Panorama Trials and Tribulations (warning very wide images)

[OM USer]

Originally Posted by Walti

...So my latest Scottish scenery panorama was 40 frames merged together...

Originally Posted by MJ224

At Dynevor looking west

Originally Posted by IainMacD

...This was 5 (possibly 6) shots at 18mm (the limit of the lens I was using) the height is quite restricted by the curving of each image for the stitch before cropping but it just about works.

Walti, Mark, Iain
Thank you for contributing your efforts to show me what I am aiming for.

[OM USer]

So my simple pano was just 6 shots. These 6 in fact. The overlap was only about 25% so I had nothing to discard and had to use the middle 50% of each shot. Images 2 and 3 clearly show how turning the camera has affected the percieved angle of the roads and the last 2 show the same effect with the wall even though the overlap was a bit more generous.

[DerekW]

I like to create the web based panos such as
http://www.w9259.co.uk/Arches%20NP%2...arches1_1.html

select the web link and then use the icons to navigate around and zoom in the image.

I use the crudest of techniques - lots of images merged in Photoshop or Lightroom and then processed in Pano2VR.

[wanderer]

I do a lot of panoramas and have done for many years (1981 with an OM-1!).
I have a set of tick-offs.
I usually use a tripod and get it set up as level as possible.
Try not to use wide angle focal lengths, 17mm in MFT at most , preferably the long side of 25mm.
Always use portrait format (gives you more foreground to work with). Aperture priority, focus point somewhere about 10-20m into picture (post processing will crop out the really close stuff).
WB usually takes care of itself.
30% minimum overlap.
Swing through the whole view to check what you want or not, this also tells you where you are going if hand holding (and if handholding 'unwind' yourself).
I haven't bothered with nodal points for years and have never had a problem.
Try for a finished image no more than 8 to 1 otherwise its too long.
In post processing if the option of cylindrical or spherical format is offered I usually take cylindrical as this reduces distortion.
If you want a real challenge try a vertical panorama. I have probably done less than 10.
If I find out how to upload images I'll stick a couple on.

[alfbranch]

There is a lot of tosh talked about panoramas with the right stitching program handheld stitches are easy
I tend not like such wide panoramas myself

Here are some

Banff and the bow river by Alf Branch, on Flickr

This is through the window of a moving helicopter

The Rockies 1- by Alf Branch, on Flickr

Maligne lake panorama by Alf Branch, on Flickr

[MJ224]

Excellent views Alf...……...

[OM USer]

Originally Posted by DerekW

I like to create the web based panos ...I use the crudest of techniques - lots of images merged in Photoshop or Lightroom and then processed in Pano2VR.

Derek, thank you for the idea.

Originally Posted by wanderer

I do a lot of panoramas and have done for many years.... I have a set of tick-offs.
I usually use a tripod and get it set up as level as possible.
Try not to use wide angle focal lengths, 17mm in MFT at most , preferably the long side of 25mm.
Always use portrait format (gives you more foreground to work with). Aperture priority, focus point somewhere about 10-20m into picture (post processing will crop out the really close stuff).
WB usually takes care of itself.
30% minimum overlap.
Swing through the whole view to check what you want or not, this also tells you where you are going if hand holding (and if handholding 'unwind' yourself).
I haven't bothered with nodal points for years and have never had a problem.
Try for a finished image no more than 8 to 1 otherwise its too long.
In post processing if the option of cylindrical or spherical format is offered I usually take cylindrical as this reduces distortion.
....

Duncan, thanks for the tips. When I took these shots I hadn't given much thought as to how to maximise their effectiveness and just assumed the Olypus software would do exactly what I wanted.

[OM USer]

Originally Posted by alfbranch

There is a lot of tosh talked about panoramas with the right stitching program handheld stitches are easy
I tend not like such wide panoramas myself. Here are some...

Nice panoramas Alf.

Perhaps I was being a bit ambitious with a 6 shot pano and 25% overlap but I rarely do panoramas and have yet to learn its limitations.

[blu-by-u]

I have copied with permission the photos by OM USER and did a stitch using Affinity Photo.

With this, I did a pincushion correction. ie, I push the center bulge back. I did not correct the slant and by the time I cropped the wave off and the slant, there wasn't much left.



Same photo same stitching but this time, I corrected the waves individually. then I rotated the image clockwise just a few degrees, then using the wrap function, I stretch the photo slightly at the 2 ends..

[OM USer]

Originally Posted by blu-by-u

I have copied with permission the photos by OM USER and did a stitch using Affinity Photo.

Henry, thank you for putting in the time and effort.

Originally Posted by blu-by-u

[1] With this, I did a pincushion correction. ie, I push the center bulge back. I did not correct the slant and by the time I cropped the wave off and the slant, there wasn't much left.

[2]Same photo same stitching but this time, I corrected the waves individually. then I rotated the image clockwise just a few degrees, then using the wrap function, I stretch the photo slightly at the 2 ends.

These look very good with regards to matching the tones, white balance, and brightness. Much better than I managed manually. The centre looks very good in #1. I like the 2nd one better overall (really this is down to that path out of the car park looking a bit straighter) although I notice a slight blip where the roads in the forground bend a bit sharpish. I streched the ends on mine a little as well, just to bring the people back into the usual shape.

[blu-by-u]

Originally Posted by OM USer

.... I notice a slight blip where the roads in the forground bend a bit sharpish......

It was only a 5 min job. I am still learning what I can do with the software and your photos cam in handy.

now that you mentioned it, I think it's caused by the straightening.

[Phill D]

Been a bit busy lately so only just caught up with this. What a great learning thread guys, well done everyone. This ought to be a sticky I'd say.