Photography, by nature, is impossible to define as a single discipline.Ā Portrait, landscape, architectural, commercial/real estate, wildlife, and more, are all an integral part of photography.Ā All have their skill sets, equipment, and software, requirement, and will take years to master.Ā Interactive 360-degree panoramas, gigapixel images, and landscape panoramas are no different.
Learning the tools, software, and skill set requirements are, to say the least, expensive, highly specialized, and overwhelming – and thatās on a good day.
Iām going to take back what I said somewhere else on this site, equipment does matter, and there are exceptions.Ā What I use is important.Ā The upside?Ā I already had most of what I needed and some of the software is āold-hat’.
Suffice it to say, what I use photographing real estate is not would not be realistic for an art gallery, unless tack-sharp were an issue.Ā In real estate, Iāll use my fish-eye lens on a full-frame DSLR, and for an art gallery, I use a rectilinear lens for more detail.Ā A simple real estate job will generate six images per node.Ā An art gallery will go beyond a hundred images per node, just to get the detail I need.
Stitching, post-processing, and producing a multi-node tour, the process could take a week or more.
The bottom line there is no ONE way to shoot panoramas.Ā If an client needs more detail in the property Iāll change lenses.Ā If they ask for window-pulls add flash equipment and six to eight more images per node.
Having the right tools, the knowledge to use them resides in the twelve inches behind the camera.
Just keep in mind what matters is discipline and knowing that there are no shortcuts to qualityā¦
Equipment
Where To Shop
Experience and professionalism is everything in this business and it has taught me to stick with what works and who you trust.Ā I shop exclusively at B&H Photo for all my camera, printer, and computer equipment, anything I need, I purchase here.Ā They have exceptionalĀ customer service and shipping has always been spot on.
Anything having to do with mounting my cameras; L-brackets, nodal equipment, or ball-heads, I use Really Right Stuff (RSS) gear.Ā Pricey, but solid designs, and another professional company that has great customer service.
No matter where you shop keep the āgrey marketā equipment in mind.Ā If the price is too good to be true, thereās an issue.Ā And it just might be that camera or lens may be a legitimate brand name, but not covered by any warranty.Ā Saving a few bucks is one thing, trying to repair an $800 Ā DSLR thatās āgrey marketā may cost twice as much.
Something else to look out for is big box stores that host other company goods.Ā For instance, I purchased some extra CF and SD cards for both cameras (always have backups) online and didnāt pay attention as much as I should have.Ā They were dead ringers in looks except for one minor detail in the logo ā it was a knock-off made to look like the real manufacturer.Ā Needless to say, I trashed $400 in cards.Ā Reliability is a must in photography.Ā You canāt go back and reshoot a wedding because your SD card failed.
However you look at it, hobbyist or professional, photography is expensive.Ā You need to squeeze the most you can afford.Ā Overpaying on equipment, or buying what you donāt need will take the fun out of your photography real quick.
Equipment ToC
Cameras
Canon 5D Mark IV
I have been a Canon user from day one.Ā It’s what I use, and that’s that.Ā By far this has been the best purchase I’ve made in some timeĀ It’s a full-frame 31 MP DSLR with some great features.Ā
Not shown is a battery grip that I often use when I’m out and about.Ā The two batteries will last an entire day – or a full wedding without having to charge.
My philosophy, camera bodies come and go – glass (lenses) are forever.Ā I’ll put my money into a great lens knowing that my body will eventually need replacing at some point down the line.
Most of the time my cameras are mounted in a portrait orientation for panoramas
Canon 6D
The Canon 6D is a mid range full-frame 20.2MP DSLR.Ā It was Canon’s response to the Nikon D600 and my first full-frame purchase.Ā Coming in at about $1500 it is a great professional starter camera.
The latest model (6D Mark II) has 26.2MP, a few other upgrades.Ā It wasn’t worth the upgrade but I do like the rotating rear screen.
Also not shown, a Canon battery grip and RSS tripod mounting bracket.
Ricoh THETA Z1 360 Camera
The THETA Z1 is a dual-fish eye digital camera and has some unique qualities and uses.Ā But it’s not on the top of the list as a panorama go to camera.
