Hello Col TagPub,

Welcome to the PhotoDirector forum

I can confirm what you've found using some 8K sample photos from the Insta360 Pro site. The photos certainly view correctly in other 360 players I checked.

You are correct to think adding metadata is needed. Here's a simple fix using free software - Exif Fixer - which automatically adds "fake" metadata to 360 photos. The good news is that this allows PhotoDirector to read them properly.

Attached is the EXIF data from one of the photos, showing before/after. You'll see what I mean about fake data

PIX PIX YouTube channel

Further investigation reveals that, using EXIF Fixer, it's unnecessary to check "Add Fake Camera Data". The correct equirectangular tags are injected, alowing the photo to be displayed correctly in PhD & Facebook.

Please find attached the side-by-side EXIF data, with the added data highlighted.

PIX PIX YouTube channel

Many thanks for your reply - after your first post I applied fake data as suggested and PHD director recognised the panno - so all good. Except it is another added step (albeit small) in the workflow.

But you 2nd post confused me as you seem to suggest that it was NOT necessary? I was thinking that because the Insta 360 Pro images are recognised in FaceBook Google and other viewers such as Kuula - so is the data there already?

Or do I need to continue to add Fake Data with Exif?

Many thanks in advance I am excited about getting started in earnest with the software - seems like a there are nice quick easy fixes for 360 which are not available in other products. Colin

My apologies for the confusion.

What I was referring to is an extra option in EXIF Fixer, where you can choose to add fake camera data. See attached screenshot.

That step isn't necessary for PhD to be able to interpret the 360 photo correctly.

This is an original image from the Insta360 Pro on Facebook, with no EXIF data modified. This one has been treated by EXIF Fixer. As you can see, Facebook does not interpret the original image correctly either.

In any case, I'm glad you're making headway with it.

PIX PIX YouTube channel

Excellent!! appreciate that prompt clarification.

I feel now much better informed about this subject and I used it this afternoon. So a very good welcome to Cyberlink.

best wishes Colin