[Oakland Rob]

Anyone using 360 panorama heads with a K-3ii and say a fisheye or Samyang 16mm? Like the Nodal Ninja 3? I'm interested in what's out there, and especially whether anyone has put together something on their own from L brackets, nodal slides, pano heads and the like.

[C_Jones]

An L bracket, along with the use of my in camera level (rear lcd), on my Sirui K-20X ball head, is what I have for doing panorama type shooting if I need to.

[interested_observer]

Here are a couple of good references...

• Panoramic heads buying guide by Arnaud Frich
• How to choose your panoramic head to make 360 photography or virtual tour ?

I do a fair number of panos. My usual lenses are the Sigma 18-35, DA 12-24, FA 31 Ltd. and I occasionally use the 10-17 for stitching too. My L bracket is permanently welded to my K5IIs

• For single rows - I just use my ballhead (Acratech GP) that inverts so that the turntable is above the ball and therefore pans level. This works real well.
• For multiple rows - I use a Nodal Ninja 3.

[Oakland Rob]

Here are a couple of good references...

• Panoramic heads buying guide by Arnaud Frich
• How to choose your panoramic head to make 360 photography or virtual tour ?

I do a fair number of panos. My usual lenses are the Sigma 18-35, DA 12-24, FA 31 Ltd. and I occasionally use the 10-17 for stitching too. My L bracket is permanently welded to my K5IIs

• For single rows - I just use my ballhead (Acratech GP) that inverts so that the turntable is above the ball and therefore pans level. This works real well.
• For multiple rows - I use a Nodal Ninja 3.

Thanks; I'd see that website in the past.

I also use a ballhead that flips, so the Nodal Ninja without the pano head itself would be an option. They are rather non-specific about what fits it; I saw info to the effect that the max is 10.7cm from tripod screw to 45 degree no parallax point. Are you saying all those lenses work with 360 with no parallax issues?

[interested_observer]

Thanks; I'd see that website in the past.

I also use a ballhead that flips, so the Nodal Ninja without the pano head itself would be an option.

The Nodal Ninja is the pano head. It would need to sit on something that would provide it with a level base - either a 1) leveling base 2) ball head; or 3) whatever.

They are rather non-specific about what fits it; I saw info to the effect that the max is 10.7cm from tripod screw to 45 degree no parallax point. Are you saying all those lenses work with 360 with no parallax issues?

Now you are getting into the physical sizing of the pano head itself. For perfect stitching especially with views that would offer the opportunity for parallax, you are going to want to have sufficient room on the arms (especially the arm the camera body attaches to) to be adjustable - so as to accommodate the physical length of the lens that you are using.

To be perfectly honest, I very rarely do 360 panos. I usually do any where from 3 to about 9 frames - primarily 180's with some extra for cropping on either end. All the lenses fit well. I rarely take the time to setup everything exactly, because it really rarely matters (in my shooting). What I mean by this, is checking the nodal points placement above the central rotational axis - checking the arm's setting so that it's perfectly set up for the individual lens length, etc. The main reason why I use the pano head (NN3) is to maintain nice straight lines (fence lines, etc.) that run across the stitched image at an angle. If I shoot off of just a ballhead, with the camera body on top of the rotational axis, that tends to induce some curvature in some instances, since the nodal point is out in front of the entire assembly.

Here is an example of a fence line. There is enough detail in the final full size image to see the barb wire fence running in the foreground and there are another 2 or 3 frames off to the left that show it more clearly - but it's nice and straight. It's 9 frames wide off the NN. I used the 8-16 (I don't remember if I was at 8 or 16mm here - I went very wide for the vertical height in order to capture the clouds with sufficient sky for framing.

There was really only one shot that I have ever really had any problems with parallax and that was just off the ballhead. A small twig of a tree in the very immediate foreground, that I did not even consider - turned out to be a problem. Dumped it in post processing when it would not stitch, lesson learned. Now having said that, it is surprising how close things can be and not have any parallax problems. Here is stitch that was taken in total absolute darkness. Plopped the tripod down, and just shot off the ballhead, leveled with the levels in liveview, guessed on the amount of rotation for each frame, so there was lot's of overlap. 11 frames with the 18-35.

