[little laker]

I just thought that I'd post this 18 image pano from today here for the people that don't see it on the post your photos section.

It was shot using a Vivitar 28mm f2.8 lens, on f5.6. Hand Held Vertically.

I don't recommend hand holding the camera for panoramics, but you can do it.
I also don't recommend that people with bad backs hike with any additional weight, like tripods

[tgrimes]

I appreciate all the responses to my question. Lots of great advice, but I am dense. On my P&S, in panorama mode, it showed me the last image with a line to over lap the next image and so on. It is very easy to align images for great panorama shots. I have tried for the last two weeks with my K100D to figure out how to align the last image with the new and I just can figure it out. Some of you mentioned an overlap of 30% or so...how the heck do I overlap if I can't see the last image in my viewfinder? Do I just guess? Thanks for the help all...I am not totally inept, I did manage to get a picture I took with my new K100D published in the local newspaper this week :-)

thanks...tg

[little laker]

What I do is take the first picture, and look for a landmark through the viewfinder.
I then use this landmark to judge how far I have to rotate my camera.
It's really easy after the first or second. I just did a 42 image pano the other day (2 layers) using this technique.

[tgrimes]

WOW 42 images...with no guide except your memory and eye...that is going to take some practice indeed...yikes...i"ll experiment tomorrow...what does 2 layers mean? BTW little laker, maybe you can point me to some good books to learn. I bought one called "Understanding Exposure" by Byran Peterson...really great book with loads of information and fantastic pictures I am finding useful and understandable. Any others I should consider?

tg

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Last edited by tgrimes; 01-11-2008 at 11:46 PM.

[little laker]

Understanding Exposure is supposed to be the bible, although I hate to say I'm self taught.

I did ask a retired pro for some advice when I started and here's what he told me.

I can't honestly say. Everything I've learned is on my own the long, trial and error way. I was naturally blessed with creativity and just adapted my study of painting into the photography world. It still comes down to composition and lighting.

I "DO" think that a digital SLR will give you some idea of how things work, though. Because you can experiment and get a quick answer it shortens the learning curve. All camera work still boils down to film speed, aperature setting and speed setting. You can experiment with an SLR digital without it costing any money. Knowing WHAT you want to achieve before you start will give you some idea of where you are going. If I have one secret it is to write down notes when you experiment and see what the results are. Do simple tests with a solid tripod and the timer setting so there is no camera shake to alter the results.

Magazines offer SOME techniques, but you have to read a lot of them before finding something with REAL information. Too many magazine writers (on all topics) just rehash the same old stuff.

I would look in some art galleries and try to analize what paintings work for you. Try to figure out what makes one picture better than another. And, of course, realize that everyone has a different taste in what is "right".

All the best, Ian

What I mean as a 2 layer pano is shooting one layer higher than normal, then shooting a layer lower than normal.

I then join the top layer together, and then the bottom layer together so they look like this.

and


I then join those 2 layers together, and it's done.

Here's the final results


It's a fair amount of extra work, but I wanted the challenge. Plus I'm selling a fair amount of panoramic's, so it often pays off.

I wouldn't worry about 2 layer pano's yet, most that I sell are only single layer.

I'm looking forward to seeing your results tomorrow.
Please feel free to send me a private message if you need any help with it, and I'll see if I can help you with it.
I'll probably be busy most of the day, but free in the evening.

[tgrimes]

Thanks for the tips Stu. I tried a few panoramas today but they just didn't work out. I tried both hand held and tripod. Close, but not quite the same quality as my P&S. I can see the potential though. I'll have to work on my technique. Yours are stunning. I sure am having fun with this K100D, but boy does it eat batteries fast. I bought some rechargeables today.

Having trouble posting pics here.

[little laker]

Would you be able to post a few of the photographs you took with your K100 tgrimes, I'd like to see if I can make a pano with them. Or give you some advice on what went wrong.

I've heard that some K100 cameras eat batteries. Although I get 600 - 800 photographs on a charge with mine.
I can't complain about that number.

Make sure that the rechargeables you get say they're good for camera use. Otherwise you'll have the same problems with them.