Put it on a tripod in the middle of the room sync up with your phone and capture the whole room in one shot.
It is a costly little bugger for how little I use it but when you need the right tool for small places – it”s just the think to have in your bag.
Just a note, read the specs and you’ll find that the lowest end DSLR will out perform this unit for dynamic range and clarity.Ā Keep it in mind when you’re looking for quality work.
Lenses
Samyang 12mm f/2.8 ED AS NCS Fisheye Lens (for Canon)
This is my real estate & tour go-to lens.Ā On a full-frame camera, I can get a full 360 x 180-degree panorama with just 6 shots.Ā The stitching is a breeze and it is a solid lens, light, and compact.
Itās a relatively new lens for me, and it took some time to get used to.Ā Calibrating to my camera body and the nodal alignments were both a bit challenging as well, but eventually, it all came into place.
For a fish-eye, it is sharp enough and has a decent range.Ā There is some vignetting at the corners but stitching generally eliminates that issue with a bit of post-processing.Ā A manual focus covers a 180-degrees (diagonal) view with the common fish eye distortion and has less distortion than most other lenses.
Try before your buy.Ā Some 12-mm fish eye lenses donāt always work well with full-frame sensors.
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Lens
This is considered an ultra-wide-angle (full sensor only) zoom lens, and as the red ring indicates, one of Canonās top of the line lenses.Ā I purchased this lens to cover the bottom focal length range of my lenses and for landscape photography.
The 17-40-mm was considered one of the more accurate, faster focusing, small lightweight zoom lenses at the time.Ā The price was too good to pass up so I had to get it.
It is weather-sealed, but I do recommend that you put a quality UV filter on it just to be sure.Ā
Outside of landscape photography, I will use it in tours and real estate where I need sharper higher quality images.Ā If you stick to around f/5.6 or so youāll see improvement at the outer edges.Ā (Generally, landscape apertures are around f/8 through f/11 and will look great.)
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM Lens
If I had only one lens to carry with me, body types aside, this would be the lens.Ā Again, itās one of Canonās L-series top-end lenses.Ā If you are using a similar lens in panoramas keep in mind that you will need to calibrate the lens-body combination but also at every focal length you plan on using (e.g. 24-107 mm).
For shooting panoramas, the best image quality at 24-mm is around f/5.6. Ā Anything longer I would go to f/8 bringing the edges a bit more into focus.
The rest of the time, itās always mounted on one or the other bodies and hasnāt failed me yet.Ā
I havenāt had the opportunity to use this lens for panoramas as yet, and probably should get it calibrated to my RSS nodal mounts.
Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Lens
This is the only prime lens in my collection.Ā Itās not a Canon L-series lens, but in my opinion it a āfastā, sharp lens and great for portraits and a shallow depth of field at f/1.8.
At f/2.8 on, this is fantastic in low light low-light. Ā At f/1.8, the background will blur away nicely, but keeping both eyes in focus can be a challenge.
Again, I havenāt calibrated this lens to the nodal equipment, but Iām sure it will be a great lens where detail is required.
The contrast is great and because of its wide aperture and fast focusing, I can see it being a useful lens for sports, church venues, or stage events.
Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 Di LD (IF) Macro AF Lens for Canon
I do love Canon bodies and lenses, but there comes a point where you need to step back and rethink things.
The Canon 70-200 f/2.8 L-series lens is a fantastic top-of-the-line product.Ā So when I started looking for a longer, faster lens I did my homework and came to an economical conclusion.Ā Ā No matter what I was going to use this lens for, no one, besides myself, would be able to see the difference in the final product.Ā So I went with a Tamron and havenāt looked back since.
The specifications are close enough for me, and Iāll get over not having the white L-Series on the camera if I can save $1500.Ā Again, this lens is not calibrated to my nodal mounts ā so it looks like Iām going to be busy.
