Panoramic Gear suggestions

Shane422

After seeing a gorgeous pano by Andy from Yosemite, I've got the bug to get the gear to do something similar on my trip to Yosemite in May. Andy suggested the great gear at Really Right Stuff, but since this isn't something I plan on doing a lot, I don't quite have a budget that can handle the RRS equipment.

So does anyone have experience using these panoramic tripod heads, or any other that are priced in this range?
Panosaurus ($75)
Nodal Ninja ($149)

dbd

Shane422 wrote:

After seeing a gorgeous pano by Andy from Yosemite, I've got the bug to get the gear to do something similar on my trip to Yosemite in May. Andy suggested the great gear at Really Right Stuff, but since this isn't something I plan on doing a lot, I don't quite have a budget that can handle the RRS equipment.

So does anyone have experience using these panoramic tripod heads, or any other that are priced in this range?
Panosaurus ($75)
Nodal Ninja ($149)

I own both of these devices. I've shot over a thousand panoramas in the last two years. And I've never used either one. For landscapes without close foregrounds they just aren't necessary. Purchasing these devices has saved me a great deal of money over RRS though. You might consider putting a small investment into stitching software. This can pay off in time and convenience. I've been happy with PTGui, YMMV. Most stitching software has a free trial.

For an image example see:
http://dbdimages.smugmug.com/photos/235938389-O.jpg
Some of the very closest foreground rocks are not in focus, but most are and they show no artifacts. This image was stitched from 26 images shot on a tripod w/o special panoramic mounts.

Dale B. Dalrymple

Shane422

dbd wrote:

I own both of these devices. I've shot over a thousand panoramas in the last two years. And I've never used either one.

I looked at several of your Panos and they are very nice. So is your technique just to level the tripod, then pan with the tripod head and overlap?

dbd

Shane422 wrote:

So is your technique just to level the tripod, then pan with the tripod head and overlap?

That's all it takes to get you started and is all that is necessary for a lot of landscape images. Leveling is not absolutely necessary, but it is easier to handle stitching with most software if you do.

Vertical works too:
http://dbdimages.smugmug.com/photos/122778000_dUbmy-X3-1.jpg

What I really want to suggest is that you start with minimal equipment and determine how well shooting panoramas is working for you and your subjects. Then decide how much you want or need to invest for what you wish to achieve. Don't wait until you buy a lot of equipment or go on an expensive trip to experiment. Start with your least distorting lenses. Avoid the widest angle lens settings and close objects at first.

Dale B. Dalrymple
http://dbdimages.com

rpcrowe

I have a Panosaurus
I also don't believe that it is necessary for single string panoramas in which the subject isn't up close to the camera. Where the Panosaurus and other Pano aids come in handy is when your subject or subjects are close to the camera (like indoor shooting) or when you desire to shoot multi-string panos.

I can hold a camera level enough and swivel around my hips smoothly enough to be able to shoot a short single-string pano hand-held. However, this is only in a dire emergency. I prefer to use a tripod or monopod whenever possible. I find that the stitching capability of Photoshop CS3 is just fine for my stitching needs.

One really good way to shoot a pano is to shoot it with the camera in the portrait position. That way you can use a longer focal length lens and have the same top to bottom angle of view as you would have with a much wider lens. However the longer focal length lens gives a nicer effect. As an example, a 24mm lens in portrait mode will give you roughly the same top to bottom angle of view as a 16mm lens in landscape configuration. Of course, the coverage right to left is limited only by the number of images you stitch together. It is also easier to stitch a pano using a longer focal length lens than it is to stitch one using a very wide angle lens because of less distortion.

It is, of course, easier to use any camera in the portrait position on a tripod (at any time - not just when shooting panos) if you use an "L" bracket. Many of the major tripod head manufacturers have L brackets in their inventory, including Manfrotto, Kirk, RRS, Arca and Giottos. The brackets and heads are not all interchangeable. As an example, I had to modify a RRS L bracket to use it on my supposedly Arca compatible Giottos head.

Great comparison between pano and wide angle shot:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1018&message=17572474

Multi string pano examples:
http://www.tawbaware.com/maxlyons/index.html

A final comment, IMO; esthetically it is nice when you can "anchor" each end of your pano with a distinctive object, like mountains, buildings, etc.

