Editing/saving file after using CS3 to merge Pano

[BeckmannPhotos]

Hi all,

I'm using CS3 to merge 5 or 6 .dng images into a panoramic using the Photomerge script. This all works out fine, blending the layers and such to produce a nice image. The problem I am having trouble understanding is what is the best way to work with and save this image afterwards. I would like to do general editing to the entire image such as white balance, white and black selection, curves, and such like I do on a single .raw or .dng normally.

What is the best way to do this? Is it possible to save this as a file type that I can import back into lightroom 2 and do these corrections? What file type will allow me to make "raw" type corrections? Do I need to flatten the image first?

Thanks!

[pathfinder]

For my panos, I flatten the image immediately after it comes into Photoshop from the Merge command IF, and only IF, I am satisfied with the seamless merging of the images, and the evenness of the tonalities from frame to frame.

Since I shoot 95% of my panos from a tripod with a pano bracket, or with a T&S lens, the frames usually merge absolutely seamlessly in Photoshop. Once I begin editing the merged images in Photoshop, i will end up with several layers for Curves, Sharpening, Shadow/Highlight etc. If you are going to keep this layered file it will have to be a tiff or a psd. Tiffs import back into LR2 with ease. LR2 WILL warn you that layered files take a lot more storage room. A lot more.

You can edit these merged files in Photoshop just like any other single frame. I do my white and black points, curves, sharpening, and any selections and masking all in Photoshop. As handy and fast as LR2 is, for masking and selecting portions of an image, I still prefer the precision and control of CS3. The Quick Selection Tool rocks!

I usually save my final panos as very high quality jpgs - level 10 or 11 when coming from Photoshop. Some folks will definitely swear you need to save psd's or tiffs, but large jpgs seems to work for me. If I try to save tiffs, some of my images become almost 300-500 Mbytes and that's a lot of bits. Most of my panos I upload to Smugmug run 5-12 Mbytes as high quality jpgs.

I will be interested to hear others opinions on this subject, also.