With an aperture of f/2.8 across all focal lengths, it is fast and a nice addition to my collection, weighing in at a hefty 1100 grams ā but still small for this type/model lens btw
If I was going to use it for panoramas, Iād shoot around the sweet spot (100-mm).Ā It gets a little tricky and soft around 135-mm and 200-mm (thatās an internal thing if I remember correctly).Ā Anything below 100-mm barrel distortion comes into play.Ā I would like to do a massive gigapixel landscape with this one day.Ā So little timeā¦
Solid Foundation
Velbon Tripod GEO E630 Carbon
My first pro-level tripod was lightweight, 3-section carbon fiber, a two-piece center column, and is capable of getting very low to the ground.Ā It has quick-release levers for fast leg extension, and metal spikes that extend from the rubber feet.
It also came with a pochette that covers the top and legs of the tripod for shoulder carry and doubles as a stone bag that can be added to extra stability in high winds by hanging it between the legs.Ā Iām not even sure if itās even on the market any longer.
Overall a nice tripod but I did find it has problems holding the weight of a large ball-head, camera with a battery pack, and a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. Ā Everything was in spec with weight limits, but still, Iām not going to take the chance.Ā Ā I continue to use it after 10 years and donāt see it going anywhere soon.
I couldn’t find one in the US but did find one at the below link in Dubi.
Manfroto 055 Pro
Writing this section if found that this particular model has been discontinued, oh well.Ā From what I can parse from the link below, that they still make the 055 series.
The aluminum version is sturdy and able to support higher payloads, guaranteeing better camera stability.Ā The legs lock nicely and operate smoothly.Ā
It does weigh a bit more than my carbon fiber, but nowadays Iām not backpacking that much anymore and it fits nicely in the SUV.
What I do like about this particular tripod is that when the center column is fully extended, the column folds over 90-degrees allowing you to, closer to the ground, I have the versatility of attaching a Speedlight to the side of the tripod if Iām going Macro mode.
Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head with Full Size Screw-Knob Clamp
Really Right Stuff (RSS) is about precision and control with a rugged design.Ā Nothing else feels right on top of my tripods.Ā If you go with RSS you will notice that all parts conform to rigid specifications, and mesh together without issue.
The BH-55 shown has a full-size screw clamp for the camera mounting bracket.Ā Shortly after purchasing the ball-head, I purchased the quick release clamp.Ā Itās so much easier getting the camera on/off the tripod now, and the leftover parts didnāt go to waste either.
Once you hold their equipment in your hands youāll know what I mean.Ā The feel is professional.
RSS Compact Pano-Gimbal Head
Panorama photography requires control over the pan and tilt angle of the camera.Ā This requires a specialized head to shoot single or multiple rows panos.Ā With the RSS compact gimbal head and the setup is a breeze, calibrating is another matter.Ā It also breaks down and stores nicely as well.
Keep in mind that this setup is designed for more compact equipment; DSLR w/o battery packs and lenses up to 70-200 f/2.8.Ā Ā Up until now, I didnāt realize I could use my 70-200 on this rig, so now it goes on the list.
The nice thing about RSS is the parts mate up nicely.Ā Since I already had a ball-head, I purchased the non-leveling version and saved a bunch of $.
There are other devices out there that do a great job setting up panoramas.Ā This is just the equipment I began with and continue to do business with.Ā Again, spend your money wisely and do your homework.Ā Research everything!
Nodal Ninja 6 with Nadir Adaptor
As much as I love Really Right stuff products I appreciate saving a buck or two more.
The challenge was i need more space for longer lens for my panoramas.Ā Though this is on the pricey side it’s still less than the larger version RSS has.
So far it’s been a solid investment and has stood up will with day-to-day use.
You will have to find your nodal points and calibrate to each camera body/lens combinations.
Nice To Have Extras
Canon 600EX-RT Speedlight w/Lens
Initially, I purchased three of these puppies when I was taking my photography more seriously and setting up my studio down in Florida.Ā Ā Studio strobes were not part of my inventory back then and these were the flag-ship Canon Speedlights.
So Speedlights and panoramas youāre asking, right?Ā Well if youāre doing real estate and have either a high-end client that wants window pulls because they have a great backyard or a fantastic landscape that needs to be shown off.Ā Or youāre in a small shop or event space with too little ambient light, you are going to wish you have additional lighting.Ā These fit the bill quite nicely, up to a point that is.
