User:Klaus/Hugin 0.8.0 wishlist

Hugin 0.8.0 - Wish List and Constructive Criticism

1. Inner workings
   1. Image distortion parametrisation
      Camera lenses do have a symmetry axis at r=0 but it is not a mathematical singularity, hence the distortion correction polynomial should use only odd powers of r.
   2. Remapping splines
      There is a choice of interpolating splines available for image remapping, but in the case of significant image downscaling they are prone to aliasing. A set of anti-alias-filtering splines would be welcome.
   3. Input image correction
      Sometimes camera response is not uniform, and in case of minor defects like dirt on optical elements a flatfield correction can correct most of it, and with a built-it flatfield the correction has to be set up only once.
2. Output files
   1. EXIF with output lense info
      Currently the EXIF info does not contain the output projection specs. In case the panoramic image were to be viewed with a helper application, this info would allow a proper display. Currently rectilinear cannot be distinguished from cylindrical or equirectangular.
3. GUI
   1. F3 floating window a big nuisance
      Obscurs windows below, grabs the focus when Finetune "fails" on Control Points clicking. It is really a PITA (pinch in the armpit). F3 should toggle the window.
   2. Hugin always opens on Assistant tab
      For expert users would be more convenient to open on Images.
   3. Drag-around of files in Images tab
   4. Edit values like in spread sheet?
   5. Make aligning sequence steps more suggestive
      Usually one need several iterations for image aligning, starting with few parameters yielding a robust result, and then adding more and more parameters which makes optimisation more prone to find false minima in case one is not already close to the proper minimum in optimisation space.
   6. Show Undo "topic" and Redo "topic"
   7. Finetune with key F, similar Finetune rotation search with R?
4. Workflow
   1. Start Hugin in dropping JPEGs onto Desktop icon?
      Does not work, at least not in OSX. Select the stitch files already in the OS window on the desktop. Defined as preference, should open Hugin on the Assistant or the Images tab.
   2. Set optimum pixel size earlier than on last tab
      Of course nothing prevents one to visit the tabs not from left to right, but from the logics the determination of optimum pixel numbers should come earlier than the last tab as it is useful to have it right already for alignment.
5. Display
   1. Bring back the doughnuts in the CP window - at least optionally.
   2. Placing CPs in same window can be improved
      Placing horizontal and vertical control points is not yet fully intuitive as it requires clicking into two different windows. Also thoughts should be spent on Finetune here.
6. Additions
   1. Implement more complex cropping masks
      Polygon would do, effect could be visualised in the fast preview.
   2. Intensity histograms?
      Currently produce output file, and then discover it is too bright or too dark in looking at "curves" in gimp.
7. Enblend
   1. Seam finding
      There are some cases when the optimised seam finder does not work.
   2. Seam optimisation
      Seam optimisation is already pretty good, but there is still potential to inprove. Further algorithms should be investigated.
   3. Seam visualisation
      Currently only mask and visualisation images from the last image pair in a blending set to survive. Optionally all these images should be written. On thing would be to find and correct bad masks and then get a better stitch in loading the masks in a second run of Hugin.
8. Small glitches
   1. Drop-down menus in Control Points OSX dodgy
   2. CRTL-Z sometimes does not work
      Necessity to go to Hugin main menu bar where it then works
   3. Fast preview does not update when changing to it
      It jumps into life with a little slider action.

2009-07-20 & 2009-07-21 Klaus Föhl