Shane422

I actually have a couple of different "visions" for what I want to do with Panos. 1st is some Real Estate work. I have a friend who is starting a lighting store that would like me to do some of the QTVR work for him. 2nd, on my Yosemite trip, I will be with about 8 other guys, and I was thinking of doing some Panoramic portraits with the guys and Yosemite landscapes in the background. So I will have ojects close enough that I will probably need to worry about finding the Nodal point to correct for parralex.

So dbd, if you want to sell off either of your heads, let me know. Otherwise I may start talking to a buddy who has a machine shop about building me something.

Here was a pano I took from turn 1 at the Indy 500 last year. It was about 10 pics stitched in Photoshop. So I do have a bit of experience to lean on.

rpcrowe

Nodal Point
I really like your racing image. Here are some links to nodal point information that might interest you:

http://www.path.unimelb.edu.au/~bernardk/tutorials/360/index.html

http://doug.kerr.home.att.net/pumpkin/Pivot_Point.pdf

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1029&message=16638706

http://www.vrphotography.com/data/pages/techtutorials/technotes/nodalptalign-tn.html

Best of luck on your future panos. IMO panos are a really exciting way to photograph!

claudermilk

If it helps any, here's what I plan on doing (and am nearly there): use a standard ballhead with panning base (RRS BH-40 in my case), get a leveling base like the Manfrotto 3502. Then take the pano & stitch with PTGui. Should be enought for what I plan on doing (landscapes).

dbd

I think I'll keep the panorama nodal mounts because I really, really intend to shoot some panoramas with close foregrounds.

You can trade off time and money. RRS BH-40 at $300 and up and $75 for the leveling mount can be replaced by a 3-way panoramoic head for $125 and a $15 level. The downside, you need to level the tripod and then level the camera and more bulk from the handles on the head. The upside, $235, a larger level that is easier to read accurately and in low light and long convenient handles on the head to position the camera with. When I shoot 20 or more images for one panorama and perhaps more than one panorama from a single tripod setup, the accuracy gained and pointing convenience means more to me than the setup time. And I often shoot where there is nobody to show expensive gear off to. YMMV!

Dale B. Dalrymple
http://dbdimages.com

ian408

Andy shoots with Really Right Stuff Panorama gear.

A lot of us are RRS customers and I'll say this, their gear is top notch and works
very well together. For example; the L brackets are marked with a center line. Same
with the ball head and the pano gear. Makes setup a piece of cake. You still need to
get the nodal point set but that's really about it.

Hope that helps.

Entropy512

If you're good with tools you can also find quite a lot of info on DIY pano heads. Not as good as some of the super high end ones, but for many people it might be "good enough".

I'm planning on building myself a pano head in a month or two.

Shane422

Actually, I bought a Panosaurus last night and am waiting for it to arrive. If I use it enough, I may upgrade to some of the RRS equipment eventually. It does look like the best and simplest option, although a bit more pricey than I was planning on. So the Panosaurus will be a good start to see how much I'm going to use this type of product.

ian408

Shane422 wrote:

Actually, I bought a Panosaurus last night and am waiting for it to arrive. If I use it enough, I may upgrade to some of the RRS equipment eventually. It does look like the best and simplest option, although a bit more pricey than I was planning on. So the Panosaurus will be a good start to see how much I'm going to use this type of product.

Let us see your results and if you wouldn't mind, a mini review would be
awesome.

ian408

I've removed most of the exchange between dbd and myself as it doesn't
add anything to the OP's original request.

Apologies for taking the thread off topic.

OsirisPhoto

I would echo the advice about saving your money.

This is a 360 degree pano inside a 2metre wide chamber...

http://www.hyperchamber.com/virtual_chamber_tour/

..using a cheap tripod and a film camera.

Shane422

Osiris: That looks pretty cool. Thanks for posting the link.

Ian: I'll definitely post a minireview of the Panosaurus after I spend a bit of time with it.

ian408

Shane422 wrote:

Osiris: That looks pretty cool. Thanks for posting the link.

Ian: I'll definitely post a minireview of the Panosaurus after I spend a bit of time with it.

Thank you!

Ian