What lens and stitchsoftware to use

[zappa]

Hello I'm Thijs,

A newbie from the Netherlands.
I take pictures with a canon 400D.
What I would like to know what lens and stitchsoftware I should use for making these panoramic views.

Is it possible to use a zoom lens and stitch 25 pictures together or do I have to use a special lens for optimal result? (what lens do you use and why?)

Grtnz,

Thijs :D

[Virtualguide]

Sigma 8mm/PTGui are the most common hw/sw solution I think, not so expensive with good performance

Personally I do not recommend You to shoot so much pictures (25...), U will have problems with stitching, moving objects such as people, clouds and sun, vehicles. Also if U decide to produce HDR photos in the future U will have not 25 but e.g. 25*3 pictures - stitching something like that takes a lot of time even with the best computer... I know what I am talking about :) ,
I personally use 2 cameras for fast work: one with fisheye lens for taking panos and second for taking more detail pictures.
By using Sigma 8 mm, I take 4*3 pictures for HDR cylindrical panos + 2*3 up and down for spherical projection = 18 pictures, very fast stitching in PTGui - buy PTGui PRO version if U want HDR support,
I really recommend You this solution to Your 400D camera.

What would the others reccomend?
Regards,
Igor

[Tuddi]

My camera is Olympus C-8080 Wide Zoom (25 pictures for a 360x180 pano... 28 if I am being cautious). In "panorama" mode the camera keeps the same settings which really makes the shooting simple(r).

Software I use is Realviz Stitcher and Immervision Pure Player...(with a bit of Bixorama from time to time).

I am looking into buying a new camera and will start using FPP when I have had it set up in a simple and accessible way for me.

[joantna]

Hello,
Sometimes I wonder how many time do people spend in finishing a single panorama.

Look a this panorama:
http://www.viajesvirtuales.es/2/109/Granada-Cathedral.html

It took me 20 minutes the whole process: taking the photographs, stitching, retouching and publishing. The result is not PERFECT (as would be a 10 points over 10) but I think that is quite acceptable.

My method?
Camera: Nikon 8700
Lens: Raynox 185 CF-Pro (Fisheye with 185 degrees)
Software: 3D Vista Stitcher + Panotools + Photovista Panorama + Pano2QTVR + Photoshop

1) I take 4 horizontal shots + One shot to the floor + One shot to the ceiling
2) Defish horizontal shots with 3D Vista Stitcher
3) Stitch with Photovista Panorama 3.0
4) Convert from Spheric projection to cubic and retouch floor a ceiling
5) Sharpening with Photoshop

... and thats all.

I would appreciate to know your comments, and also know the time you spend in each panorama.

Regards

[Tuddi]

Que BUENO José!

I'm not even on the same chart as you are when it comes to time consumption.

I have been aware of the need for me to get a new camera, and I really have to start taking the software available seriously and learn to use it in order to save time and get better end results.

Hans recommended me the PTGui, and now I have it, but haven't started testing it at all. The "smartblend" feature is also something I have never used (nor "emblend") so I have been doing way too much "touch up" manually.

If I take the worst case scenario I have had, it was around 32 hours for a single pano to be worked on... apart from the time it took to shoot it (and others at the same time).

Best time for me has been around 40 minutes computing after taking the pictures.

You are convincing me of the NEED to get a new camera equipment.

[DMCDigital]

Nice work for 20min....however IF I was being critical.....

Very Noisey, Poor Dynamic range and stitching errors are all present in this pano...for commercial use this would not be acceptable to me. Fine for fun use but If I were to do this for a client it would involve Bracketing probably 5 shots per stop on the rotator, then Mask/Layer work in Photoshop (I shoot a D200 with 10.5 so..6 around,Zenith,Nadir X 5 = 40 Shots...probably 1 - 2 hours in Photoshop/Stitching. Spending the time getting the Image right is what justifies
200-300 or more US Dollars per image vs. the quick and dirty 20 min pano

Just my opinion


Regards,

Dennis

[joantna]

Hi Dennis, You are right...but,
who pays 200 - 300 Dollars for a single panorama? If you find somebody you are very lucky !! ;-)

I have a project that involves hundreds of panoramas, because nobody pays for them, I had to find something fast and cheap. The idea behind of my website is to atract visitors, and taking profit of ads. Here in Spain nobody wants to pay more than 50 Euros for a panorama (a least I could not find anyone).

Well, if you want a fast and cheap solution you can follow my method. I even do not use tripod. All the panoramas in my website are taken handheld.

Anyway, I'm always looking for better results. If I find a better method I will change ;-) But it must be FAST... that is the key for me.

Best Regards

[Tuddi]

Some are even paying 3500 dollars for a single panorama... "normal" price seems to be in the range of 300 - 500 dollars per pano in Europe and US.

... but as you point out José, there is a lot of people who just want them for free... I have come across that mentality many times here in Peru.... and I find it quite amazing. I once had the "pleasure" of talking to the person in charge of one of the best hotels here in Peru (5 star), they were interested in having 44 panos made, I presented my offer, and it was swept off the table immediately. I asked what the problem was. "Too expensive" was the answer. I pointed out that my prices were more than 5 times lower than what is common for commercial panos in Europe and the US. "Too expensive" I was told again.
"So how much had you planned for this project?" I asked.
"These are only pictures you are taking, so you can't charge this much for them! We would never pay more than 20 dollars for each photo."
This very same hotel charges 1000 dollars per night for their presidential suite... and it's "only a place where people can sleep".... why should they charge anything at all? I could have asked .... but all I did was to state that I had no reason to give my work to a business that was interested in having the work made.

So I fully understand your need for a quick procedure. For the moment I have the same need for a project I'm starting for a client... one that isn't going to pay anything for the initial work, but I will get 5% off all advertizing that will be sold into the panoramas, and they will also promote (aldredy doing so) my business to their clients. So even though the deal is free for them from the start, I will get very good coverage advertising-wise, which will hopefully result in paying customers.

[joantna]

Hi Tuddi,
what you explain is more or less the same I have heard several times. But it is not discouraging, it forces me to look for new ways of taking profit of panoramic photography.

At least here in Spain, people is not prepared for paying such prices, it's a pitty but ...

Anyway, I try to make panoramas with a good quality, for me it is important to be able to take the photographs without tripod. Recently I read an Intervew to Hans Nyberg where he told that now he tends to make the panoramas handheld. I'm pursuing the superb quiality of his panoramas... meanwhile I will try to make the best I can. But I think, as you wrote in a previous post, that the equipment is the key, I will try a better camera and a better lens (I have heard that sigma lenses are the best).

Regards