HDR Panorama

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[BSHPhoto]

Hi,

I'm really into panoramas and have recently tried to create some HDR panoramas, but to no success...
When I shoot panoramas, I overlap the images by about 30%. For HDR I'm using Photomatix (for now), mainly with detail enhancement for tonemapping to create some punch.

I tried a +-2 bracketing, images are perfectly aligned. Altogether, 8x 3 exposures (24). But when I process the 8 individual HDRs in Photomatix ("360 degrees image" button enabled AND disabled), I get 8 sets of images that differ quite a lot in tonal values. (All 8 sets were batch processed with the exact same setting, blacks and whites clipping set to 0 – so the amount of blacks or whites in each section of the panorama shouldn't matter for the final outcome).

What am I doing wrong? I've seen some really nice hdr panoramas around, but can't figure out a way of achieving this myself...
Am I using the wrong software (Photomatix) for this kind of task? Or am I missing a button?

Thanks for your help with this!

[DAVE RHUBERG]

I shoot many HDR panoramas, and don't have problems.  You could try my workflow, then change to suit so you can spot problems.
I make individual HDRs, each bracket.  I save the settings and batch process the other brackets.  Then I stitch the results.
I use CS3, but if you want to stick with Photomatix, try the batch processing of bracket sets.
For processing help, try to make very plain low contrast HDRs.  I use a histogram and push up the shadows and push down the highlights, so it looks flat.
Then I save, batch, and stitch.  Then I make a good looking tone and contrast adjustment.
If you try a batch of your brackets, save those results and go back to making a pano with the 360 button on.  It controls those shadows and highlights also, so shadows from in front and in back match up better.