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Old 06-26-2009, 09:12 PM
 
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow in "OZ "
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What is your preference 3 Way Pan Head or Ball Head for your Tripod. Why?
Please describe your set up for your preference...
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Old 06-26-2009, 09:27 PM
 
Location: Greater Greenville, SC
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Ball head. More compact and easier to use as there's only one knob.

Whichever kind you get, I highly recommend both a quick release plate (so you can easily and quickly remove your camera if you want to) as well as a bubble level. If the tripod doesn't have a level built into it, though, you can always buy the kind that screws into the hotshoe for your flash (if you have a camera that has a hotshoe, that is).
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Old 06-27-2009, 10:24 PM
 
Location: Wyoming
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I agree with PhotoGal. Honestly, I've never been a big fan of bubble levels, but I do prefer a good ball head over a 3-way for almost everything. I like a 3-way for architectural stuff, as it's easier to get it level and then pan, but that's about the only time I like 'em.
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Old 06-27-2009, 10:29 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WyoNewk View Post
I agree with PhotoGal. Honestly, I've never been a big fan of bubble levels, but I do prefer a good ball head over a 3-way for almost everything. I like a 3-way for architectural stuff, as it's easier to get it level and then pan, but that's about the only time I like 'em.
Would a panning base on a levelling tripod or a panorama clamp accomplish the same?
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Old 06-28-2009, 06:55 PM
 
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow in "OZ "
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Escape California View Post
Would a panning base on a levelling tripod or a panorama clamp accomplish the same?
Just curious.. and very new to my Canon SX10is.. I've fiddle with the modes and from my very brief trail. It seems that in "stitch mode" I can see where the edge of the last frame shot... so a panning base would be a over kill. From my understanding of what a panning base is. And along with vertical and horizontal lines in the view finder.. you should have some sort of level view of the subject your composing for the shot...Mind you I'm a Newbie to this new camera.... please correct me if I'm looking at this the wrong way.
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Old 06-29-2009, 12:00 AM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tinman313 View Post
Just curious.. and very new to my Canon SX10is.. I've fiddle with the modes and from my very brief trail. It seems that in "stitch mode" I can see where the edge of the last frame shot... so a panning base would be a over kill. From my understanding of what a panning base is. And along with vertical and horizontal lines in the view finder.. you should have some sort of level view of the subject your composing for the shot...Mind you I'm a Newbie to this new camera.... please correct me if I'm looking at this the wrong way.
You always want the camera to stay perfectly level as you pan to take shots for a panorama. Also, to get good panos, you to rotate the camera about the optical center of the lens, not the mounting screw in the bottom which requires yet another piece of equipment. Your camera being a point and shoot has a lot of software tricks built in that an SLR doesn't. They may help you get OK panos with just hand-holding the camera, but to get professional results, you'll need a panning base or clamp and a nodal slide.

Really Right stuff has a panorama guide on their site at Really Right Stuff ... Panoramas Made Simple
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Old 06-29-2009, 04:02 PM
 
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow in "OZ "
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The newer fancy $$$$$$ DSLR they I presume have stitch "pano" capabilities... and still they would nee a the extra equipment... interesting. I can see the center of the focal plane of the lens as your center and as you telephoto that get narrower correct.....
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Old 06-29-2009, 04:24 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tinman313 View Post
The newer fancy $$$$$$ DSLR they I presume have stitch "pano" capabilities... and still they would nee a the extra equipment... interesting. I can see the center of the focal plane of the lens as your center and as you telephoto that get narrower correct.....
The newer DSLRs with video capability and live view may have some pano stitch mode but I sort of doubt it. Pro level cameras are aimed at people who need a high level of precision. Holding the camera at arm's length and looking at an LCD to compose a panorama just isn't going to work. There's no substitute for having the camera dead level through each frame of the pano.
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Old 06-29-2009, 04:30 PM
 
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow in "OZ "
24,770 posts, read 28,390,475 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Escape California View Post
The newer DSLRs with video capability and live view may have some pano stitch mode but I sort of doubt it. Pro level cameras are aimed at people who need a high level of precision. Holding the camera at arm's length and looking at an LCD to compose a panorama just isn't going to work. There's no substitute for having the camera dead level through each frame of the pano.
I can understand that... On my SX10is... I can see the edge of the previous frame on stitch Panorama and it also has a grid... But the editing software has to come in their some where... I can see old school film camera with "dead level" but I had no clue the same held true for the Digital Camera... I would presume it gets more exaggerated on the format size of the camera 35mm vs 4X5......
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Old 06-29-2009, 04:38 PM
 
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Even expensive DSLRs are just like 40 year old film cameras in that the film/sensor doesn't see anything until the user hits the shutter button at which point the mirror flips up, the shutter curtains open, and the film/sensor is exposed. Some DSLRs now have a live view mode where the mirror is flipped up and the sensor is exposed without actually taking a shot, just like in a point and shoot. That allows the LCD on back to display what you're seeing through the lens in real time but it blocks out the optical viewfinder.
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