Most of the time Iām using these just as there are without modifiers etc.Ā Though having a modifier in the SUV came in handy on a couple of occasions.Ā Iāll set them up in manual mode and trigger them with a Canon remote.Ā This is another skill you should have in your bag and a reason to use a DSLR rather than a fish-eye camera ā they donāt do remote flash.
Canon ST-E3-RT Transmitter
Canon Speedlights can operate in a master/slave configuration ā one mounted on the camera can control others wirelessly or optically.Ā So why would you waste an expensive light to trigger other flashes?Ā Get an independent trigger.
Half the price of a flash you can have a remote trigger.Ā Just know that matching camera and flash equipment will provide more versatility than an off-brand will.Ā This remote can do much more than triggering a single flash for my panos.
ELB 400 Dual Pro To Go Kit
When I need more light and the Speedlights arenāt enough, this kit will get the job done.Ā This is a strobe kit with a portable battery pack (no AC required).Ā I generally mount the strobe head on a mono-pod stick, set the power level, make sure the camera settings are right, then put the remote camera trigger in my pocket and start filling in the dark areas or do my window pulls.
This can set you back a few dollars so consider what you need carefully.Ā I purchased this kit for remote photoshoots and event photography and have found a way to work it into my panoramas.
As with my Canon gear, I use Elinchrom strobe lighting equipment across the board.Ā light equipment for consistent lighting and compatibility.
And yes, strobe lighting should be part of your training as well.Ā I know thereās a lot of ānatural lightā photographers out there and I believe most of them canāt or donāt know how to use external light ā I canāt imagine how they get by with the technique.
Elinchrom EL-Skyport Transmitter Pro
When you purchase any Elinchrom strobe or system they come with a wireless controller.Ā Itās OK and is able to control multiple strobes from a single remote but thatās about it.
If you need more control for setting up multiple groups of lights, controlling strobe power, or if youāre shooting Hi Sync (Elinchromās version of high-speed sync) youāll want to have one of these.Ā Through-the-lens (TTL) functions are also included for your camera model (Canon, Nikon, etc.) in a single device.Ā Hi Sync will operate up to 1/8000s to freeze motion, darken or overpower ambient light or if you want to use a wider aperture.
It is fully compatible with my BR-500 studio strobe as well as the ELB 400 kit and provides a considerable amount of freedom.
Sekonic Litemaster Pro L-478DR Light Meter
Yes, a light meter and before you decide this is over the top, let me clue you in on something.Ā If youāre depending on your camera (reflective) metering, go right ahead.Ā Take all the shots you need to get the āright lightā or exposure if you will.Ā Iāll nail it the first time, every time.Ā And when it comes to difficult lighting jobs, Iāll add the Sekonic 5-degree spot viewfinder for a more precise, reflected-light measurement.
Sadly, I purchased this meter before I decided on the Elinchrom system.Ā So this model canāt trigger my strobes while taking measurements ā I have to use my camera remote to set off the strobes.Ā It gets confusing, Iāll stop there.
I also calibrate my camera/lens combination with this meter.Ā That way I know the exact dynamic range Iām in for each shot.
Impact Quikbox Softbox (24 x 24")
Since I always have some sort of external lighting with me on each job, I will have this collapsible softbox on hand as well as another mono-pod.
Sometimes a client will change their mind and request some still photos of them or their employees, or whatever, and again, trust me, it will happen and the extra markup in the job doesnāt hurt either.Ā Be prepared!Ā Murphyās Law applies more to photography than anything else.
I also have a median sized 5-way reflector (not shown) in the back too.
Pano Rig w/Wine Country Camera 100x100mm Master 5-Filter Kit
Now, if anything is over the top when it comes to gear, this is.Ā This is a photo of my Canon 5D Mark IV, my 24-107m Canon L lens, RSS ball-head and Pano-Gimbal Head, and the Wine Country Master Filter Kit (a bit over $1k).
Only used for tours and only if the need arises to control light, with a built-in polarizer, and grad filters.Ā More often than not Iām using this setup for landscapes or put on the 10-stop filter and shoot wide open on my lens, in the middle of the day and get those creamy waterfall effects and more.
2022 A New Spring