How do I set the "panorama" bit in a JPG/EXIF from Olympus?

I've got two diferent Olympus Camedia cameras. I've got a D460 and
a D580. Both cameras have a panoramic mode where 2 or more pictures may
be taken in sequence and then later stitched together in software.
Quite annoyingly, both cameras have anti-competitor code built into
the firmware which disables the panoramic mode when using a memory chip
from someone other than Olympus. Of course, each camera came bundled
with a dinky little chip. In both cases, I bought larger aftermarket
memory chips from other vendors that work just fine.
Of course, nothing stops you from shooting a sequence of pictures
that could technically be stitched together later. Without the
panoramic mode, though, you don't get the guiding lines in the
viewfinder and the image files are not tagged as panoramic.
When viewing images using the Olympus Camedia software, the
component panoramic images are each shown with a little label, P1, P2,
P3, etc. Therefore, there is some little bit of data buried in each
image file that tags it as panoramic and with a particular index. I am
trying to find out exactly which bits represent the panoramic tag. What
I want to do is take panoramic sequences using the non-Olympus chips,
tweak the appropriate flags in the files, and then stitch them together
using the Olympus software.
Any ideas?

thanks,
pat
--
Patrick M. Ryan |

Patrick M. Ryan wrote:
I've got two diferent Olympus Camedia cameras. I've got a D460 and
a D580. Both cameras have a panoramic mode where 2 or more pictures
may
be taken in sequence and then later stitched together in software.

It might just be easier to use non-Olympus stitching software.
- Siddhartha

Patrick M. Ryan The only advantages to using the Olympus panorama bit is to use their software to stitch it. If you did not use their software to take it (this locks the exposure and white balance) I don't think you want to use their software as it is not all that convenient to try and match the images as it assumed they are matched.

There are other software programs that will work better for you.

--
Joseph Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math
"Patrick M. Ryan" wrote in message ...
I've got two diferent Olympus Camedia cameras. I've got a D460 and a D580. Both cameras have a panoramic mode where 2 or more pictures may be taken in sequence and then later stitched together in software.
Quite annoyingly, both cameras have anti-competitor code built into the firmware which disables the panoramic mode when using a memory chip from someone other than Olympus. Of course, each camera came bundled with a dinky little chip. In both cases, I bought larger aftermarket memory chips from other vendors that work just fine.
Of course, nothing stops you from shooting a sequence of pictures that could technically be stitched together later. Without the panoramic mode, though, you don't get the guiding lines in the viewfinder and the image files are not tagged as panoramic.
When viewing images using the Olympus Camedia software, the component panoramic images are each shown with a little label, P1, P2, P3, etc. Therefore, there is some little bit of data buried in each image file that tags it as panoramic and with a particular index. I am trying to find out exactly which bits represent the panoramic tag. What I want to do is take panoramic sequences using the non-Olympus chips, tweak the appropriate flags in the files, and then stitch them together using the Olympus software.
Any ideas?

thanks,
pat

--
Patrick M. Ryan |

When viewing images using the Olympus Camedia software, the component
panoramic images are each shown with a little label, P1, P2, P3, etc.
Therefore, there is some little bit of data buried in each image file that
tags it as panoramic and with a particular index. I am trying to find out
exactly which bits represent the panoramic tag. What I want to do is take
panoramic sequences using the non-Olympus chips, tweak the appropriate flags
in the files, and then stitch them together using the Olympus software.
Any ideas?

My PhotoMan application (free download from
http://homepages.tesco.net/~Keith.Sh...toman/home.htm) has the
ability to set the Olympus Panorama information in a jpeg.

Download and install the application from the above web page then start it
up. From the File menu choose "Open Folder" and choose the folder
containing your panorama images. Select the images you wish to be a
panorama. You select the first one just by clicking it and the second and
subsequent ones by holding down Ctrl whilst clicking.

Right click on any of the selected files to display a pop-up menu. Choose
the "Panorama" sub menu then choose the "Make Olympus Panorama" option.

The headers for the selected files will then be doctored so that Olympus
software thinks you shot them in Panorama mode.

Incidentally...
I bought larger aftermarket memory chips from other vendors
The only difference between an Olympus proprietary memory card and a third
party card is the manufacturer ID string in the card header (and for this
you pay something like a 100% premium in the UK!) If you have a card
reader/writer, there are instructions on the web which enable you to patch
the memory card's header to make it look like an Olympus proprietary card.
See for example http://www.geocities.com/roberthaus/pan/

Keith

All the instructions I've seen for fixing the header are for SD cards.
Is there anything out there for the xD ones?

