The Basics of the Viewer
The GIGAmacro Comparative Viewer is specifically designed for exploring and comparing Gigapixel Macro Photographs. The technology is similar to that used in Google Maps, and has similar capabilities. Online users can compare Gigapixel Macro Photographs from local sources such as Zoomify tile sets, Open Street Map tile sets, or a GigaPan panorama cached online. The user is able to pan and zoom throughout the image, and select different ways to view it. The software is built upon the Modest Maps framework (by Stamen), and has been expanded to provide comparative tools for gigapixel images. Side-by-Side Comparisons
Use the GIGAmacro Comparative Viewer to display two Gigapixel Macro Photographs side-by-side. The built-in tools permit panning and zooming throughout each image independently, or as a linked the zoom set, moving the images simultaneously.
Click the image above to start the Comparative Viewer. Layered Comparisons
Use the viewer to display two Gigapixel Macro Photographs in a layered mode (one image "on top" of another). Using the "xray" tool, see through the top image directly to the image beneath. This is especially useful when comparing two very similar images, or when comparing varied views of the same specimen. Transparency of the images can be adjusted, users may zoom and pan independently in each image, or link images together.
Click the image above to start the Comparative Viewer. Advanced Tools & Features
The viewer includes the following additional tools to explore and compare complex image sets.
- Fullscreen Mode
Click the fullscreen button to enlarge the window. - Measurement Tool
Take precise measurements from any part of each Gigapixel Macro Photograph. Measurements are calculated in real-time, and are displayed in both metric and non-metric units. Measurement data is calculated based on the number of pixels in the panorama and the actual width of the subject area (this information is entered in the image options when setting the system to begin photographing). - Drawing Tool
Draw directly (and temporarily) on each Gigapixel Macro Photograph. When your annotations are complete, take a screenshot to use the marked image in publications, research, and educational curriculum. - Features (snapshots)
When viewing a Gigapixel Macro Photograph that is hosted on the GigaPan website, users may view and display snapshot annotations entered by other visitors to the GigaPan website. These are referred to as Features, and are represented by a white outline on the gigapixel image. Associated description and title for that particular snapshot are shown by 'rolling over' the box with the cursor. These Features can be turned on or off depending on your preference. - Image Flip
Each Gigapixel Macro Photograph can be flipped horizontally or vertically. This is especially useful when comparing the front and back of a specimen. - Image Options
A number of options can be set and configured. Change and load a new Gigapixel Macro Photograph, select the image flip options, enter the width of the image for use by the measurement tool, and make other real-time adjustments to the image.
