diff --git a/frontend/src/capture/AxisPanel.svelte b/frontend/src/capture/AxisPanel.svelte
index d98caa9..4a798f8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/capture/AxisPanel.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/capture/AxisPanel.svelte
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
         <button type="button" class="thumb" aria-label="Tilt right" on:click={() => nudgeTilt(1)}>+</button>
         <span class="val">{tiltShown}°</span>
       </div>
-      <p class="nudge">±90° · ← → tilt 1° · Shift+← → 0.1° · two-finger twist · or drag the ↻ handle</p>
+      <p class="nudge">±90° · ← → tilt 1° · Shift+← → 0.1° · two-finger twist (Rotate gesture mode)</p>
     </div>
 
     <div>
diff --git a/frontend/src/capture/MeasurePanel.svelte b/frontend/src/capture/MeasurePanel.svelte
index 353afe4..1ad1bc4 100644
--- a/frontend/src/capture/MeasurePanel.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/capture/MeasurePanel.svelte
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@
   let speciesLoadErr = '';
 
   let cropFill = getCropFill();
+  /** Exclusive stage gestures: Zoom/Pan (default) vs Rotate. Sliders stay available either way. */
+  let gestureMode: 'zoompan' | 'rotate' = 'zoompan';
   $: maskW = state.source.widthPx > 0 ? state.source.widthPx : 0;
   $: maskH = maskW > 0 ? state.approvedMask.bitset.length / maskW : 0;
   $: tape = state.axis.tape;
@@ -200,12 +202,39 @@
     <p class="hint">Orient the slab on the fixed tape line, then enter length, thickness, and species.</p>
     <p class="nudge">The black line is <b>fixed</b>: tilting, dragging and zooming the slab never move it. It stays in the middle of the rectangle.</p>
 
+    <div class="mode-toggle" role="group" aria-label="Stage gesture mode">
+      <button
+        type="button"
+        class="mode-btn"
+        class:active={gestureMode === 'zoompan'}
+        aria-pressed={gestureMode === 'zoompan'}
+        data-testid="gesture-mode-zoompan"
+        on:click={() => (gestureMode = 'zoompan')}
+      >Zoom / Pan</button>
+      <button
+        type="button"
+        class="mode-btn"
+        class:active={gestureMode === 'rotate'}
+        aria-pressed={gestureMode === 'rotate'}
+        data-testid="gesture-mode-rotate"
+        on:click={() => (gestureMode = 'rotate')}
+      >Rotate</button>
+    </div>
+    <p class="nudge mode-hint">
+      {#if gestureMode === 'zoompan'}
+        Pinch to zoom and drag to pan. Rotation gestures are ignored — switch to Rotate or use the tilt slider.
+      {:else}
+        Two-finger twist to rotate (or use the tilt slider). Pan and pinch-zoom are ignored in this mode.
+      {/if}
+    </p>
+
     {#if maskedPreview}
       <PhotoStage
         mode="tape"
         blob={maskedPreview}
         {tape}
         {cropFill}
+        {gestureMode}
         onTapeChange={onTapeChange}
       />
     {:else}
@@ -227,7 +256,7 @@
           <button type="button" class="thumb" aria-label="Tilt right" on:click={() => nudgeTilt(1)}>+</button>
           <span class="val">{tiltShown}°</span>
         </div>
-        <p class="nudge">±90° · ← → tilt 1° · Shift+← → 0.1° · two-finger twist · or drag the ↻ handle</p>
+        <p class="nudge">±90° · slider always works · in Rotate mode: ← → tilt 1° · Shift+← → 0.1° · two-finger twist</p>
       </div>
 
