlegroups.com
Hi David,
That's really weird. The entire raw decoding runs on the cpu. It could
be heat or power draw but then I would expect to see other issues too.
Is the computer running stable otherwise? Do you get corrupted output
sometimes, or hangs or crashes?
On 6/22/26 09:18, David Zuma wrote:
>
> *Subject: Re: RAW decoding fails intermittently in batch mode*
> never occurs.* With GPU acceleration enabled, the error appears
> * The RAW files (Olympus E-M1 Mark II ORF) are on an external SSD
> * Batches of ~25 projects launched at once, each with 30 source images
> * The files are valid: ExifTool reads them fine, and the same file
> groups.google.com/d/msgid/ptgui/1214a303-1593-49d6-a99c-
> e5635b755c3fn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
That's really weird. The entire raw decoding runs on the cpu. It could
be heat or power draw but then I would expect to see other issues too.
Is the computer running stable otherwise? Do you get corrupted output
sometimes, or hangs or crashes?
On 6/22/26 09:18, David Zuma wrote:
>
> *Subject: Re: RAW decoding fails intermittently in batch mode*
>
> Hi Joost,
>
> Thank you for the quick reply.
>
> That's very interesting — I assumed it was GPU-related because I found a
> clear correlation: *with OpenCL disabled (EnableOpenCL=0), the error
> Hi Joost,
>
> Thank you for the quick reply.
>
> That's very interesting — I assumed it was GPU-related because I found a
> never occurs.* With GPU acceleration enabled, the error appears
> intermittently in batch mode (on a different image each time, after
> processing a few panoramas). The exact same project, with the same RAW
> files, processes without any error once OpenCL is off.
>
> I know you say the RAW converter doesn't use the GPU, so I can't
> explain /why/ disabling it fixes the problem — but the correlation is
> processing a few panoramas). The exact same project, with the same RAW
> files, processes without any error once OpenCL is off.
>
> I know you say the RAW converter doesn't use the GPU, so I can't
> very consistent in my setup. Perhaps it's an indirect effect (timing/
> concurrency), since without the GPU everything runs slower and more
> sequentially.
>
> Some context on my setup, in case it's relevant:
>
> * Ubuntu 22.04, headless, running via command line with -batch and a
> concurrency), since without the GPU everything runs slower and more
> sequentially.
>
> Some context on my setup, in case it's relevant:
>
> virtual display (Xvfb on :99)
> * NVIDIA RTX 5060 (8 GB), driver 595.80
> * The RAW files (Olympus E-M1 Mark II ORF) are on an external SSD
> * Batches of ~25 projects launched at once, each with 30 source images
> * The files are valid: ExifTool reads them fine, and the same file
> that fails in batch stitches perfectly when opened manually in the GUI
>
> I'll prepare one of the projects that triggers the error and send you a
> download link so you can try to reproduce it. I'll include the ORF files
> and the .pts.
>
> Kind regards,
> David
>
> El viernes, 19 de junio de 2026 a las 17:36:33 UTC+2, PTGui Support
> escribió:
>
> Hi David,
>
> This error is indeed from the raw converter in PTGui, but the raw
> conveersion doesn't use the GPU at all.
>
> It's weird indeed if the problem occurs randomly. Could you make one
> project available for download for which the error is triggered? Let me
> try and see if I can reproduce the error.
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Joost Nieuwenhuijse
> www.ptgui.com <http://www.ptgui.com>
>
> I'll prepare one of the projects that triggers the error and send you a
> download link so you can try to reproduce it. I'll include the ORF files
> and the .pts.
>
> Kind regards,
> David
>
> El viernes, 19 de junio de 2026 a las 17:36:33 UTC+2, PTGui Support
> escribió:
>
> Hi David,
>
> This error is indeed from the raw converter in PTGui, but the raw
> conveersion doesn't use the GPU at all.
>
> It's weird indeed if the problem occurs randomly. Could you make one
> project available for download for which the error is triggered? Let me
> try and see if I can reproduce the error.
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Joost Nieuwenhuijse
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/>
> > ptgui/0be4a111-14d5-4fbd-abe5-dca6fc42783fn%40googlegroups.com
> <http://40googlegroups.com> <https://
> > groups.google.com/d/msgid/ptgui/0be4a111-14d5-4fbd-abe5- <http://
> groups.google.com/d/msgid/ptgui/0be4a111-14d5-4fbd-abe5->
> > dca6fc42783fn%40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer <http://40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>>.
>
> > ptgui/0be4a111-14d5-4fbd-abe5-dca6fc42783fn%40googlegroups.com
> <http://40googlegroups.com> <https://
> > groups.google.com/d/msgid/ptgui/0be4a111-14d5-4fbd-abe5- <http://
> groups.google.com/d/msgid/ptgui/0be4a111-14d5-4fbd-abe5->
> > dca6fc42783fn%40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer <http://40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>>.
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
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> ptgui/1214a303-1593-49d6-a99c-e5635b755c3fn%40googlegroups.com <https://
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
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> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/
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> e5635b755c3fn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
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