[distudio]

Thanks for the tips Stu. I tried a few panoramas today but they just didn't work out. I tried both hand held and tripod. Close, but not quite the same quality as my P&S. I can see the potential though. I'll have to work on my technique. Yours are stunning. I sure am having fun with this K100D, but boy does it eat batteries fast. I bought some rechargeables today.

You appear to have omitted to mention the application that you are using to assemble your K100D pano sequences. Knowing what you are using may help in finding you a remedy as it should be no more difficult (easier perhaps) to produce a pano sequence using the K100D than a P&S.

Regarding batteries if you can find them the Sanyo Eneloops are great, they will provide 500+ shots on a charge and their self discharge rate is very low so maintenance is far less of an issue than it used to be.

Cheers,

[tgrimes]

Good point...I use a program called ACDsee for Pentax v 5.1.0.0001 it works great for pictures I take with my Optio 5Si. should I try another program that works better with SLRs? Should be another beautiful day tomorrow so I'm gonna give it another try then. Thanks for the help...I'll try and post a link to the pics as well.

Tim

[distudio]

Good point...I use a program called ACDsee for Pentax v 5.1.0.0001 it works great for pictures I take with my Optio 5Si. should I try another program that works better with SLRs? Should be another beautiful day tomorrow so I'm gonna give it another try then. Thanks for the help...I'll try and post a link to the pics as well.

Hi Tim,

It's not the best etiquette but you might consider checking this recent thread on a rival forum as it's directly relative to your question:

panorama software: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

Cheers,

[little laker]

I use ACDSEE Pro for my normal editing, but haven't even looked to see if I can make a pano in it.
There pro software is good, but I can't say about the rest.

[FotoPete]

Autostitch is a very handy program and does a relatively good job when lining up your photos.



(Click to see a slightly larger version)

17 vertical photos stitched with varying degrees of overlap. Taken with a Vivitar Series 1 70-210/3.5 (Ver2) at 70mm. The photo is not really that good, was kinda cloudy, not to mention whipping cold and I just wanted to capture the view.

Just shows what you can do though.

[mtnbearhug]

I did my first bigger pano last week (23 vertical) and worked on it all weekend.. UGH.. Now I understand why you shouldn't use autofocus... Atleast I am assuming that is why I have the variances in the sky color??? I even cropped the second one down a bit to get rid of some of the sky...

This first is with just a bit of PP...


This one is working with the sky for a couple of hours.. trying to make it work.


If you want to see a bigger copy of the pic.. you can use this link. and click on the postable pciture and then full size once it opens... mtnbearhug/Panos - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

I will be posting a thread in the photos section for some more advice but what I ended up doing is cropping the pano in half to get rid of the blotches.. (sniff sniff)

So anyway.. it really is just trial and error and learning to use manual..

I have never had trouble with stitching in autostitch... only once when I was taking a picture of a train under a tree and I zoomed in on the first shot.. thought hmmm this would make a good little pano.. then took the rest of the picture of the train.. unzoomed.. well that first pic didn't stitch on... lol..

[Stratman]

My first attempt using auto stitch, hand held 5 shot pano of some big rocks !! Used autostitch to put them together, a little cropping the uneven edges in PSE3 and it looks ok to me. To give you a size scale on this, the tallest rock is about 15 feet tall..

[jnorth]

I did my first bigger pano last week (23 vertical) and worked on it all weekend.. UGH.. Now I understand why you shouldn't use autofocus... Atleast I am assuming that is why I have the variances in the sky color??? I even cropped the second one down a bit to get rid of some of the sky...

manwell is your friend

manwell exposure & manwell white balance.

Pick your pano region and meter it, and manually set your exposure to an appropriate setting so as not to over or underexpose the region. Pick an ap. that will keep things looking consistent and leave the focus alone too once set.

Those point and shoots sure can make slr's look bad when it comes to quicky two or three frame panos but try doing a 14 rows by 14 columns image and that's where some good software and an SLR really shine.

Gigapixel Images

I wouldn't want to use a fisheye for a pano unless it was a qtvr type pano.