CNET Editors' review
ArcSoft Panorama Maker Pro is a simple and elegant way for users to convert multiple images into one panoramic image. Its sleek design and ease of use place it among the best programs we've seen.
The program's interface is quite sleek and attractive. The first screen that users encounter upon opening the program contains information about how to shoot photos that make good panoramic images, including information about camera settings, tripod use, and photo overlap. Past that, to the left is a tree-structured view of the computer, allowing users to quickly locate the images that they want to work with. Because we had access to photos taken by a professional with a tripod, all we had to do was choose our images, click Next, and the program converted our four photos into one seamless panoramic image. We were quite impressed with how good the result looked, with no indication that multiple images had been stitched together. The program recognizes, of course, that in many cases users will not have perfectly level, perfectly metered shots, so it gives users the option of manually adjusting the alignment points and blend. Users can also adjust the brightness and contrast of images. A variety of panoramic layouts is supported, including vertical, horizontal, tile, and 360 degrees. The online Help file is brief but useful.
ArcSoft Panorama Maker Pro is free to try, but results can only be saved at 1/16 size. The program installs desktop icons without asking but uninstalls cleanly. We strongly recommend this program to all users.
Publisher's Description
From ArcSoft:
ArcSoft Panorama Maker 6 helps users to create perfect panorama images with photos and videos.
Here are some powerful features:
1. Create, view, and export dazzling 3D panoramas
Turn your 2D photos and videos into 3D works-of-art with Sim3D?.
Choose up to 32 photos normally or one video.
Save your panorama as an MPO file so friends and family can view your masterpiece in their favorite 3D viewing application.
Supports popular 3D preview solutions such as: PageFlip, Line Interleave, Checkerboard, and Anaglyph.
2. Provides five professional stitch modes<
5 professional photo stitch modes: Auto, Horizontal, 360, Tile, and Vertical.
Make panoramas from vast landscapes, city skylines, mountains ranges, lush forests, towering skyscrapers, and cascading waterfalls.
Export your panorama as a variety of file formats including: JPEG, TIF, BMP, TGA, MOV, Flash, PTViewer.
3. Powerful media editing tools
Automatically adjust the color effect of your panorama with auto-color balance.
Edit your panorama by adjusting auto-brightness, auto-exposure, and auto-dynamic lighting.
Manual editing tools to crop, straighten, and adjust the brightness and contrast levels.
4. Convenient online print service<
Print professional-looking panorama photos in a snap with built-in, online printing service.
Customize your panorama prints with size and material (such as Matte and Glossy).
5. Create panoramas from videos<
Make a panoramic picture from your favorite home movies!
Automatically split movie clips into still frames and select the ones you want.
Stitch the frames together to create an amazing panorama.
Supported video formats for panorama stitching include: MPG, MPEG, AVI, MOV, MP4, M2TS, MTS.
What's new in this version: Version 6.0.0.92 includes the following improvements:
- Make it 3D!
- Perfect Panoramas Automatically
- Faster Panorama Stitching with CPU and GPU Technologies
- View your Panoramas on Multiple Displays
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All versions:
3.5 starsout of 17 votes
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Current version:
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"Did Not Work"
Version: ArcSoft Panorama Maker 6 5.0.0.21
Pros
I liked the reviews I read about the software.
Cons
Every time I tried to start up the program I got an error message that some file was missing. Could never get the file. Deleted the whole program from my computer.
Summary
Need a good panorama photo maker, but this did not work at all
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"Don't do business"
Version: ArcSoft Panorama Maker 6 5.0.0.21
Pros
Find something else...
Cons
You have to uninstall the demo and install a full version so they can always hold a download over you, and if you loose it you have to pay them money to download again (WHY?!?). They don't help their customers. They CHARGE YOU for tech support.
Summary
ArcSoft is a shady company!!! Send ArcSoft a message, boycott their products until they stop being greedy and actually help their customers. Find another product to do what you want, and save yourself a lot of trouble.
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"Excelent package, Does everything it says it will"
Version: ArcSoft Panorama Maker 6 5.0.0.21
Pros
Once you have taken the pictures it is easy to mount them for processing.
Cons
It is not easy to assertain how far to overlap the mounted pictures.
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"top product"
Version: ArcSoft Panorama Maker 6 5.0.0.21
Pros
very user friendly
Cons
there is not much I don't like about this product
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"not worth the effort"
Version: ArcSoft Panorama Maker 6 5.0.0.21
Pros
nothing at all
Cons
everything
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"Only slightly better than Panorama Maker 2000"
Version: ArcSoft Panorama Maker 6 5.0.0.21
Pros
Does adjust tone quality of the segments better than PM2000
Cons
Lots of money for very little improvement from a product that is almost 10 years old.
It selects pictures that are not part of the panorama. Maybe that is why they suggest leaving your lens cap on for a shot before and after the pano shotsSummary
I thought I would see marked improvement from an older program, but instead I basically got the same thing with a facelift.
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"Works great and it's free with no garbage attached"
Version: ArcSoft Panorama Maker 6 5.0.0.21
Pros
Works great and it's free with no garbage attached
Cons
Works great and it's free with no garbage attached
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"Nice quick and easy to operate"
Version: ArcSoft Panorama Maker 6 5.0.0.21
Pros
I found this was easy to use and quick to learn how tom operate the package.. Good added to the other ArcSoft software
Cons
The bad point picking a picture and then enlarging it to view..
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"Does an outstanding job of merging photos together."
Version: ArcSoft Panorama Maker 6 5.0.0.21
Pros
It is very easy to learn and to use.
Cons
Not to crazy about how the automatic selection works when you use it. I've had it select photos none related to the project being worked on.
Summary
My first purchase of ArcSoft Panorama Maker Pro, was version 4. When I saw that version 5 had been released I jumped at getting it. This program is a must for anyone who is serious about merging photos to make a panorama. Panorama Maker Pro is one of the best stand alone programs on the market for merging photos.
There is nothing hard about using the program, just follow the easy steps in selecting the photos you wish to use. If you have followed the proper steps taking pictures to be used in creating a panorama the program will have no problem with putting them together seamlessly. The key to using this program and others like it is the picture taking. -
"It's a bait and switch."
Version: ArcSoft Panorama Maker 6 5.0.0.21
Pros
Launches quickly.
Cons
Poor user interface, not intuitive.
Summary
After downloading and installing, it turns out to be a "limited" version and it will only create a very small file. Who needs it, if you have Photoshop Elements? Worse, the user interface stinks. It is not intuitive. Controls to use the program are not where they are expected, some hiding down in the lower corners. I unistalled it after trying it once.
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