StereoPhoto Maker vs COSIMA: Two Veteran Stereo Editors Compared
COSIMA is one of the few stereo programs with a history as long as StereoPhoto Maker’s — a dedicated tool for correcting and mounting stereo images, with a strong following among stereo photographers who shoot for projection and competition. If you are choosing between them, the difference is less about quality than about working style.
| Aspect | StereoPhoto Maker | The other tool |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Editing and converting stereo stills: alignment, window, formats, batch conversion | Automatic correction and mounting of stereo images, especially pairs shot with twin rigs |
| Alignment | Auto alignment in-app; StereoAutoAlign companion for folders | Automatic correction is the centre of the program’s design |
| Formats | MPO, JPS, PNS; SBS, anaglyph (several systems), interlaced, above/below; HTML5 viewer export | Stereo pair correction and output for viewing/projection workflows |
| Batch | Multi Conversion converts whole folders; no file-count cap since v5.50 | Built around processing shot pairs systematically |
| Modern inputs | Apple spatial HEIC (v6.40+), Canon VR180 conversion, Lume Pad/Nubia/RED import (v6.33) | Centred on classic camera-pair correction |
| Platform & cost | Windows freeware by Masuji Suto; official Wine bundle for Mac (v6.20 core) | Windows program; see cosima-3d.com for current terms |
Choose SPM if…
You need format conversion breadth (MPO⇄SBS, anaglyph systems, device imports), Canon VR180 work, or iPhone spatial photos in the same tool — and you want the batch converter.
Choose COSIMA if…
Your work is dominated by correcting twin-rig pairs for projection, and its automatic correction workflow matches how you shoot. Many serious stereographers keep both installed; they are freeware-era tools that coexist happily.