"fighting The Surf" Panorama In Color, Save Oppy's Soul in the sand sea Options

[Tman]

Hi C.Rocker, great works with Autostitch. I wonder about the number of frames you are able to stitch with it.

Months ago I try attempts with it too. But I always had troubles since Autostitch stitched not all frames that I wished and I had to start several times for a correct result (by same settings!). I got no more as three raw Pancam frames together. With Navcam pics it was for me too incorrect so far.

The best result that I got once with three Pancam frames was "perfect" but rather chance: http://www.greuti.ch/oppy/oppy-sol414.jpg

One question: Now do you always stitch with the same settings or have you to thinker with it each time?

[alan]

I have better luck using autostitch on images from Spirit than with Oppy. It seems to have trouble matching the dunes.

[CosmicRocker]

Thank you, Dilo and Tman, but it was not so much a matter of skill, as it was of persistent experimenting. I have been enjoying the excellent work of the experts on this forum for so long that I decided to teach myself some of the skills so I could also contribute something. I spoke with slinted on irc and learned that the Orientation settings theta/phi/psi equate to pitch/roll/yaw. At first I tried to look at imagery from the location to try to guess what the pitch/roll/yaw were, but that only got me part way there.

Eventually, I resorted to many runs, saving the images so I could see if it improved the horizon or not. For that panorama I unchecked the autostraighten box and settled on theta=+1.0, phi=-4.5, and psi=0. I also set scale=100% in SIFT image matching. There is still room for improvement, but now that they have started moving Opportunity, those parameters will be changing.

I also agree with Alan that Sprit images generally work better than those from Opportunity. I think the many sharp features in the rocky terrain in Gusev give the image matching algorithms more to work with than the dunes on Meridiani.

[dilo]

Thank you, C.Rocker!
Your experimental approach gave good results, but it seems to me very time consuming...
Due to apparent absence of a real help/tutarial on autostich, It would be interesting to continue the discussion on Autostich settings in the dedicated "Imagery & Tech Issues" subforum (for example, I have no idea of wath means "SIFT image matching").
For shure, many others partecipants would like to share knowledges on this powerful SW!
Bye.

[Jeff7]

I hesitate to post this, but Vladimorka asked for a 3D view of the Dinosaur Tail.  You might have to work a bit harder to make this one pop into 3D view, but this drift is the most impressive one in the vicinity, and worth the effort.

While these 3D views are quite interesting, I'd really like to concentrate on the view toward the south.  I am convinced Oppy will extricate itself, and we'll be back on the road again, before too long.

Wow, that thing looks tall. I wonder if NASA will be kind enough to make mention of it, and its actual height. Could be interesting to go over and press on it with the RAT, just to maybe scoop some off the top.