filmscanners: Image alignment/registration

[MCRich <m.rich@visi.com>]

The question:

Will Apple¹s QuickTimeVR Authoring do this?   Any alternative software?

The problem:

JPCaponigro suggests a "shoot twice scan twice" strategy to capture both
highlight and shadow detail of long-dynamic-range subjects.  Imperfections
of filmholders and scanner mounts mean the two resulting Photoshop layers
are imperfectly aligned (registered).  I¹m unable to get Photoshop to
efficiently move/rotate/distort one layer into registration with another for
images beyond small file sizes.

The speculation:

Specialized software might facilitate such registration, even on large
files.  The scientific literature about satellite ­base photography software
is replete with discussion of registration technique.

Proprietary panorama-stitching software might do the trick, inasmuch as it
must register at least the edges of two images.  Only QTVR Authoring comes
recommended as Mac-based stitching software.

The question restated:

Can anyone comment knowledgeable as to whether QTVR Authoring is likely to
do the job I propose?

Can anyone suggest alternatives?

MCRich