Dave

---
View my photo gear for sale:
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZwebkatz02

Patrick M. Ryan
"Patrick M. Ryan" wrote in message ...
I've got two diferent Olympus Camedia cameras. I've got a D460 and a D580. Both cameras have a panoramic mode where 2 or more pictures may be taken in sequence and then later stitched together in software.
Quite annoyingly, both cameras have anti-competitor code built into the firmware which disables the panoramic mode when using a memory chip from someone other than Olympus. Of course, each camera came bundled with a dinky little chip. In both cases, I bought larger aftermarket memory chips from other vendors that work just fine.
Of course, nothing stops you from shooting a sequence of pictures that could technically be stitched together later. Without the panoramic mode, though, you don't get the guiding lines in the viewfinder and the image files are not tagged as panoramic.
When viewing images using the Olympus Camedia software, the component panoramic images are each shown with a little label, P1, P2, P3, etc. Therefore, there is some little bit of data buried in each image file that tags it as panoramic and with a particular index. I am trying to find out exactly which bits represent the panoramic tag. What I want to do is take panoramic sequences using the non-Olympus chips, tweak the appropriate flags in the files, and then stitch them together using the Olympus software.
Any ideas?

thanks,
pat

--
Patrick M. Ryan |

I supose you are talking aboat xD cards !?

I read aboat this a few days ago (but i dont have the link)
The xD cards have a sector , call it a "bootsector\mfg.sector..whatever"
This sector remains unchanged all time! , regrdless of what you do
(erase - format ....)
This sector contains some info aboat who made the card and there is also
a bit\byte to enable 'pano.mode'.
In order to make your no-Oly' cards able to use pano.mode
you will have to start a crusaid looking for low-level formating\hacking sw
(for xD cards) .... if such a sw exists...
Maby a hexeditor that is able to write to this aeria will do the job ?
Here are some ppl adressing your problem
http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/8691/34448.html

and do a Google on "xd card hack" , then you are started.

A.P.

Keith Sheppard wrote:
When viewing images using the Olympus Camedia software, the component

panoramic images are each shown with a little label, P1, P2, P3, etc.

Therefore, there is some little bit of data buried in each image file that

tags it as panoramic and with a particular index. I am trying to find out
exactly which bits represent the panoramic tag. What I want to do is take
panoramic sequences using the non-Olympus chips, tweak the appropriate flags
in the files, and then stitch them together using the Olympus software.

Any ideas?


My PhotoMan application (free download from
http://homepages.tesco.net/~Keith.Sh...toman/home.htm) has the
ability to set the Olympus Panorama information in a jpeg.

Download and install the application from the above web page then start it
up. From the File menu choose "Open Folder" and choose the folder
containing your panorama images. Select the images you wish to be a
panorama. You select the first one just by clicking it and the second and
subsequent ones by holding down Ctrl whilst clicking.

Right click on any of the selected files to display a pop-up menu. Choose
the "Panorama" sub menu then choose the "Make Olympus Panorama" option.

The headers for the selected files will then be doctored so that Olympus
software thinks you shot them in Panorama mode.

Incidentally...

I bought larger aftermarket memory chips from other vendors

The only difference between an Olympus proprietary memory card and a third
party card is the manufacturer ID string in the card header (and for this
you pay something like a 100% premium in the UK!) If you have a card
reader/writer, there are instructions on the web which enable you to patch
the memory card's header to make it look like an Olympus proprietary card.
See for example http://www.geocities.com/roberthaus/pan/

Keith




That seems a better solution, since the camera won't make the automatic
settings unless it thinks there is an Olympus card in the camera.
Reason enough for me to NOT buy their camera....


--
Ron Hunter

Which one?

Dave wrote:
Which one?


Now there's a confusing reply. Do you imply there is more than one
panorama bit, or are you responding to some other part of the post?
While I don't mind some judicious clipping of quotes, replies like yours
don't transmit much information.


--
Ron Hunter

That seems a better solution, since the camera won't make the automatic
settings unless it thinks there is an Olympus card in the camera.
Reason enough for me to NOT buy their camera....

I don't know about other models, but my Olympus C2100 has exposure lock,
which I use if I am taking panorama shots. I've never figured out what
"panorama" mode buys me above and beyond that - other than a couple of
vertical lines either side of the viewfinder. I presume these are to help
me line up successive frames but I've never found I needed them.

I heartily agree that it is an underhand marketing trick on Oly's part,
tying panorama mode to their (expensive) memory cards. I don't think it
would influence my purchase decision, though, as it actually makes very
little difference when you get used to the get-rounds.

Keith