Best Focal Length for Pano shots?

[GSiGuy]

Not sure if i am making sense in asking this or is this a non-issue...

I am wondering what would be the best focal lengths if you are shooting to stitch a panorama in PP?

As zoom lenses tend to have some barrel distortion at the widest end i suppose that would compromise or make it harder for a stitching program if you shot at the wide end. Assuming i am using a DA 18-135mm, what would you recommend then, is a good focal length to shoot on?

 

[spidey89]

From what I read, it is recommended above 50mm (35mm equivilent) because wide angle lenses have distortion making it extmrely difficult if not impossible to shoot and stitch, I just shot my first one yesterday and it wasn't too bad, shot at 70mm equivilent, though its troublesome to stand further, you get a bigger picture and coverage of a wide angle lens without the distortion though viewing is a little troublesome if you shoot an extmrely long one, this is my 2 cents, I'm no pro at pano, but this is what I did and it worked for me

 

[scorpioh]

Another advise is to shoot in portrait orientation. That way, you can get more height out of the pano shot.

 

[GSiGuy]

From what I read, it is recommended above 50mm (35mm equivilent) because wide angle lenses have distortion making it extmrely difficult if not impossible to shoot and stitch, I just shot my first one yesterday and it wasn't too bad, shot at 70mm equivilent, though its troublesome to stand further, you get a bigger picture and coverage of a wide angle lens without the distortion though viewing is a little troublesome if you shoot an extmrely long one, this is my 2 cents, I'm no pro at pano, but this is what I did and it worked for me

yes, thank you for the answer. i think 35mm on cropped sensor shall be my starting point, as you advised!

Another advise is to shoot in portrait orientation. That way, you can get more height out of the pano shot.

yes, i have GOT to remember to do that! Tend to just shoot landscape-wise when i think of panos...

 

[oceanpriest]

I usually use my 28mm manual lens to shoot pano. It took 24 frames to create this pic (3x6 with 50% overlap each)

as comparison, this was taken using 16-45mm at 16mm

For cityscape, I think it will be easier if you use 28mm or 35mm.

 

[detritus]

I usually use my 28mm manual lens to shoot pano. It took 24 frames to create this pic (3x6 with 50% overlap each)

as comparison, this was taken using 16-45mm at 16mm

For cityscape, I think it will be easier if you use 28mm or 35mm.

nice :thumbsup: i must try it one day

 

[TZHao]

Or .. make a gigapixel image ?
get a long focal length for pano shots :bsmilie:

 

[coolthought]

I usually use my 28mm manual lens to shoot pano. It took 24 frames to create this pic (3x6 with 50% overlap each)

hi. everyone. just like to add on if you guys don't mind.
the lens distortion may probably create problem for stitching but this sort of barrel distortion can be corrected using cs4 and above. So far, I haven't face such problem yet even without the correction. Maybe I haven't push the limit yet. Even the perspective distortion for close by object in the frame can be stitched. Just that you will find a bow line or sort of fish eye distortion effect in the pano frame. This one I did find in a few occasion it just refused to be stitched. Probably I may need to get a set up that will allow it to pan at the nodal point which may help.

stitch 24 frames.... this is a really huge photo. :sweat:

what I can suggest for ts is to just go and try loh.

 

[TZHao]

I'm using 18mm for panoshots

14 vertical shots in pef confused:really kill my slow & old pc),almost 180 degree angle.

 

[spidey89]

24 frames? I did mine in 12, but then again, I shot mine in landscape, good job!

 

[night86mare]

i don't know, i think if you do a proper technique and you don't shoot too close to anything, it's no problem. even fisheye is fine.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/night86mare/4403341099/in/set-72157623629096980/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/night86mare/4192584165/in/set-72157623629096980/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/night86mare/4190894365/in/set-72157623629096980/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/night86mare/4039734221/in/set-72157623629096980/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/night86mare/3441952742/in/set-72157623629096980/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/night86mare/4565875280/in/set-72157623629096980/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/night86mare/5194628993/in/set-72157623629096980/
10mm, sigma 10-20


http://www.flickr.com/photos/night86mare/4830557459/in/set-72157623629096980/
10-17mm fisheye at 10mm

http://www.flickr.com/photos/night86mare/5237678099/in/set-72157623629096980/
18mm, kit lens

 

[dannyfoxy]

I shot with fish eye, 6 shots to get 360 degrees with 30% overlap.

here are my pano

 

[oceanpriest]

I shot with fish eye, 6 shots to get 360 degrees with 30% overlap.

here are my pano

nice one :thumbsup: Did you use your DIY pano head?

