PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable: A Comprehensive Review
PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable: A Comprehensive Review
If you are looking for a powerful and versatile software to create stunning panoramas from your photos, you may want to check out PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable. This is a portable version of PTGui, a panoramic stitching software for Windows and Mac OSX that was originally developed as a graphical user interface for Panorama Tools (hence the name).
PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable
In this article, I will give you a comprehensive review of PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable, covering its features, benefits, drawbacks, comparison with other panoramic stitching software, how to use it, and some tips and tricks. I will also answer some frequently asked questions about PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable at the end of the article. By the time you finish reading this article, you will have a clear idea of whether PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable is the right software for you and how to use it to create amazing panoramas.
Features of PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable
PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable is a feature-rich software that can handle any kind of panoramic stitching project, from simple to complex, from single row to multi-row, from spherical to cylindrical, from fisheye to rectilinear. Here are some of the main features of PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable that make it stand out from other panoramic stitching software:
Automatic and manual stitching
PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable can automatically stitch multiple rows of images with different focal lengths, orientations, and exposures. It can detect and align control points, optimize the panorama parameters, and create a seamless blend of the source images. You can also manually add, edit, or delete control points, adjust the lens settings, crop the panorama, and fine-tune the stitching result. PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable gives you full control over the stitching process and allows you to customize the output according to your preferences.
Support for various formats and sizes
PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable can handle various image formats and sizes, including jpeg, tiff, png, psb, exr, hdr, and gigapixel panoramas. It can also stitch images from any camera or lens type, such as DSLR, mirrorless, compact, smartphone, drone, action camera, fisheye lens, wide-angle lens, telephoto lens, etc. PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable can create panoramas in different projections and shapes, such as equirectangular, cylindrical, stereographic, mercator, etc. You can also choose the output size and quality of your panorama according to your needs.
Layered output and editing
PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable can create layered Photoshop files that allow you to edit each layer separately in Photoshop or other image editing software. You can also use the built-in panorama editor in PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable to interactively adjust the perspective of the panorama by dragging the mouse on the screen. You can also rotate, tilt, zoom in or out, crop, or straighten the horizon of the panorama using the panorama editor.
HDR and exposure fusion
PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable can stitch and blend HDR source images or bracketed LDR source images into an HDR panorama with high dynamic range and natural colors. You can also use the exposure fusion feature in PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable to combine different exposures of the same scene into a single image with balanced brightness and contrast. You can adjust the exposure fusion settings such as strength, saturation, contrast, etc., to achieve the desired effect.
QTVR output and viewpoint correction
PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable can create QTVR panoramas or convert existing panoramas into QTVR format that can be viewed interactively on a web browser using QuickTime Player or other QTVR plugins. You can also use the viewpoint correction feature in PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable to correct the viewpoint of the panorama by specifying a reference point on the panorama and its corresponding location on a map or a floor plan. This feature is useful for creating virtual tours or architectural panoramas.
Vignetting, exposure and white balance correction
PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable can automatically or manually correct the vignetting, exposure and white balance of the source images to ensure a consistent and realistic look of the panorama. You can also use the color adjustment feature in PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable to fine-tune the color balance, brightness, contrast, saturation, gamma, etc., of the panorama. You can also apply filters such as sharpening, noise reduction, etc., to enhance the quality of the panorama.
Benefits of PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable
PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable is a software that can help you create stunning panoramas with ease and efficiency. Here are some of the benefits of using PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable for your panoramic stitching projects:
It is portable: You can run PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable from a USB flash drive or any other removable media without installing it on your computer. This means you can use it on any computer without leaving any traces or affecting the system settings. This also makes it convenient to carry around and use it on different devices.
It is fast: PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable can stitch large and complex panoramas in a matter of minutes or even seconds, thanks to its multi-threaded and GPU-accelerated engine. It can also take advantage of the 64-bit architecture and memory of your computer to handle gigapixel panoramas with ease.
It is flexible: PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable can handle any kind of panoramic stitching project, from simple to complex, from single row to multi-row, from spherical to cylindrical, from fisheye to rectilinear. It can also create panoramas in different formats and sizes, such as jpeg, tiff, png, psb, exr, hdr, and gigapixel panoramas. It can also create panoramas in different projections and shapes, such as equirectangular, cylindrical, stereographic, mercator, etc.
It is powerful: PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable has many advanced features that allow you to create professional-quality panoramas with high dynamic range and natural colors. It can also create layered Photoshop files that allow you to edit each layer separately in Photoshop or other image editing software. It can also create QTVR panoramas or convert existing panoramas into QTVR format that can be viewed interactively on a web browser using QuickTime Player or other QTVR plugins.
