peterleonbroker Loc: Parkland, Florida

Any thoughts on a reliable 360 Lens primarly for int & ext use on Real Estate...ie Single Family Homes, Condo's and Townhomes....

RocketScientist Loc: Littleton, Colorado

I'm not sure what you mean by that. If you want to shoot all around the room without getting fish eye effect, get a nodal ninja or similar device. Use one of your existing lenses.

I did a search on real estate and found one of your posts saying you have a 10-22 and an 18-135 for your T4i. A god start would be the 18-135 set around 28mm or so.

Here's what I'm talking about:
http://dgrin.smugmug.com/Tutorials/Shooting-Tech-and-Tips/Finding-The-Nodal-Point-of/2114189_sdwC9K
While it shows calibration, it also gives a visual of the device.

peterleonbroker Loc: Parkland, Florida

Thank's for the info...what do you think of www.0-360.com
My thoughts were a little expensive, but is it worth it?

RocketScientist Loc: Littleton, Colorado

That actually looks pretty cool. In the video he is using a Canon G series bridge camera with the adapter that allows filters to be attached, the lens screws onto that like a filter. that would certainly work on one of your lenses, they ain't saying where the zoom was set on the camera used in the video, but a little experimenting would determine that.

Nice idea, if the supplied software is worth a damn, that would work quite nicely.

The "Gotchas" are listed here - http://www.0-360.com/SLR.asp
and here - http://www.0-360.com/camera.asp

Read through all that and you'll be able to make an educated guess as to if it will work for you and what to get. their gallery includes a scene out of a T3i

Wahawk Loc: NE IA

My thoughts are that I can do a lot of stitching for that price!!

Wendy2 Loc: California

I agree!

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Take a look at the Manfrotto 300N for less than half the price:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/286876-REG/Manfrotto_300N_300N_3414_Panoramic_Head.html

Wahawk Loc: NE IA

Any good tripod with levels on, or with a 'circular' level mounted to the camera hot shoe, would also work.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Quite true, Wahawk, but it helps if the head has adjustable stops and/or detents to provide effective and uniform overlap.

BboH Loc: s of 2/21, Ellicott City, MD

Given it works, you can make the virtual tour with one shot
won't need a panorama head and stitching software. But, seems to me that this kind of glass has been "here and gone" - don't know why - maybe someone else does.

You might look into some of the panorama forums...

Only thing is the virticle field of view is only 115 degrees - 52.5 up, 62.5 down, is that going to be enough? If you don't need a straight up or a straight down look, probably OK

RocketScientist Loc: Littleton, Colorado

They let you download the software for free on their site. I haven't read through the license yet, but from what I've seen so far, it appears to be based on a lot of stuff released under the GPL. At this point all that is needed is a dome mirror and and a method of mounting it.

Wendy2 Loc: California

Yes, it was here and now almost gone. Most of the real estate photography companies use multiple photos and stitch them. The 360 distorts and I think that's why they are using the multiple photo/stitching method now.

LGilbert Loc: Earth

The device in question produces 360º of information on a single shot with a single shot resolution. Creating a stitched panorama produces a large composite with tremendous resolution as the camera's native pixel density is presented in each slice. That is, for each degree of pano, a single shot 360º occupies 1/360th of the horizontal resolution of the sensor. A ten slice pano would have ten times the resolution per degree and produce a very large file from which you can choose the final size/resolution. Thus a major consideration is how large your intended final product is. Additionally, the initial picture is, effectively, a donut of information with the verticals squished towards the inside of the donut. When the picture is processed into a linear view, the top will be spread out to match the bottom (outside of the donut with significantly more sensor used per degree) and the bottom will be squished until the results resemble a familiar linear view. Thus, lots of information on the bottom of the horizontal is compressed out and the top (inside of the donut), which contains the least resolution, is spread. The result is a significant loss of resolution. You can't get something from nothing.

The advantage of the gadget is the simplicity of the process. The disadvantages of the gadget include image clarity, versatility, limitations on lens choice, and control over pano processes. It is a trade-off between convenience and quality, always a consideration when balancing process with results.

It is really a question of expectations. If you are just doing a interior shot for selling real estate and publishing on the web, then the resolution is moot. If your intentions are wonderful panoramas with gorgeous detail than the device will prove to be woefully inadequate. If you are going to present the image in a large print format, it will be a disappointment as the image detail will be inadequate for enlargement.

For $500, you can buy a Gigapan and do some serious automatic pano. For $100 you can buy a Panosaurus ( or similar device) and manually move the camera through your Pano arc, taking images between 20-40 degrees of arc. Both devices offer the advantage of endless choice of lenses. I have used my telephotos, normals, and my 1968 Accura fisheye for panos with equal success with my Panosaurus. Each requires that you do a relative straight forward front/back adjustment for nodal center per lens, however, this is only important if your subjects are relative close as the parallax problem exhibits inversely to the square of the distance from the camera and only shows up significantly if some objects in your image are in front of each other and relatively close to the camera. I have taken many successful panos hand held with no problem.

So, what is your purpose? Quick and simple one shot with resolution expectations not a consideration and some limitations on lens choice or artistic/quality expectations with no limitations on lenses, but requires you to develop pano techniques. I can see justifiable uses for both systems.

BboH Loc: s of 2/21, Ellicott City, MD

I do 360/180's using Nikon's 10.5 or 16mm - takes 6 shots aroung, 1 up (zenith) and 2 down (nadir); I learning to use the Sigma 8mm which only needs 3 shots around. With these, I can look straight up and straight down; for Real Estate work, these views could be important.