The person you really want to hear from is panoguy. If he doesn't show up here on this thread - PM him, as he does a lot of 360's. You problems using either a fisheye or a very wide where you are going to wrap the stitches completely around are going to be different. You are somewhat going for the minimal amount of overlap, as I tend to take a fair amount of overlap.

[panoguy]

The Nodal Ninja is the pano head.

The person you really want to hear from is panoguy. If he doesn't show up here on this thread - PM him, as he does a lot of 360's.

Did my virtual ears prick up?

Thanks for the props, i_o. I'm just a technician with lots of experience, but your spectacular work is art. (Really got get to the desert some day to shoot stars like you do!)

Rob, I replied to the thread on DPR about panoheads, and said the same thing that was said above. Nodal Ninja. Go to nodalninja.com and email or chat them any questions you have. Even call them if you're in the US! They know a tremendous amount about panoramic photography (unlike most makers of pano gear) because that's almost all they do and sell.

Unfortunately, I've been swamped lately, so haven't had time to really delve into these threads, but I'm aware of them! PM me if you have any direct questions, and I can get back to you in a few...

[interested_observer]

Did my virtual ears prick up?

Thanks for the props, i_o. I'm just a technician with lots of experience, but your spectacular work is art. (Really got get to the desert some day to shoot stars like you do!)

Rob, I replied to the thread on DPR about panoheads, and said the same thing that was said above. Nodal Ninja. Go to nodalninja.com and email or chat them any questions you have. Even call them if you're in the US! They know a tremendous amount about panoramic photography (unlike most makers of pano gear) because that's almost all they do and sell.

Fanotec, the manufacturer of the Nodal Ninja is local to the Phoenix area over in Tempe or Mesa (who really knows where one city ends and the next one begins). Anyway, a couple of years ago, I went over to see if I they had a ArcaSwiss type clamp rather than their own style (they do!) - as all of my clamps/plates are AS type and I just wanted one consistent style across my support equipment. Nick, I believe is the owner and is VERY nice and obviously extremely knowledgeable. We talked for a bit and I explained what I was looking for - and pulled out my NN head to show him. He looked at it, and then VERY skeptically looked at me and asked if I have ever used it (I keep it in the case, not a mark or a spec of dust on it - and it was at least 6 years old at that time). I replied - Yes, quite a bit! He, then tossed me a set of plastic plugs to mount on my rotator to keep the AZ dust out of the holes. - which has been great! And his AS NN clamp works great.

They use to have a forum type of site, where you could post questions and interact with other users - but I am not finding it any longer. They also use to have something of a marketplace with used NN equipment posted.

I have been fortunate that over the years for what ever reason, I have (stumbled across) extremely good vendors. Fanotec for pano heads, and Acratech for ballheads. They are expensive (I've done my research and taken months saving to acquire the items), but you only have to purchase them once.

Anyway, I'm just a smuck shooter - my wife tells me my shots have no soul - just some nice postcard pictures. Perhaps, I need to start shooting some 360s - that may be interesting too, to see what is going on behind me out in the boondocks (I know that there are sets of beady little eyes peering out from under the brush at me, I can feel them - I just hope that they are the 4 legged variety of Coyote and not the 2 legged kind). I have a little LED light the size of a small soup can that is a flood light, that turns the dead of night in to high noon.

[Oakland Rob]

Thanks. I've been looking hard at one there, maybe one without the panning rotator base. Do they attach with a standard 3/8" post? I've already got a panning head I could use. No means of locking down the lower arm, but I don't think the NN3 does that anyway, or does it? just the knob that screws it down by tension?

And I'm kinda bummed I'd have to buy an Arca compatible clamp for the upper arm, so I'd probably just use theirs. I doubt that in practice one is in need of quick removal and reattachment of the camera to a 360 rig. But can you use it sort of like a big L bracket for non 360 stuff?

[interested_observer]

Thanks. I've been looking hard at one there, maybe one without the panning rotator base. Do they attach with a standard 3/8" post? I've already got a panning head I could use. No means of locking down the lower arm, but I don't think the NN3 does that anyway, or does it? just the knob that screws it down by tension?