It is user-friendly: PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable has a simple and intuitive user interface that guides you through the stitching process step by step. It also has a built-in panorama editor that allows you to interactively adjust the perspective of the panorama by dragging the mouse on the screen. You can also rotate, tilt, zoom in or out, crop, or straighten the horizon of the panorama using the panorama editor.
Drawbacks of PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable
PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable is a software that may have some limitations or disadvantages that you should be aware of before using it for your panoramic stitching projects. Here are some of the drawbacks of using PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable:
It is not free: PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable is a commercial software that requires a license to use it fully and legally. The license costs $149 for a single user license or $349 for a site license (up to 10 users). You can also download a trial version of PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable for free, but it will add watermarks to your panoramas and limit some features.
It is not updated: PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable is an older version of PTGui that was released in 2012 and has not been updated since then. The latest version of PTGui is PTGui Pro 12.4 which was released in 2021 and has many new features and improvements over PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable. However, PTGui Pro 12.4 is not portable and requires installation on your computer.
It is not compatible: PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable may not be compatible with some newer cameras or lenses that have been released after 2012. It may also not be compatible with some newer operating systems or hardware that have been released after 2012. You may encounter some errors or bugs when using PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable on these devices or platforms.
It is not supported: PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable does not have any official support or documentation from the developer of PTGui. You may have to rely on online forums or communities for help or guidance when using PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable for your panoramic stitching projects. You may also not receive any updates or bug fixes for PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable from the developer of PTGui.
Comparison with other panoramic stitching software
PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable is not the only panoramic stitching software available in the market. There are other alternatives that you may want to consider before choosing PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable for your panoramic stitching projects. Here are some of the most popular and widely used panoramic stitching software and how they compare with PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable:
PTGui vs Hugin
Hugin is a free and open source panoramic stitching software that is based on the same Panorama Tools as PTGui. It can stitch multiple rows of images with different focal lengths, orientations, and exposures into a seamless panorama. It can also create HDR and exposure fusion panoramas, QTVR panoramas, and correct the vignetting, exposure and white balance of the source images.
However, Hugin is not as fast, flexible, powerful, or user-friendly as PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable. It does not support as many image formats and sizes as PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable, such as psb, exr, hdr, and gigapixel panoramas. It does not have as many advanced features as PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable, such as layered output and editing, viewpoint correction, color adjustment, filters, etc. It also has a more complex and less intuitive user interface than PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable.
Therefore, Hugin may be a good choice for you if you are looking for a free and open source panoramic stitching software that can handle basic to intermediate panoramic stitching projects. However, if you are looking for a more fast, flexible, powerful, or user-friendly panoramic stitching software that can handle complex and professional panoramic stitching projects, you may want to choose PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable instead.
PTGui vs Autopano Giga
Autopano Giga is a commercial panoramic stitching software that is developed by Kolor, a company that was acquired by GoPro in 2015 and discontinued in 2018. It can stitch multiple rows of images with different focal lengths, orientations, and exposures into a seamless panorama. It can also create HDR and exposure fusion panoramas, QTVR panoramas, and correct the vignetting, exposure and white balance of the source images.
However, Autopano Giga is not as fast, flexible, powerful, or user-friendly as PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable. It does not support as many image formats and sizes as PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable, such as psb, exr, hdr, and gigapixel panoramas. It does not have as many advanced features as PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable, such as layered output and editing, viewpoint correction, color adjustment, filters, etc. It also has a more cluttered and less intuitive user interface than PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable.
Therefore, Autopano Giga may be a good choice for you if you are looking for a commercial panoramic stitching software that can handle basic to intermediate panoramic stitching projects. However, if you are looking for a more fast, flexible, powerful, or user-friendly panoramic stitching software that can handle complex and professional panoramic stitching projects, you may want to choose PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable instead.
How to use PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable
Now that you have learned about the features, benefits, drawbacks, and comparison of PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable, you may be wondering how to use it to create your own panoramas. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to download, install and use PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable to create your own panoramas:
Download PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable from this link. You will need a license key to use it fully and legally. You can buy a license key from this link or use the trial version for free with some limitations.
Extract the downloaded zip file to a USB flash drive or any other removable media. You will see a folder named PTGuiProPortable_9.1_English.paf.
Open the folder and double-click on the file named PTGuiProPortable.exe. This will launch PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable on your computer without installing it.
Enter your license key when prompted or click on Continue Trial to use the trial version.
Click on Load Images and select the images that you want to stitch into a panorama. You can also drag and drop the images into the PTGui window.