       <div>
@@ -408,6 +437,17 @@
   .panel { padding: 16px; color: #eee; }
   h1 { font-size: 1.3rem; margin: 0 0 8px; }
   .hint { color: #aaa; font-size: 0.9rem; margin: 0 0 8px; }
+  .mode-toggle {
+    display: flex; gap: 0; margin: 10px 0 4px;
+    border: 1px solid #444; border-radius: 10px; overflow: hidden; width: fit-content; max-width: 100%;
+  }
+  .mode-btn {
+    min-height: 44px; padding: 10px 18px; font-size: 0.95rem; font-weight: 600;
+    border: 0; background: #1d1d1d; color: #aaa; cursor: pointer;
+  }
+  .mode-btn + .mode-btn { border-left: 1px solid #444; }
+  .mode-btn.active { background: #00e5ff; color: #002; }
+  .mode-hint { margin: 0 0 10px; }
   .nudge { color: #e8a; font-size: 0.74rem; margin: 6px 0 0; line-height: 1.45; }
   .preview-loading { min-height: 420px; border: 1px solid #333; border-radius: 8px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; color: #999; text-align: center; padding: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; }
   .controls { margin-top: 16px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 14px; }
diff --git a/frontend/src/capture/PhotoStage.svelte b/frontend/src/capture/PhotoStage.svelte
index a542d4f..1fc3d85 100644
--- a/frontend/src/capture/PhotoStage.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/capture/PhotoStage.svelte
@@ -25,6 +25,13 @@
   export let onTapeChange: ((t: TapeTransform) => void) | null = null;
   /** When false, tape overlay is display-only (Measure step). */
   export let interactive = true;
+  /**
+   * Exclusive stage gestures so pinch/drag don't fight.
+   * zoompan (default): pinch zoom + one-finger pan; ignore rotate gestures.
+   * rotate: two-finger twist only; ignore pan/zoom from those gestures.
+   * Tilt/zoom sliders outside the stage stay available either way.
+   */
+  export let gestureMode: 'zoompan' | 'rotate' = 'zoompan';
 
   let canvas: HTMLCanvasElement | undefined;
   let stage: HTMLDivElement | undefined;
@@ -139,7 +146,7 @@
   $: if (blob || bbox || maskBitset || mode) void tick().then(redraw);
 
   // ---- tape pointer interactions ----
-  type DragKind = null | 'pan' | 'tickA' | 'tickB' | 'rot';
+  type DragKind = null | 'pan' | 'tickA' | 'tickB';
   let drag: { kind: DragKind; x0: number; y0: number; panX0: number; panY0: number; tilt0: number } | null = null;
   let pointers = new Map<number, { x: number; y: number }>();
   let pinchStartDist = 0;
@@ -170,12 +177,6 @@
     return null;
   };
 
-  const hitRot = (x: number, y: number): boolean => {
-    const cx = STAGE_W / 2;
-    const cy = STAGE_H - 26;
-    return Math.hypot(x - cx, y - cy) <= 22;
-  };
-
   const onPointerDown = (e: PointerEvent) => {
     if (!interactive || mode !== 'tape') return;
     (e.currentTarget as HTMLElement).setPointerCapture?.(e.pointerId);
@@ -198,11 +199,10 @@
       drag = { kind: tick === 'A' ? 'tickA' : 'tickB', x0: p.x, y0: p.y, panX0: live.panX, panY0: live.panY, tilt0: live.tiltDeg };
       return;
     }
-    if (hitRot(p.x, p.y)) {
-      drag = { kind: 'rot', x0: p.x, y0: p.y, panX0: live.panX, panY0: live.panY, tilt0: live.tiltDeg };
-      return;
+    // One-finger pan only in Zoom/Pan mode (Rotate mode uses slider + two-finger twist).
+    if (gestureMode === 'zoompan') {
+      drag = { kind: 'pan', x0: p.x, y0: p.y, panX0: live.panX, panY0: live.panY, tilt0: live.tiltDeg };
     }
-    drag = { kind: 'pan', x0: p.x, y0: p.y, panX0: live.panX, panY0: live.panY, tilt0: live.tiltDeg };
   };
 