I have had mine for 8 to 9 years now. They have come out with a number of new bases over the years and a wide assortment of various setups. To be honest, I have really not kept up with all the variations of their product lines. You should be able to get a head configured the way you want - all the parts are pretty much mix and match.

On my NN3 - yes there is a knob that locks the lower arm into the base. However, the other day, I saw - and I don't know what model it was that there was a rotator with an AS clamp on top that held the lower arm (it looked like a nice touch), so it appears that they have a wide number of variations. Quite frankly, I would just call and talk with them - explaining to them what you want and how you envision working out in the field. That would probably be the simplest approach.

Since I bought mine I have just been happily using it.

And I'm kinda bummed I'd have to buy an Arca compatible clamp for the upper arm, so I'd probably just use theirs. I doubt that in practice one is in need of quick removal and reattachment of the camera to a 360 rig. But can you use it sort of like a big L bracket for non 360 stuff?

The only reason I went with the AS clamp on mine was I was already using an AS based L bracket and didn't want to keep removing it or screwing their plate on to the bottom of it. It was just simpler for me. When I am out in the desert, the fewer parts I need to fumble around with in the dark, the better. It was not so much the matter of a quick release, but more of everything having the same mechanical interconnection so that I can mix and match. I really don't use a lot of external light from a flashlight if I can help it, so I can maintain my night vision as much as possible.

I'm starting something of a new approach with this year's Milky Way. A number of years ago, I picked up an old beater tripod off of craigslist. I'm taking that out with my old original K5 body and setting it up to just shoot one area of the sky for several hours, while I shoot panos with the othere body. I figure that while I am out there, I might as well get two sky approaches for the time spent. I am using a geared head under one body so that I can point it accurately, and then my ball head under the NN3. I usually shoot a couple of hundred feet away from the truck, so it is not that much more to carry. But, for me it all works nicely because of the same mechanical parts.

[Oakland Rob]

Yeah, I've got the same concern. Lots of gear out in the boonies, and especially when I'm camping with others the fewer parts laying around to get misplaced, or left behind on the picnic table the night before, the better. Those are some nice shots; AZ?

Does it work to use a Arca clamp/base to attach to the tripod itself with say a K5 rather than screwing the NN3 on?

[interested_observer]

Yes, AZ - the first is at the Lost Dutchman State park at the "gate". It's essentially the trailhead for a number of trails, including the Siphon Draw trail that goes to the top. The second is up the road a mile and in about a mile on the 'First Water' trailhead.

You could just put a clamp on the tripod post, but then you would need to level the tripod. I really have not been that successful in doing that. So, now I just plop the tripod down and level with the head.

[Oakland Rob]

Yes, AZ - the first is at the Lost Dutchman State park at the "gate". It's essentially the trailhead for a number of trails, including the Siphon Draw trail that goes to the top. The second is up the road a mile and in about a mile on the 'First Water' trailhead.

You could just put a clamp on the tripod post, but then you would need to level the tripod. I really have not been that successful in doing that. So, now I just plop the tripod down and level with the head.

I'd just put the clamp on TOP of the ball head. My main cameras have leveling built in, so it's actually better to use them as level indicators rather than bubbles, etc, and it kind of removes the need for a leveling head. And with my Pentax with GPS it shows the compass so that I don't need to use the head's markings for say 15 degree moves since I just use the camera's compass.

[interested_observer]

I'd just put the clamp on TOP of the ball head. My main cameras have leveling built in, so it's actually better to use them as level indicators rather than bubbles, etc, and it kind of removes the need for a leveling head. And with my Pentax with GPS it shows the compass so that I don't need to use the head's markings for say 15 degree moves since I just use the camera's compass.

That is exactly what I do and how I shoot. The only modification is that I do set my rotator (pano head) for 2/3 of the field of view of the lens I am using, since I shoot sets of panos, and I just move from one click to the next.

Actually, that is what I am going to do tonight - well tomorrow morning. Leave here at 1am or 2 and drive out to Lost Dutchman (closer) or Picket Post Mountain (farther but would be a new shooting location), to catch the Milky Way. I am up for a hour's drive, but I really don't know if I want to drive 2 hours each way - yet.

[Oakland Rob]

Excellent.

You guys getting a big flower show yet?