Click on Align Images and wait for PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable to detect and align control points, optimize the panorama parameters, and create a preview of the panorama.
Click on Create Panorama and choose the output format, size, quality, and location of your panorama. You can also adjust the stitching settings such as projection, crop, blend, etc., before creating the panorama.
Click on OK and wait for PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable to stitch and save your panorama.
Enjoy your panorama and share it with others.
Tips and tricks for using PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable
To improve your panoramic stitching experience with PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable, here are some useful tips and tricks that you can follow:
Use a tripod and a panoramic head when taking photos for your panorama. This will ensure that your photos are aligned and levelled, and reduce the parallax error that may cause stitching problems.
Use manual mode and fixed settings when taking photos for your panorama. This will ensure that your photos have consistent exposure, focus, white balance, etc., and reduce the need for correction in PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable.
Overlap your photos by at least 20% when taking photos for your panorama. This will ensure that there are enough control points for PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable to align and stitch your photos.
Check the control points in PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable and delete or edit any inaccurate or redundant ones. This will improve the accuracy and quality of your panorama.
Use the masking feature in PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable to exclude any unwanted areas or objects from your panorama. This will avoid any ghosting or blending issues in your panorama.
Use the layered output feature in PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable to create layered Photoshop files that allow you to edit each layer separately in Photoshop or other image editing software. This will give you more control and flexibility over your panorama.
Use the HDR or exposure fusion feature in PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable to create panoramas with high dynamic range and natural colors from HDR source images or bracketed LDR source images.
Use the QTVR or viewpoint correction feature in PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable to create interactive panoramas or virtual tours that can be viewed on a web browser using QuickTime Player or other QTVR plugins.
Conclusion
In conclusion, PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable is a powerful and versatile software that can help you create stunning panoramas with ease and efficiency. It has many features, benefits, drawbacks, and comparison with other panoramic stitching software that you should know before using it for your panoramic stitching projects. It also has a simple and intuitive user interface that guides you through the stitching process step by step. It also has a built-in panorama editor that allows you to interactively adjust the perspective of the panorama by dragging the mouse on the screen. You can also rotate, tilt, zoom in or out, crop, or straighten the horizon of the panorama using the panorama editor.
If you are interested in creating your own panoramas with PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable, you can download it from this link and use it for free with some limitations or buy a license key from this link to use it fully and legally. You can also visit the official website of PTGui at this link to learn more about PTGui and its features.
I hope you found this article helpful and informative. If you have any questions or comments about PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable or panoramic stitching in general, feel free to leave them below. I would love to hear from you and help you out.
Thank you for reading and happy stitching!
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable with brief answers:
What is the difference between PTGui and PTGui Pro?
PTGui is the standard version of PTGui that has basic features for panoramic stitching, such as automatic and manual stitching, support for various formats and sizes, HDR and exposure fusion, etc. PTGui Pro is the advanced version of PTGui that has additional features for panoramic stitching, such as layered output and editing, QTVR output and viewpoint correction, vignetting, exposure and white balance correction, color adjustment, filters, etc.
What is the difference between PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable and PTGui Pro 12.4?
PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable is an older version of PTGui Pro that was released in 2012 and has not been updated since then. It is a portable version of PTGui Pro that can run from a USB flash drive or any other removable media without installing it on your computer. PTGui Pro 12.4 is the latest version of PTGui Pro that was released in 2021 and has many new features and improvements over PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable. However, PTGui Pro 12.4 is not portable and requires installation on your computer.
How can I update PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable to the latest version?
You cannot update PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable to the latest version because it is not supported or maintained by the developer of PTGui. If you want to use the latest version of PTGui Pro, you will have to download and install PTGui Pro 12.4 from this link. However, you will need a new license key to use PTGui Pro 12.4 because the license key for PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable is not valid for PTGui Pro 12.4.
How can I get support or help for using PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable?
You cannot get any official support or documentation for using PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable from the developer of PTGui because it is not supported or maintained by them. You may have to rely on online forums or communities for help or guidance when using PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable for your panoramic stitching projects. You can also visit the official website of PTGui at this link to find some tutorials and tips for using PTGui in general.
Is there a Mac version of PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable?
No, there is no Mac version of PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable because it is a Windows-only software that can run on Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, or 10 (32-bit or 64-bit). If you want to use a Mac version of PTGui Pro, you will have to download and install PTGui Pro 12.4 from this link. However, you will need a new license key to use PTGui Pro 12.4 because the license key for PTGui Pro 9.1 Portable is not valid for PTGui Pro 12.4. dcd2dc6462