Nick De Marco
Well-known
Can anyone please advise who has experience of this.
I like to stich shots together to make panoramas and have had some success with DSLRs and once or twice my Mamiya 7 doing this.
I am now thinking of getting a proper pano tripod head to improve quality.
First, does anyone know if the 'Manfrotto MN303 Quick Time VR Kit' (http://www.camera-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Manfrotto_VR_Heads.html) will work with the mamiya 7 (I can see it will with my digital cameras but won't buy it just for that.
Second, does anyone have good experiences with stitching together scanned 6x7 negatives, which they can share.
Thanks in advance for the advice.
Nick
I like to stich shots together to make panoramas and have had some success with DSLRs and once or twice my Mamiya 7 doing this.
I am now thinking of getting a proper pano tripod head to improve quality.
First, does anyone know if the 'Manfrotto MN303 Quick Time VR Kit' (http://www.camera-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Manfrotto_VR_Heads.html) will work with the mamiya 7 (I can see it will with my digital cameras but won't buy it just for that.
Second, does anyone have good experiences with stitching together scanned 6x7 negatives, which they can share.
Thanks in advance for the advice.
Nick
sevo
Fokutorendaburando
Can't look up the specs, as Manfrotto seem to have thrashed their (always boringly slow) web site for good. But there is no reason why it should not, mechanically, unless it is too low or short, which it should not if it holds pro DSLRs - I've hired very similar contraptions for panoramic stitching with even bulkier Mamiya Press cameras.
But a Mamiya 7 (or indeed any other camera without at least a ground glass back) would be rather ugly to set up for a pan/tilt head - blindly aligning the nodal point of a camera/lens combination to the head with feedback only through lab developed film will take ages and cost a arm and a leg.
Sevo
But a Mamiya 7 (or indeed any other camera without at least a ground glass back) would be rather ugly to set up for a pan/tilt head - blindly aligning the nodal point of a camera/lens combination to the head with feedback only through lab developed film will take ages and cost a arm and a leg.
Sevo
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martin s
Well-known
Nick De Marco
Well-known
Thanks for the info, and the link
venchka
Veteran
Don't waste money
Don't waste money
Before you waste a bunch of money, try the camera on a regular 3-way tripod head. You may not need the fancy head.
Samples from my Pentax 6x7. My first try ever. Stitched with Hugin, a FREE software package. Things I learned: Use a longer lens. The lens I used here was the normal 105mm lens. Next time I will back up and try the 150mm lens. Second: Turn the frame vertical and make more images. Third: Frame loose. Stitiching always cuts off image top & bottom. Frame so you don't loose the important stuff.
Keep it Simple! Start with a regular tripod head and free software. Spend money as you find out what works and what doesn't work.
Don't waste money
Before you waste a bunch of money, try the camera on a regular 3-way tripod head. You may not need the fancy head.
Samples from my Pentax 6x7. My first try ever. Stitched with Hugin, a FREE software package. Things I learned: Use a longer lens. The lens I used here was the normal 105mm lens. Next time I will back up and try the 150mm lens. Second: Turn the frame vertical and make more images. Third: Frame loose. Stitiching always cuts off image top & bottom. Frame so you don't loose the important stuff.
Keep it Simple! Start with a regular tripod head and free software. Spend money as you find out what works and what doesn't work.
Nick De Marco
Well-known
Thanks Wayne - nice photos
The thing is I have done a number of panoramas over the years, many I have been happy with, buts especially when taking landscapes in non-ideal conditions you can really notice the anygle of the camera on the pripod head moving as you pan left to right, and without a proper tripod head it's very difficult to straighten it at each point, so I do need a head that allows you to do this.
I would be interested though to know if you found it easy to stitch given you were using scanned negatives though..
Nick
The thing is I have done a number of panoramas over the years, many I have been happy with, buts especially when taking landscapes in non-ideal conditions you can really notice the anygle of the camera on the pripod head moving as you pan left to right, and without a proper tripod head it's very difficult to straighten it at each point, so I do need a head that allows you to do this.
I would be interested though to know if you found it easy to stitch given you were using scanned negatives though..
Nick
didjiman
Richard Man
Would a Gaoersi 617 be easier overall and not break a bank?
kuzano
Veteran
NOt if a $500 Fuji will do the job... 6X9
NOt if a $500 Fuji will do the job... 6X9
First, I came to the conclusion that the Pano heads for simple end to end 2 or 3 shots are a waste of money for the stuff I want panos from.... landscape and beyond 30 feet for most part.
The problem with not revolving around the Nodal Point is over-hyped on anything but table top studio work or closeups. Furthermore, who is going to do a pano of portrait work.
I use a level atop the camera and a good tripod with my 6X9 Fuji range finder (G690bl - 100mm lens). I was advised by someone who uses this technique professionally to stay away from wide angle lenses. Since you're doing pano anyway, you get more usable images with the standard lens. The stitching provides the width. I rotate the camera per the level, and make a clear visual distinction about overlapping the frames 25%, to give the pano software plenty of identical data to stitch.