   const onPointerMove = (e: PointerEvent) => {
@@ -212,19 +212,24 @@
       const pts = [...pointers.values()];
       const dx = pts[1].x - pts[0].x;
       const dy = pts[1].y - pts[0].y;
-      const dist = Math.hypot(dx, dy) || 1;
-      const ratio = dist / pinchStartDist;
-      const softenedRatio = 1 + (ratio - 1) * PINCH_ZOOM_DAMP;
-      const z = Math.min(3, Math.max(0.5, pinchStartZoom * softenedRatio));
-      // Screen y-down atan2 delta matches CSS rotate (positive = clockwise).
-      const angle = Math.atan2(dy, dx);
-      const deltaDeg = ((angle - pinchStartAngle) * 180) / Math.PI;
-      emit({ ...live, zoom: z, tiltDeg: clampTiltDeg(pinchStartTilt + deltaDeg * ROTATE_DAMP) });
+      if (gestureMode === 'zoompan') {
+        const dist = Math.hypot(dx, dy) || 1;
+        const ratio = dist / pinchStartDist;
+        const softenedRatio = 1 + (ratio - 1) * PINCH_ZOOM_DAMP;
+        const z = Math.min(3, Math.max(0.5, pinchStartZoom * softenedRatio));
+        emit({ ...live, zoom: z });
+      } else {
+        // Screen y-down atan2 delta matches CSS rotate (positive = clockwise).
+        const angle = Math.atan2(dy, dx);
+        const deltaDeg = ((angle - pinchStartAngle) * 180) / Math.PI;
+        emit({ ...live, tiltDeg: clampTiltDeg(pinchStartTilt + deltaDeg * ROTATE_DAMP) });
+      }
       return;
     }
     if (!drag) return;
     const p = stagePoint(e.clientX, e.clientY);
     if (drag.kind === 'pan') {
+      if (gestureMode !== 'zoompan') return;
       emit({
         ...live,
         panX: drag.panX0 + (p.x - drag.x0) * PAN_DAMP,
@@ -235,13 +240,6 @@
         ? clampTickPair(p.y, live.tickB)
         : clampTickPair(live.tickA, p.y);
       emit({ ...live, ...pair });
-    } else if (drag.kind === 'rot') {
-      const cx = STAGE_W / 2;
-      const cy = STAGE_H / 2;
-      const a0 = Math.atan2(drag.y0 - cy, drag.x0 - cx);
-      const a1 = Math.atan2(p.y - cy, p.x - cx);
-      const delta = ((a1 - a0) * 180) / Math.PI;
-      emit({ ...live, tiltDeg: clampTiltDeg(drag.tilt0 + delta * ROTATE_DAMP) });
     }
   };
 
@@ -251,7 +249,7 @@
   };
 
   const onWheel = (e: WheelEvent) => {
-    if (!interactive || mode !== 'tape') return;
+    if (!interactive || mode !== 'tape' || gestureMode !== 'zoompan') return;
     e.preventDefault();
     const factor = e.deltaY > 0 ? 0.92 : 1.08;
     emit({ ...live, zoom: Math.min(3, Math.max(0.5, live.zoom * factor)) });
@@ -261,6 +259,7 @@
     if (!interactive || mode !== 'tape') return;
     const fine = e.shiftKey;
     if (e.key === 'ArrowLeft' || e.key === 'ArrowRight') {
+      if (gestureMode !== 'rotate') return;
       e.preventDefault();
       const step = fine ? 0.1 : 1;
       const dir = e.key === 'ArrowLeft' ? -1 : 1;
@@ -275,9 +274,11 @@
         emit({ ...live, ...clampTickPair(live.tickA, live.tickB + dir * step) });
       }
     } else if (e.key === '+' || e.key === '=') {
+      if (gestureMode !== 'zoompan') return;
       e.preventDefault();
       emit({ ...live, zoom: Math.min(3, live.zoom * 1.1) });
     } else if (e.key === '-' || e.key === '_') {
+      if (gestureMode !== 'zoompan') return;
       e.preventDefault();
       emit({ ...live, zoom: Math.max(0.5, live.zoom / 1.1) });
     }
@@ -340,6 +341,7 @@
     <div
       class="tw"
       class:dragging={!!drag}
+      class:mode-rotate={gestureMode === 'rotate'}
       bind:this={tapeWrap}
       role="group"
       aria-label="Tape alignment stage"
@@ -366,12 +368,6 @@
           <circle cx={lineX()} cy={y} r="5" fill={focusTick === id ? '#ff3d71' : '#000'} stroke="#fff" stroke-width="1.5" />
           <circle class="tick-hit" cx={lineX()} cy={y} r="34" fill="transparent" />
         {/each}
-        {#if interactive}
-          <g class="rot-handle">
-            <circle cx={STAGE_W / 2} cy={STAGE_H - 26} r="17" fill="rgba(0,0,0,.6)" stroke="#00e5ff" stroke-width="1.5" />
-            <text x={STAGE_W / 2} y={STAGE_H - 21} fill="#00e5ff" font-size="15" text-anchor="middle">↻</text>
-          </g>
-        {/if}
       </svg>
       {#if decoding && imgW === 0}
         <div class="loading">Decoding photo…</div>
@@ -400,6 +396,7 @@
     touch-action: none; user-select: none; cursor: grab;
   }
   .tw.dragging { cursor: grabbing; }
+  .tw.mode-rotate { cursor: ew-resize; }
   .vb {
     position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0;
     transform-origin: top left;
@@ -413,5 +410,4 @@
   .band.bot { bottom: 0; }
   .fixture { position: absolute; inset: 0; z-index: 2; pointer-events: none; }
   .tick-hit { pointer-events: auto; cursor: ns-resize; }
-  .rot-handle { pointer-events: auto; cursor: ew-resize; }
 </style>