Notice: this article is likely to end with a panoramic patella on your wish list . And I think there should be few people left on the face of the earth that has not yet taken a panoramic photograph . Because the truth is, hey, how cool are the photos, right? And not only that, they are also a fantastic way to photograph landscapes at a great angle without necessarily having a wide angle lens. Or to photograph architecture without having to walk two kilometers back trying to cover a building. The truth is that it has many creative and compositional possibilities and more when most phones have this option integrated in their camera.
Now, if you've already messed with your phone, you might want something better. It is also possible that you have already taken the next step by giving your hands freehand, and tried to join the photos with an editing program. Maybe the result is not bad, but is it perfect? Probably not.
To be perfect, you need an essential ingredient: the panoramic kneecap.
I will explain why and I will leave you some recommendations of panoramic ball joints.
If you do not want to invest too much, Ebay , it can also be an option where to find a panoramic kneecap, and even, if you have the skill and desire, you can do it yourself.
WHAT IS PANORAMIC PHOTOGRAPHY?
Panoramic photography is mainly achieved through the sum of several photographs thus allowing us to cover a much wider portion of the scene than with any other system, also avoiding deformations associated with very angular lenses such as fisheye or similar. The "sum" of the photographs is done through an editing program in an agile and simple way. The more optimized and correct the original photographs are, the better results will be obtained in the final panoramic image. Avoiding to the maximum the cuts or the malformations in the zones of union.WHAT IS A PANORAMIC KNEECAP?
The panoramic kneecap is a specific head for panoramic photography, which allows us to move the camera so that the optical center of the lens (or nodal point) does not vary . This is important, because if we move the optical center, we will have what is known as parallax error. The parallax error causes that when joining the images ( Stitching ) in the edition, you have distortions that affect the quality of the final image. For this it is very important that the optical center (or nodal point) is kept as fixed as possible. That is, in short, the function of the panoramic patella .TYPES OF PANORAMIC BALL JOINTS
Like everything, depending on the dedication and the specific use that you are going to give it, you can find different prices. The best known are the Ninja Nodal . If you are going to use it continuously or you are going to make panoramas that need a high level of grip security of the equipment (for example images from above, nadires, etc.) and / or want to add elements or accessories in the future, these are the more recommended. Also Manfrotto, Leofoto, and other brands, make this type of kneecaps. You will find different prices and qualities. Here are some that you can find on Amazon:Manfrotto MHPANOVR - VR panoramic ball joint to capture 360 ° photos and videos * - Accessory
From
Price: € 360.42
(As of: 2020/02/05 5:53 am - Details)
1 new from € 360.42 0 Second hand
Watch now *
(* = Affiliate Link / Image Source: Amazon Affiliate Program)
Manfrotto MH057A5-LONG - Ball joint for 1 / 4-20 "tripod (with Quick Change Device), Black * - Camera
From Manfrotto (Designer)
Price: € 551.94
(As of: 2020/02/05 5:53 am - Details)
1 new from € 551.94 0 Second hand
Watch now *
(* = Affiliate Link / Image Source: Amazon Affiliate Program)
Andoer BK-45 Professional Tripod Ball Joint Metal 360 Degree Panorama Gimbal Head Tripod for Canon Nikon Sony Telephoto * - Camera
From
Price: € 52.49
(As of: 2020/02/05 5:53 am - Details)
1 new from € 52.49 0 Second hand
Watch now *
(* = Affiliate Link / Image Source: Amazon Affiliate Program)
Neewer Professional Ball Head Ball Head for Camera Tripod Includes 360 ° Panoramic Swivel Panoramic Indexing 2 Way Sliding Rail L-Bracket Load up to 3kg * - Electronics
From
Price: € 36.79
(As of: 2020/02/05 5:53 am - Details)
You save: € 4.60 (11%) (11%)
4 new from € 36.79 0 Second hand
Watch now *
(* = Affiliate Link / Image Source: Amazon Affiliate Program)
HOW TO PAN
Once the camera is placed on top of the panoramic head,- Find an environment that lends itself to it. Landscapes , Skylines of cities, squares, great monuments, etc.
- Avoid movement ahead of the optics.
- Take care of the composition.
- Adding a human element can help you increase interest and add the sense of scale.
- Preferably use a medium focal length (35 or 50mm).
- Maintain the same speed settings, ISO, white balance, etc. for all panoramic shots.
- Overlap each image with the previous one by at least 20-30%. The editing program will delete what you do not need, but will not add with good result if there is a missing scene.
- Take the images with the camera in vertical format if the destination is a horizontal format.
- And horizontally if the destination is a vertical format.
- Activate the help guides to make sure the images are aligned correctly.
- Check that the tripod is well aligned with the ground. It is highly recommended that if your tripod does not have a bubble level, you get one to do this type of checks.
Use the JavaScript Beautifier to organize and beautify your scripts before launching websites.
