[Pentaxian359]

Hi All,

any suggestions/recommendations re a good, steady pano head to fit a Manfrotto tripod? My MW images are not lining up enough to stitch together sucessfully. I'm on a bit of a camera gear budget, but have decided an early Christmas present is definitely needed asap, before the MW leaves the Southern Hemisphere!

[Unregistered User 8]

discussion re pano head for a manfrotto tripod

This should do the job quite nicely !!


Manfrotto 300N Panoramic Rotation unit reviews - Pentax Camera Accessory Review Database

[Pentaxian359]

Thanks, I've looked at these before and was wondering if they were what most togs use for panos. Good to see the recommendation!

[interested_observer]

This should do the job quite nicely !!


Manfrotto 300N Panoramic Rotation unit reviews - Pentax Camera Accessory Review Database

Morning, The rotator that PJV suggested will work quite well. However, depending on what you want to actually do, it may only be a partial solution. Another company FanoTech has an entire line of complete solutions - the Nodal Ninja line of both pano heads and rotators.

Here is just a selection of rotators - Please note that these rotators are setup to accept the pano head to sit on top of them - hence the hole configurations, as opposed to the Manfrotto rotator that has a bolt stem ready to accept a ball head or whatever.

• Rotators ? Nodal Ninja

FanoTech has a 16 stop rotator, and 8 stop a couple of others.

You Tube

You Tube

Here is a pano head, without the rotator. It will require something to sit on top of (for example the rotator above). On the horizontal bar it has the nubs that align with the hole arrangement on the rotator above, so that when you rotate the whole assembly, nothing slips.

• NN3 MKII No Lower Rotator - Nodal Ninja Single Row and Multi-row Pano Head

Here is a pano head and rotator combination - The first item the NN3 MKII RD16-II Advanced Rotator (F3505) - does everything. The head that provides vertical or elevation control along with the rotator that will provide a selectable azimuth or bearing control. I have this set, along with a K5IIs and it works perfectly well.

• 3 Series Heads ? Nodal Ninja

So, how do you keep from breaking the piggy bank? Fanotech has a forum that has a classified area for selling used items. The Nodal Ninja 3 (NN3) is the base unit that you would be interested in. The NN4 and above handle larger camera bodies and longer lenses. That is the base difference across the various models.

• Forums - Panoramic Photography Forum
• Classifieds - Panoramic Photography Forum

Acratech and RRS have somewhat similar offerings - however both of them lack the rotator base that provides the fixed angular movement. Sunwayfoto has a line of gear - and they have a rotator too, with a better price. However, if you what the rest of the assembly, you need to piece part it together if you want a full solution. Note that it is designed with the bolt, to take a ballhead.

• Sunwayfoto DDP-64M Indexing Rotator DDP-64M B&H Photo Video

You Tube

You Tube

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OK, the way I use the stuff to shoot the MW, is with a K5IIs and a Sigma 18-35/1.8. I tend to do about 6 frames across at a little over 20 degree movements (since the 18-35 is 44 degrees wide vertical). I also usually shoot the sky with a 30 degree elevation, then shoot a row at 0 degrees then composite the two rows together after stitching them. I'v used the NN3 now for about 7 years and it works very well.

Here is a single row MW pano that was a test as I was hiking out one morning - after the MW had risen too high. I have others that I am awaiting the release of Affinity Photo to both stitch, layer and composite together in 16 bit color (which should be released in a couple of weeks now - then I can finish the image).

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I ran across a pretty good review of quite a number of heads / features and price points. For just some mechanical structural elements, you can go broke with this stuff pretty easily.

• Panoramic heads on the market
• Panoramic equipment and software reviews by Arnaud Frich

Hope that helps....

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Last edited by interested_observer; 10-10-2016 at 04:44 AM.

[thazooo]

A second Thumbs Up for Nodal Ninja. I've had mine since they started making them, works well every time.
Mine is similar to the 3 series. Has bottom rotation and a scale for top rotation.
I've stacked 3 rows high and 6 wide without issue. There are also Pano Programs out there that allow you to manually select points to match in the image and it then combines the images for you.
Good Luck.

---------- Post added 10-10-16 at 06:43 PM ----------

P.S.

Example

The Cypress Swamp photo - Dana Finchum photos at pbase.com

[Rnovo]

You're on a tight budjet so you need something like a Panosaurus head. Unfortunatly it seems they are out of stock but maybe you can find one elsewhere or just talk to them here:The Panosaurus Panoramic Tripod Head Home Page

I've been using one for 5 years now with great results and I'm not sure I need a fancy $400+ head from the big fellows? See my results here using the DA 10-17mm fish eye and a K5 or K5IIs: Richard Novossiltzeff, panoramic photographer - 360Cities