How to stitch 360 images for free
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:
- Use PTGui Pro, a very good but costly stitching software. (I recommend it for Professional since it has batch mode)
- 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:
- Windows (64-bit): Download Link
- macOS: Download Link
- Linux (Debian/Ubuntu): Download Link
- Linux (Other Distributions): Download Link
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 runsudo 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.
- For Debian/Ubuntu: Double-click the
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.