GoThru Blog

How to stitch 360 images for free

Al Bug -

If you're creating 360 images using a DSLR camera or DJI drone and you need to stitch the individual images into a 360-degree panorama, you have a few options:

  1. Use PTGui Pro, a very good but costly stitching software. (I recommend it for Professional since it has batch mode)
  2. Use Gigapano, an excellent free alternative for stitching your images seamlessly.

Gigapano, originally known as AutoPano Giga, became freely available after its developer, Kolor, ceased operations in 2018. Gigapano lets you stitch high-quality 360-degree panoramas effortlessly, offering robust control over projection settings, color correction, horizon adjustments, and more.

Download and Install Gigapano

Choose the correct download link based on your operating system:

After downloading, follow these platform-specific installation instructions:

  • Windows: Double-click the .exe file and follow the installation wizard.

If Gigapano fails to launch, download the OpenSSL Shared Library libeay32.dll from here and place it into Gigapano's installation directory.

  • macOS: Open the downloaded .dmg file and drag Gigapano into your Applications folder.
  • Linux:
    • For Debian/Ubuntu: Double-click the .deb package or run sudo dpkg -i AutopanoGiga_Linux64_442_2018-09-10.deb in the terminal.
    • For other distributions: Extract the .tar.xz file to your preferred directory and execute the binary.

Step 3: Activate Gigapano

Use the following free registration details provided by Kolor:

  • User: freecopy@kolor.com
  • Registration Code: KAPG7-K3A9X-IZJHX-FIIT7-C5IM8-MQF2N

Stitching Your First Panorama

The first thing we need to do once Gigapano is installed, is to set the default crop.

  • Open Gigapano and go to Edit -> Settings -> Panorama.
  • Set Default crop to Maximum projection range. This ensures your panorama exports correctly in a 2:1 format, optimal for viewing in 360 viewers.
  • Drag your selected images onto the workspace.
  • Click the green "Detect" button. Gigapano will automatically analyze and stitch your images.