Make a sequence with shared detail
Take separate frames with visible overlap from one view to the next. Keep the camera level and rotate around a steady position when you can. Look for edges or texture that continue across neighboring views; a featureless sky gives the aligner little to match.
Some Canon cameras can save RAW and JPEG together for each shutter press. For stitching, start with one complete set. If the same scene appears as CR2, CR3, and JPEG duplicates, the extra files do not add coverage and can complicate alignment.
In a static scene, consistent focus and exposure make the joins easier to judge. Recording menus differ across Canon bodies, so check your model's manual before a shoot. People, leaves, and nearby objects can move between frames even when your camera technique is steady.
Select JPEG, CR2, or CR3
JPEG keeps the first import lighter and is easy to preview. CR2 and CR3 provide RAW sensor data to the decoder, which unpacks the full sensor for supported files. The working image is scene-linear Float32 ProPhoto RGB with separate coverage, not an unfinished Bayer mosaic.
Copy a single pass into its own folder before importing. Keep the camera originals after export because the saved recipe records project settings, not all of the source pixels.
Check the dimensions and status of your own imports. CR2 and CR3 identify file families, while the exact camera and recording option determine what the decoder needs to read. If a file fails, keep its error details or use companion JPEGs from the same sequence.
Import and check each source
- Put one panorama sequence in its own folder, with no alternate takes mixed in.
- Open Vakago Panorama Stitcher in a desktop browser and import the JPEG, CR2, or CR3 set.
- After import finishes, inspect source dimensions and bit depth.
- Run alignment and resolve files that remain unplaced.
The app reads sensor data for supported CR2 and CR3 files. A failed Canon RAW import remains a failure; an embedded display preview is not silently substituted. The RAW data and preview guide explains why reading the source details matters.
Check joins and save the right output
Check door frames, roof edges, distant ridges, and moving people at a few zoom levels. A frame that did not land needs attention or explicit exclusion before export. Projection and crop remain adjustable without throwing away the alignment; viewer zoom is just an inspection aid.
JPEG output is 8-bit. TIFF16 can be a useful editing handoff, though integer storage clips values outside its range. Float32 DNG export stores stitched linear RGB and requires an editor that supports that format; it is not the camera's mosaic data.
Use the format guide to match output to the next step. Keep the Canon originals beside the recipe in case you want to change the framing later.