Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2012/08/02
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I have had best success with a 50mm lens, using an M9, or a 35mm on an M8.
There is no need for anything wider, as that only introduces edge effects
that make stitching harder. A fixed focus lens is ideal.
You can hand hold the camera if the main subject is far off.
The "trick" if there is one is to understand that differing exposure will
make stitching harder. Newer stitching programs may overcome this, however.
Pick a single exposure for all the frames and dial that into your camera.
Use a manual light balance, and a set ISO, because using the auto setting on
either will change the exposure of the image and make stitching harder.
Turn the camera vertical, look through the viewfinder, and take the first
image (I start on the left and move right, but this is your choice), noting
some feature (the "overlap feature") about 1/3 of the way left of the right
edge (reverse that if you are shooting right to left), and another feature
near the bottom. Rotate your body while looking through the viewfinder
until the overlap feature is about 1/3 of the way from the left
edge. The amount of the overlap is NOT critical. Take another picture,
keep repeating. Too little overlap and there is a harder time stitching.
Too much overlap and you will need to take more frames. The "bottom
feature" is only to help keep the camera level and is just for your
reference when taking the images. You can forget it if this is too much to
remember.
I have been known to take a picture of my hand to indicate the start and end
of the sequence.
When you hand hold you will have to crop some of the top and bottom of the
picture. You can use a tripod, and an expensive pano head, and that will
avoid having to crop as much.
I use CS3 to stitch the images, and then crop the result and correct the
overall exposure in LR. I have found this works fine. You can use a free
program like Hughin, but I find that interface a bit hard to surmount.
Whatever you use, the resulting file will be VERY LARGE. An output jpg
helps keep that under control.
If the subject is far off, the above works fine. If, however, you have some
near objects, then the process is much harder and you have to worry about
rotation about the lens nodal point. Then, a tripod and a nodal head are
important. For far off subjects (panoramas on a trip) this is not a problem.
It is possible to do multiple row panos, which might be worthwhile if you
are making a billboard, and you can handle really HUGH files.
Happy experimenting! I think any Leica M is a perfect camera for pano
shots. This is an example where the auto everything of other cameras really
gets in the way.
As an example, take a look at a pano which formed a two page spread in this
blurb book:
http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3316127
The cover was a hand held pano using the above technique, and page 6-7 (use
the preview) is the full 5 frame pano. This was through the window of a
restaurant, before the meal was served, and by the last frame I already
heard "are we happy now?" Imagine if I had to break out a tripod and
calibrate a pano head!
Bob Rose
Date: Thu, 2 Aug 2012 06:10:06 -0700
From: Steve Barbour <steve.barbour at gmail.com>
Subject: [Leica] wide multi shot horizon tonite?? help?
To: LUG Group <lug at leica-users.org>, LRflex
<leicareflex at freelists.org>
Message-ID: <D3761014-D4B5-489F-8B98-D54C93DFCD9B at gmail.com>
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I am planning to do my first multi image horizon tonite at sunset along the
river.... and to stitch the images together using Photoshop CS6.
Likely I will use my M9 with a 24 mm Summicron lens on a tripod, rotating
the camera to make 5-8 overlapping images....
Being a total novice, I wonder what I am forgetting that many (who have done
this sort of thing) have thought of, and may suggest, to help ensure my
success.
your thoughts please,
many thanks,
Steve