[Leica] panoramics

["Rod Fleming" <rodfleming@sol.co.uk>]

Hi

David asked if it was possible to make panoramics with a Leica.

The answer to this not-so-silly question is yes, providing you are happy to
make a composite print- a "join-up" we used to call them. They can be very
successful.

This is how you do it. Set up a tripod and make very sure the tripod head is
level, and stays level (very important), as you rotate it through 360 deg. I
always found it easiest to use a conventional level on top of the camera
platform, but my Manfrotto has levels built in which are pretty accurate.

Mount the camera. Use, again very important, a lens no shorter than 50mm on
35mm. This will avoid wideangle distortion which will make the join-up
tricky, and wil also  give the finished image a relaxed perspective.

Make the sequence using the same exposure throughout- so you'll have to
compromise if the light is bright and directional. Remember that you want
about 1/4 to 1/3 overlap at each side of each neg- take more segments rather
than less. When you print, you have to be very careful to match the quality
of the prints.

Now the trick. Lay the prints out overlapping till you're happy with the
effect, and note where you want to cut. Use a VERY sharp surgeon's scalpel
and cut out round an IRREGULAR shape on each overlaying print. If you cut at
an angle so that the cut lies underneath, it will be easier to disguise.
Cut on a hard surface like a piece of glass and press down gently on the
angled blade so it curves. Not easy. Better make a few spares to practise
on.  Right-handed people should cut at the right-hand side of the print, and
vice-versa. When satisfied,  mount using 3M PhotoMount (relatively easy) or
drymounting tissue, which is better but requires a lot more patience, as you
have to match the irregularly shaped cut edges of the prints. If you have a
small burnishing tool such as printmakers use, gently rub down the edges of
the cuts. Retouch the marks and hey presto- a panoramic, up to 360deg if
required, taken on a Leica with a 50mm.

I've done these, and have been happy with the result, but I remember seeing
an exhibition of them years ago by someone who had really practised the
technique, and the results were totally convincing. He was an architectural
photog but I can't remember his name.

Now, clever-clogs out there will have noticed that you could do all of this
much more easily using a scanner and Photoshop, and you can certainly avoid
a whole heap of grief by doing so. The principles of the technique are the
same whichever method you choose to use to make the actual join-up. Depends
what finished result you're looking for- if you want to make a panorama
that's twelve feet long, then the manual method might be cheaper! The
finished length of the panorama, relative to it's height, BTW, is a function
of the length of the taking lens- the longer the taking lens, the longer and
thinner will be the finished product.

There is a very big difference between panoramics made by a rotating lens,
whether as above or in one of the specialist cameras, and those made by
either consumer cameras with masks or things like the Hasselblad (sic) Xpan.
The latter use a section of a wideangle lens and will show the distortions
at the edges which are inevitable. The delight of the former is that you get
the perspective you would get if you were there, so to speak. Just like a
Canalletto painting.

You can try the Russian Horizon camera, which you should be able to find for
£200 GBP or less. This has a swivel lens and produces a great effect; sadly
however the lens- at least on the example I tried-  is very poor indeed,
which rules it out for serious work. Great for a bit of fun though, with a
120deg angle of view- and since you can easily hand-hold it, you can make
some really dramatic uprights............


Cheers


Rod