 

[dannyfoxy]

nice one :thumbsup: Did you use your DIY pano head?

This was taken handheld without tripod ;p

 

[sjackal]

14mm on 35mm full frame

(Scroll to the right, its only half the pic appearing on screen)

Or view it interactively here:

http://pan0.net/intro.php?return=%2Fupano.php%3Fid%3D1087&sessionid=e5d992641668906ec8fe9a193ae2cfd2

 

[giantcanopy]

of course if
1) you want the resultant stitch to NOT look distorted and curved where it is suppose to be straight
2) you are not to dextrous with post processing, and correction of distortions ( not sure how well PS CS5 does it but some softwares seem to do better ) or unless u r very techically proficient ( like our dearest NM86 )

4) NOT have excessive crops here and there ( largely as a result of software de-distorting each wide frame leaving gaps in the stitch )

and short of having a shift/PC lens, a stitching of frames captured with focal length in the telephoto range is easiest to handle. ( of course we understand it is really not always possible depending on the scene )

Otherwise. all focal lengths will do ..

Ryan

 

[dannyfoxy]

if use 14mm full frame, you only need 2-3 shots to get 180 degrees

 

[Nanoo]

i don't know, i think if you do a proper technique and you don't shoot too close to anything, it's no problem. even fisheye is fine.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/night86mare/4403341099/in/set-72157623629096980/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/night86mare/4192584165/in/set-72157623629096980/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/night86mare/4190894365/in/set-72157623629096980/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/night86mare/4039734221/in/set-72157623629096980/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/night86mare/3441952742/in/set-72157623629096980/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/night86mare/4565875280/in/set-72157623629096980/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/night86mare/5194628993/in/set-72157623629096980/
10mm, sigma 10-20


http://www.flickr.com/photos/night86mare/4830557459/in/set-72157623629096980/
10-17mm fisheye at 10mm

http://www.flickr.com/photos/night86mare/5237678099/in/set-72157623629096980/
18mm, kit lens

Hi Night86mare, nice uwa photos you got there.
May i know if those pictures which were taken by the sigma 10-20 were pp in anyway to produce such "straightness" or simply taken from a distance? (Not too close)
Thanks.

 

[night86mare]

Hi Night86mare, nice uwa photos you got there.
May i know if those pictures which were taken by the sigma 10-20 were pp in anyway to produce such "straightness" or simply taken from a distance? (Not too close)
Thanks.

some had to be liquified. this depends on the number of frames.

i don't use any nodal heads, i just make sure legs are level (spirit level on legs), and camera is level. then use panballhead, pan.

for up to 3-4 frames with 50% overlap, a LINEAR STITCH can be done most of the time, this will not need any work, very straightforward.

beyond that, different type of stitch can be use (think is cylindrical, etc). i think up to 6 frames usually no work is required, or minor liquify needs to be done.

for 8 frames and above, definitely will start getting slight fisheye effect for stitching. i am not sure if this will be the case if you use a nodal head (which is the best way to go), but i don't want to buy one just to test this, and i don't want to go around in life with a nodal head either.

please note that this experience applies for users with ptgui.

 

[Nanoo]

some had to be liquified. this depends on the number of frames.

i don't use any nodal heads, i just make sure legs are level (spirit level on legs), and camera is level. then use panballhead, pan.

for up to 3-4 frames with 50% overlap, a LINEAR STITCH can be done most of the time, this will not need any work, very straightforward.

beyond that, different type of stitch can be use (think is cylindrical, etc). i think up to 6 frames usually no work is required, or minor liquify needs to be done.

for 8 frames and above, definitely will start getting slight fisheye effect for stitching. i am not sure if this will be the case if you use a nodal head (which is the best way to go), but i don't want to buy one just to test this, and i don't want to go around in life with a nodal head either.

please note that this experience applies for users with ptgui.

Thanks bro. I'm penning down all these in my manual.