Andrew, THANKS

I built my last bracket out of wood and used it on a tripod with some nice results using a Canon Powershot Pro 1. Because I'm on a budget I'll most probably make another wooden device specifically for the camera and lens I will get.  I suppose I'll get the Ninja bracket if I can source it somewhere in South Africa.

I just found this also...

Interesting link Using 2xP5100 with 2xNikkor fisheye to make a oneshot solution:
http://michel.thoby.free.fr/DuoPix/DuoPix_solution.html
found on this website: ( with a lot of text to read)
http://michel.thoby.free.fr/

If you want 360 panoramas for online displaying then resolution isnt very important. A 360x180 equirectangular pano probably wont be bigger than 4000x2000px for online use. If your panos will be mostly viewed by Telkom users, then even less, probably 2000x1000px or less.

If you can capture the whole image on your sensor then obviously that image will be smaller, and so lower resolution. Capturing as much as possible in one shot is important for high-activity scenes, like standing amongst people on the sidewalk. Obviously these scenes are a big problem if you need them high resolution, then you need a smaller field-of-view lens and need to take more shots, during which people move and all hell breaks loose. You mentioned "shop interiors, houses" dont worry about whole-circle-on-sensor-or-cropped there, just get a sharp lens with as little chromatic aberration around edges as possible, since the number of shots in these static scenes doesnt really matter.  At least I would prefer to have to shoot e.g. 7 shots with a cropped circle but a nice sharp lens with no CA, than only 3 shots but with a lens that is much more expensive and has worse quality around edges.

Wanting HDR images doesnt complicate your choice of lense at all, just youre choice of camera. As Mediavets mentioned, you need a camera that is able to automatically bracket 3 or 5 shots by 2EV preferably with only 1 push of the button, so check this carefully before buying. See http://hdr-photography.com/aeb.html If you need to push the button several times to bracket then it will take you longer than if the camera did it automatically, and as a result more things in the scene will change between shots.

As for your panohead, if you want cheap, order the Panosaurus for 76USD online, cheapest panohead I know of, fits a wide range of camera/lens combinations. Only real downside is that you need to screw the camera on instead of clipping it on. If you can afford it, I would recommend that you get a panohead that lets you clip the camera on, much faster to set up.

Lastly, my condolences, because when I imagine you sending a high resolution, or even a low resolution, pano over the internet using Telkom's primitive cables... suicide seems more appealing ;]

Last edited by DrSlony (2008-07-03 23:44:36)

DrSlony wrote:

If you want 360 panoramas for online displaying then resolution isnt very important. A 360x180 equirectangular pano probably wont be bigger than 4000x2000px for online use. If your panos will be mostly viewed by Telkom users, then even less, probably 2000x1000px or less.

If you can capture the whole image on your sensor then obviously that image will be smaller, and so lower resolution. Capturing as much as possible in one shot is important for high-activity scenes, like standing amongst people on the sidewalk. Obviously these scenes are a big problem if you need them high resolution, then you need a smaller field-of-view lens and need to take more shots, during which people move and all hell breaks loose. You mentioned "shop interiors, houses" dont worry about whole-circle-on-sensor-or-cropped there, just get a sharp lens with as little chromatic aberration around edges as possible, since the number of shots in these static scenes doesnt really matter.  At least I would prefer to have to shoot e.g. 7 shots with a cropped circle but a nice sharp lens with no CA, than only 3 shots but with a lens that is much more expensive and has worse quality around edges.

Wanting HDR images doesnt complicate your choice of lense at all, just youre choice of camera. As Mediavets mentioned, you need a camera that is able to automatically bracket 3 or 5 shots by 2EV preferably with only 1 push of the button, so check this carefully before buying. See http://hdr-photography.com/aeb.html If you need to push the button several times to bracket then it will take you longer than if the camera did it automatically, and as a result more things in the scene will change between shots.

As for your panohead, if you want cheap, order the Panosaurus for 76USD online, cheapest panohead I know of, fits a wide range of camera/lens combinations. Only real downside is that you need to screw the camera on instead of clipping it on. If you can afford it, I would recommend that you get a panohead that lets you clip the camera on, much faster to set up.

Lastly, my condolences, because when I imagine you sending a high resolution, or even a low resolution, pano over the internet using Telkom's primitive cables... suicide seems more appealing ;]

Thanks DrSloney

tigme wrote:

Thanks guys for all your sugestions...

I ended up getting the 450D, 8mm Sigma, Nodal Ninja 3 mk II, 222 Manfrotto head (Joystick-works great for quick leveling), and an entry level Manfrotto tripod.

Only have one caveat: The Nodal Ninja 3 MkII is just 2-3mm to small when tilting the camera to ceiling to take the nadir shot. The memory card reader door touches the rotation knob of the Nodal Ninja. There is a workaround by tilting the camera the other way around. I wish the guys would have updated their website before I made the purchase. Other than that their service was 10+ on speed of delivery. After all the Nodal Ninja costs half of what the similar Manfrotto would have cost.

*** So as a slight warning for those with the Canon 450D rather get the bigger Nodal Ninja 5...

I have a NN5 Lite - it's fine pano head oferng plenty of clearance for a +90 zenith shot  but when shooting with D40 and Sigma 8mm I never shoot a +90 zenith - I always shoot the 'zenith' (sometime two at about 120 separation) at about +60. This gives good zenith coverage and also ensures that I almost always get a good link between the 'zenith' and the main row.

Last edited by mediavets (2008-09-07 11:35:48)

you could make a little block (Polyacetal or alloy), which fits under the vertical arm of the NN3, to extend it

if you now somebody who has a CNC mill it is made in minutes

look here:



cheers
Paul