Shooting Panos
Jul 16, 2018 17:36:41 #
Rich1939 wrote:
The nodal point varies from lens to lens but it almost always lies between the front and rear element of the lens. The sensor, or in days of old the film plane, is not the nodal point.
http://www.johnhpanos.com/epcalib.htm
http://www.johnhpanos.com/epcalib.htm
Jul 16, 2018 18:04:14 #
rmalarz wrote:
Daniel, you'll find that the correct method is to rotate the camera around the nodal point of the lens, not the sensor.
--Bob
--Bob
That begs the question, “Where is the nodal point?”
The simple answer is to look into the lens from the front with the aperture closed down.
The nodal point is where you perceive that the aperture blades to be. That’s not exactly where they actually are physically but it is their virtual location so far as the scene is concerned.
Caution: they might move when you zoom.
Jul 16, 2018 18:17:29 #
selmslie wrote:
That begs the question, “Where is the nodal point?”
The simple answer is to look into the lens from the front with the aperture closed down.
The nodal point is where you perceive that the aperture blades to be. That’s not exactly where they actually are physically but it is their virtual location so far as the scene is concerned.
Caution: they might move when you zoom.
The simple answer is to look into the lens from the front with the aperture closed down.
The nodal point is where you perceive that the aperture blades to be. That’s not exactly where they actually are physically but it is their virtual location so far as the scene is concerned.
Caution: they might move when you zoom.
For those with vision problems there is a fairly simple alternative here's a link
https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=IhhNW7q2JOjp_QaX1q74Bg&q=how+to+find+the+nodal+point+of+your+lens&oq=how+to+find+your+lens+nodal+point&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0i22i30k1.480.13518.0.17940.34.29.0.4.4.0.325.3192.12j16j0j1.29.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..1.33.3235.0..0j35i39k1j0i131k1j0i67k1j0i20i264k1.0.E48hjKSxJ0s#kpvalbx=1
Jul 16, 2018 18:23:51 #
OK, looked up on line. The Panoramas I do never have anything close, so the nodal point is irrelevant to me.
Jul 16, 2018 18:38:05 #
Robertven wrote:
I'm trying to educate myself about shooting panora... (show quote)
All of us who start shooting Panoramas are focused on finding the Parallax Point for our lenses. Many of us go out and get a nodal slide and go through this process, squinting at two vertical objects lined up with the lens:
http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/finding-the-no-parallax-point
Then one day, we forget to bring the nodal slide, and discover that the panorama turns out perfectly without it.
Unless you have vertical/horizontal lines (railings, walls, etc) in the near ground, as long as the center of the camera body is aligned with the center of the tripod, you are good to go. The easiest way to do this, is with an "L" bracket that will have a center point mark for your camera. And always shoot portrait mode from left to right. Landscape orientation produces very unattractive long skinny panoramas. I don't even pay attention to the degree scale on ball heads, I just make sure I've got a minimum 25% overlap on each shot.
Jul 16, 2018 19:11:48 #
Robertven wrote:
I'm trying to educate myself about shooting panora... (show quote)
If you have nothing in the foreground, you don't need to worry about nodal point, parallax or even a tripod.
If you are doing architectural work, interiors and/or panos in close quarters then a rail that allows you to rotate around the "no parallax point" - the pupil entry point - which may or may not be the nodal point - mounted on a sturdy tripod is what you want.
Some reading for you on finding the no parallax point:
https://www.google.com/search?q=finding+the+no+parallax+point+of+a+lens&oq=finding+the+no+parallax+point+of+a+lens&aqs=chrome..69i57.9428j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=1
http://www.johnhpanos.com/epcalib.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_622897&feature=iv&src_vid=k0HaRZi-FWs&v=1jAhwFLimM0
Images below taken without rail. The first one was hand-held
hand held pano, 150mm, camera in portrait orientation
(Download)
15 shot pano - 3 rows of 5, camera in portrait orientation, no rail used
(Download)
Jul 16, 2018 20:00:27 #
At least two others have mentioned that you can do landscape panos hand held.
Do a no-shoot practice twist from the waist holding the camera vertically while looking through the viewfinder so you know what you are aiming at. Then twist, pause to shoot with about a 25% overlap and twist again. To make it easy to spot a sequence in post, hold up one finger prior to the "twist and shoot" and two fingers at the end. There is specialty software, but Lightroom makes it so easy. When you see the fingers sticking up you know to panao process what is in between.
