Error in Creating Panoramas

[Paul_DS256]

Lightroom Version Number

LrC 10.2

Operating System

1. Windows 10

I'm looking for any insight into how to determine what is failing when I receive the error 'Unable to Merge Photos' after a successful preview.

I was receiving the merge error on 8 photos almost consistently (90%) while other programs were running, even though I seem to still have a lot of memory. I rebooted and only ran LrC . Then I was able to get a consistent Spherical pano created with auto-crop. I'm not sure if this implies a memory issue or not. I have 16GB.

The message 'Unable to Merge Photos' does not provide any information. Is there any place there is a crash log created for the background task? Can I run LrC in some sort of debug mode to create some sort of log?

Thanks

 

[DCBolton]

What size are the images? Are they well overlapped? Are they already composites? I recommend trying the other two options. Sometimes one or more processes will provide a preview but not be able to complete. It is possible that memory is an issue but not likely. LrC should just page swap if short; it slows down but shouldn't crash. An 8 image pano is not large; I've done much larger.

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[Paul_DS256]

What size are the images?

They are 30MB NEF RAW files

Are they well overlapped?

Yes, I've done pano's before

Are they already composites?

No, as shot RAW files

I recommend trying the other two options.

Now sure how this will help with identifying the issue.

Pano will not provide a preview for Perspective and says to try another.

Cylindrical will complete a pano.

I also got kicked out (same error) on Spherical when I tried to use Fill instead of Auto-Crop.

 

[DCBolton]

It happens. I don't know the intricacies of the pano algorithms but being a part-time programmer I can believe it is complicated. I do many panos (HDR-panos; Focus-stacked-panos, etc) some very large. My largest are maybe 300 images. Sometimes the HDR's have to completed separately, or the pano assembled for each exposure then combined as an HDR. I am amazed that it works at all.
So, sometimes spherical works where cylindrical or perspective won't. If you really want or need a specific projection mode, try it first with only the defaults. It might work then.
You need to contact Adobe for the "why" answer. Sorry but I can't answer that one.

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[DCBolton]

Have you tried exporting to PS and assembling there?

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[BarrySchwartz]

I've had this experience on occasion with RAWs - it's in the mysteries of the algorithms. In those cases I've typically had success when I've run each image through some processing, such as straightening out curves, making lines parallel, making horizon lines very close, even correcting exposures so they all match, followed by cropping and converting to PSDs or TIFs, then running them through the process.

Failing all that, some of the HDR/Pano plugins and stand-alone software will sometimes be able to do get the job done.

 

[hanoman]

Did you use a tripod? I make a lot of handheld panos and found that PS is more tolerant than LR. You can make 2 panos of 4 Photos and combine these afterwards, this helped me sometimes.

 

[clee01l]

There may be one of the original images that can not be matched with the others or it may be out of sequence. Beginning with the left three images re run the Panorama function. If these three succeed, re run the Panorama function again and again adding images on the right until the process fails. You can repeat the process beginning with the right 3 images to isolate the image or images that is causing the process to fail.

I recently succeeded in compositing a 38 image 47mp NEF panorama . I panned from right to left then added sky by panning back for left to right.

 

[Paul_DS256]

It is possible that memory is an issue but not likely

I don't know the intricacies of the pano algorithms but being a part-time programmer I can believe it is complicated.

I have a tech/programming background as well and wonder if this is an issue between paged and non-paged memory allocation issues. Just really trying to see if a more comprehensive error can be found.

 

[Paul_DS256]

Have you tried exporting to PS and assembling there?

I keep forgetting about PS. I have a hard time spelling it ;-)

Just tried it by itself, not launched from LR and it worked like a charm including filling in the transparent areas of the merge. So, next time I have a pano problem in LR, I'll try PS. Thanks @DCBolton.

I make a lot of handheld panos and found that PS is more tolerant than LR

Thanks @hanoman. PS is definitely is now part of my pano toolkit.

 

[DCBolton]

It's more likely an unmatchable image. Try Clee's suggestion of starting with 3 images (adjacent from any area) and run pano. Add another adjacent image and run again. Etc. I actually did this same approach a few years ago on a 60-shot (3 exp x 2 x 10) HDR-pano set of NYC night skyline that wouldn't compose. It turned out that one of the middle lower row images left a small gap. I ended up with 2 smaller panos instead. I should have been more careful when shooting.

BYW, I always use raw images and never adjust anything until I have assembled the composite, if possible. I use "normal" or longer lenses so that the individual images are "flat", e.g., with minimal edge distortion. My favorites are Nikkor 85 mm f1.4 and 135 mm f2 DC. The edge distortion from shorter lenses makes pano assembly more difficult.

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[Paul_DS256]

It's more likely an unmatchable image.

I would agree if it was repeatable and always failed; but it doesn't.

 

[DCBolton]

The exact same set of images sometimes works or fails with the same settings? If so, that is strange. There is likely a somewhat stochastic nature to the algorithm that could explain it, but I agree that is unexpected.

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[Paul_DS256]

The exact same set of images sometimes works or fails with the same settings? If so, that is strange.

Yup. The only difference is what else is running on the computer at the time that I've been able to find.

 

[DCBolton]

That could indicate a memory issue. I have sent Adobe many issues regarding LrC lockups after extensive sequential processing tasks. The indications suggest that LrC does not always release memory after completing a task. Some objects may not be killed after completion. It happens to me after editing several very large composite images. Lockup. Kill LrC. Restart. All good until next lockups. Task manager will show LrC running at constant ~15% CPU but not really doing anything. Not your issue but I suspect a memory handling issue.

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[PhilBurton]

There may be one of the original images that can not be matched with the others or it may be out of sequence. Beginning with the left three images re run the Panorama function. If these three succeed, re run the Panorama function again and again adding images on the right until the process fails. You can repeat the process beginning with the right 3 images to isolate the image or images that is causing the process to fail.

I recently succeeded in compositing a 38 image 47mp NEF panorama . I panned from right to left then added sky by panning back for left to right.

I'm impressed. Tripod?

 

[John Little]

I'm no expert, but I vaguely recall hearing advice to apply Lens Correction to each image before starting the merge. Is this still considered good practice? At least it ought to minimize edge distortions. And, FWIW, I always do this (LR 10.2 and earlier) and don't get "Unable to Merge" messages.

 

[Paul_DS256]

I'm no expert, but I vaguely recall hearing advice to apply Lens Correction to each image before starting the merge.

Thanks John. That is worth trying.