Pic 1 new & old nodal slides
Pic 2 'L bracket' for Canon 1D III/IV
Pic 3 new panning clamp
Pic 4 The complete set up on a tripod
TEKNOTE Making Panorama Images
I have figured out a reasonably straightforward method for making panoramas after a certain amount of experimentation so I thought I would share the details.
I use a Really Right Stuff panorama gizmo (nodal slide) as shown in the attached image set (pic1) which allows me to adjust for the nodal point of the lens I am using. There is debate about the correct term but the goal is to ensure the rotation of the lens and camera is centred on the optimal point to produce joining with no parallax error. This is well explained here (http://reallyrightstuff.com/pano/05.html) in the RRS site. I have marked the correct position for each of my lenses on the nodal slide using a silver coloured pen and then put clear tape over that to preserve the information.
When used with the same company’s L bracket (pic 2) it means I can make a panorama with the camera in portrait mode. That way there is plenty of room on the final image for cropping and I get an image with lots of detail. If you join images in landscape mode the resulting panorama can end up looking too long and thin after cropping out irregularities at the top and bottom. The nodal slide is light and small so you can just slip it in a pocket so it is there when you need it and is the simplest version I have found.
Here is the sequence I use.
1. Set up and level my tripod. I have a bubble level on the base of my tripods centre unit, which makes this step straightforward.
2. Set the ball head so it too is also level. It helps if there is a bubble level on the quick release plate itself. If the tripod or plate is not level the horizon will curve in the panorama.
3. Attach the panorama nodal slide to the ball head.
4. Attach the camera in portrait mode, locating the camera in the previously marked ‘nodal point’ that’s correct for the lens you are using. (pic 3)
5. Find a good exposure level using your usual mode and then switch to manual exposure. Input the previously found setting. You want a good average exposure setting as there may be a variation of light across the scene. If you don’t use a manual exposure each shot in the series will be exposed differently and they will need lots of work to join properly.
6. Find a good focus point, and set it. Then switch the lens to manual focus.
7. Identify your start image using an image of a hand sign (e.g. one finger)
8. Take a series of images with a lot of overlap (25-50%). I use raw.
9. Identify the end of the series with a different hand sign (e.g. a few fingers)
10. If you have finished making panoramas reset the focus and exposure settings to those you usually use.
Now when you get home you simply build a panorama in CS4 (which you can do from within Lightroom after selecting all the images in your series using the panorama version of edit in…) I find the auto setting is fine. Now have a cuppa while Photoshop builds the panorama.
If you are happy with the result, then flatten and save the image. Don’t forget to adjust it using your usual approach to rebalance the image the way you feel works best. Images can be very large so it helps to have a fast computer with sufficient memory.
Really Right Stuff now have a panning clamp which means you can pan from the top of your ball head which eliminates levelling the tripod itself (pic 3) but is heavy which does take away from the simplicity and ‘pocket-ability’ of the slide on its own . Their new nodal slide is a bit longer which will mean it works with more lenses.
I have ordered from the Really Right Stuff website a few times from here in Australia with no problems.( http://reallyrightstuff.com) If you have not seen their L bracket have a look for that alone. They really do make switching from landscape to portrait mode so straightforward without throwing your tripod out of balance plus the L plate means you can use a monopod without any head at all, just a quick release clamp.