We've come a long way since we had to be precise enough to get film base prints lined up for mounting together. Too much gear and precision will only get in the way of good shots!
Do a no-shoot practice twist from the waist holding the camera vertically while looking through the viewfinder so you know what you are aiming at. Then twist, pause to shoot with about a 25% overlap and twist again. To make it easy to spot a sequence in post, hold up one finger prior to the "twist and shoot" and two fingers at the end. There is specialty software, but Lightroom makes it so easy. When you see the fingers sticking up you know to panao process what is in between.
We've come a long way since we had to be precise enough to get film base prints lined up for mounting together. Too much gear and precision will only get in the way of good shots!
Jul 16, 2018 20:20:59 #
Gene51 wrote:
If you have nothing in the foreground, you don't need to worry about nodal point, parallax or even a tripod. ...
Exactly! That's why you need to look at the question from the subject's viewpoint.
A subject 100 feet away can't tell where the nodal point is located. It only matters when the subject is close to the camera.
Jul 16, 2018 22:40:13 #
bsprague wrote:
At least two others have mentioned that you can do... (show quote)
The problem with the hand held twist, is at some point moving to the right, there's more of the image and if I twist any more, I'm goin over.
Jul 17, 2018 06:33:43 #
billnikon
Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
Robertven wrote:
I'm trying to educate myself about shooting panora... (show quote)
My only suggestion to you is this, use a tripod and make sure both axis of the tripod are level, then, shoot, shoot, shoot. I never worry about such things as nodal point and rotational center. I concentrate on lighting, exposure, time of day, leading lines, center of interest, horizontal horizon lines, foreground background, color mergers, you know, stuff that will make my photo different from everyone else.
My panos sell well at shows and I cannot remember anyone asking me what my nodal point or rotational center was.The folks who buy from me do so because they like my images.
Good luck and keep on shooting until the end.
Jul 17, 2018 06:41:20 #
Robertven wrote:
I'm trying to educate myself about shooting panora... (show quote)
WOW! I could be very wrong....but I believe we finally have a question here that has never been asked before on this forum....at least not in this way? Congratulations.....You win the cigar!
Jul 17, 2018 07:20:07 #
You are correct. The Nodal point adjustments - there are 2 -are movement of the camera backward and forward to "center" the camera and then side-to-side to center the lens. Each mmm setting has its own point.
FIW - the nodal point is the point in the lens where the light crosses top to bottom, side to side. Each lens has it own spot, again each mm of a zoom lens has it own spot.
Using the nodal point is only critical when there are near and far focal planes - given such and not set on the nodal point there will be stitching errors. Look at Ron's pano of the mural wall in France - lots of stitching errors because of the 2 focal planes - one the curb, the other the wall.
FIW - the nodal point is the point in the lens where the light crosses top to bottom, side to side. Each lens has it own spot, again each mm of a zoom lens has it own spot.
Using the nodal point is only critical when there are near and far focal planes - given such and not set on the nodal point there will be stitching errors. Look at Ron's pano of the mural wall in France - lots of stitching errors because of the 2 focal planes - one the curb, the other the wall.
Jul 17, 2018 08:23:09 #
Robertven wrote:
I'm trying to educate myself about shooting panora... (show quote)
You can jump through this hoop if you want. Unless you are shooting in dim light and need the stability of a tripod, you can shoot a pano out of hand. Unless you are very unsteady, LR will stitch then together with ease. My last, not my first, was a 10 shot recent graduation class, shot vertical, about 30% overlap and it came out fantastic. I have about 25 to date.
Jul 17, 2018 08:26:25 #
Robertven wrote:
I'm trying to educate myself about shooting panora... (show quote)
You don't even need to worry about nodal points unless you have something you want recorded in the foreground. If your image is all mid and back ground, I find shooting handheld works fine if you are slow and careful.
Jul 17, 2018 08:38:34 #
speters wrote:
No, the nodal point is not in front of the lens, but its the sensor/film plane above the tripod socket!
No, it is a point inside the lens potentially where the Iris is (in a symmetrical normal lens, in the optical center of the lens).
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