Also... I use a three way tripod head.. nothing fancy. I want rotation to be a movement of it's own after I get the camera level. I also have a tab with a level sticking out from the bottom (rotation movement). Level that as close to level with leg adjustments to insure a level rotation. So the rotation platform AND the camera will be level.
I have been very pleased with stitching 2 into 6X17 and 3 into 6X24 simply using Photoshop Elements pano and blend feature.
One thing you have to attempt to do is set up for fast action. It helps to get the images on film in a short period to avoid changes in exposure (never been a problem after doing it a couple of times).
In deference to those who think I am wrong about the need for Pano hardware, I did locate the Nodal Point on my Fuji 100mm lens. It is 6 centimeters in front of the tripod socket on my 690. So, I made a simple steel bracket which moves my camera 6CM back from the tripod mount screw. My camera now rotates under the lens Nodal Point. There is plenty of information on the internet about locating the Nodal Point (Exit Pupil), including that information published on some camera/lens combinations.
Aside from being quite satisfied with the result, I take great financial comfort in the fact that I did not spend $3-500 on needless panoramic hardware, and that I did not spend $3000 for a Pano camera and all the fittings, etc. Besides that, I don't think I ever want to try to load a roll film back that has a film gate 6 inches long... Uuuugh!!!
Let me reiterate one point again in a simpler way. In all the studying I did to decide about the Pano head..... I came to this conclusion.
If all your images are shot within15-20 feet of the camera... you probably need a fancy panoramic head. Also if you're doing architectural shooting INSIDE, perhaps.
NOt if a $500 Fuji will do the job... 6X9
First, I came to the conclusion that the Pano heads for simple end to end 2 or 3 shots are a waste of money for the stuff I want panos from.... landscape and beyond 30 feet for most part.
The problem with not revolving around the Nodal Point is over-hyped on anything but table top studio work or closeups. Furthermore, who is going to do a pano of portrait work.
I use a level atop the camera and a good tripod with my 6X9 Fuji range finder (G690bl - 100mm lens). I was advised by someone who uses this technique professionally to stay away from wide angle lenses. Since you're doing pano anyway, you get more usable images with the standard lens. The stitching provides the width. I rotate the camera per the level, and make a clear visual distinction about overlapping the frames 25%, to give the pano software plenty of identical data to stitch.
Also... I use a three way tripod head.. nothing fancy. I want rotation to be a movement of it's own after I get the camera level. I also have a tab with a level sticking out from the bottom (rotation movement). Level that as close to level with leg adjustments to insure a level rotation. So the rotation platform AND the camera will be level.
I have been very pleased with stitching 2 into 6X17 and 3 into 6X24 simply using Photoshop Elements pano and blend feature.
One thing you have to attempt to do is set up for fast action. It helps to get the images on film in a short period to avoid changes in exposure (never been a problem after doing it a couple of times).
In deference to those who think I am wrong about the need for Pano hardware, I did locate the Nodal Point on my Fuji 100mm lens. It is 6 centimeters in front of the tripod socket on my 690. So, I made a simple steel bracket which moves my camera 6CM back from the tripod mount screw. My camera now rotates under the lens Nodal Point. There is plenty of information on the internet about locating the Nodal Point (Exit Pupil), including that information published on some camera/lens combinations.
Aside from being quite satisfied with the result, I take great financial comfort in the fact that I did not spend $3-500 on needless panoramic hardware, and that I did not spend $3000 for a Pano camera and all the fittings, etc. Besides that, I don't think I ever want to try to load a roll film back that has a film gate 6 inches long... Uuuugh!!!
Let me reiterate one point again in a simpler way. In all the studying I did to decide about the Pano head..... I came to this conclusion.
If all your images are shot within15-20 feet of the camera... you probably need a fancy panoramic head. Also if you're doing architectural shooting INSIDE, perhaps.
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venchka
Veteran
kuzano said it all. Keep it Simple. Spend your money on film.
I will repeat one thing he said: Level the tripod. Level the camera. Observe the camera when you rotate it to make sure the camera and film plane remain level. It's easy to forget and only level the camera. Then when you rotate the camera it is not level.
Check for level. Have fun.
My scanned negatives even stitch with Windows ICE autostitiching software.
I will repeat one thing he said: Level the tripod. Level the camera. Observe the camera when you rotate it to make sure the camera and film plane remain level. It's easy to forget and only level the camera. Then when you rotate the camera it is not level.
Check for level. Have fun.
My scanned negatives even stitch with Windows ICE autostitiching software.
ferider
Veteran
Correct for nodal point only if you have a deep focus range (like objects at infinity and a few meters away).
Panoramas don't have to be level. Try free hand first. Use the right software, it can correct perspective distortion. It can not correct parallax shift. I can recommend AutopanoPro, works for big panoramas, supports multi-threading, is not expensive.
Use a normal lens. Preferrably nothing wide.
These are 35mm, not MF but scanned at 4000dpi.
Etc.
Roland.
Panoramas don't have to be level. Try free hand first. Use the right software, it can correct perspective distortion. It can not correct parallax shift. I can recommend AutopanoPro, works for big panoramas, supports multi-threading, is not expensive.
Use a normal lens. Preferrably nothing wide.
These are 35mm, not MF but scanned at 4000dpi.
Etc.
Roland.