DIY MF Panorama

[LMNOP]

Hey APUG!

Been shooting SO much 6x9 this summer, I CANNOT explain how much I love the GW690ii - its the perfect camera, as far as I'm concerned.

I want to find a way to use it in new ways, I have kind of a set style down for how I shoot this thing, which I will continue to do, but I want to try out some panorama with it. If I could afford it, I would LOVE to get my hands on a GX617 for urban and natural panoramas. To save money, I was thinking of stitching two 6x9 frames together for an ultra panorama, maybe losing some around the edges. So I'm looking for advice, and that may sound basic.

Does anyone have experience stitching RF shots together like this? Is it possible to do handheld, and if not any tripod advice for making sure you get good coverage of the scene? Otherwise, I would just love to see some examples if anyone has done this before, or if you have a GX617 and just wanna brag about it.

Thanks!

 

[Dan Fromm]

Very difficult handheld. I've made stitchable 6x9 shots with a 2x3 Graphic on top of a Nikon AP-2 head on top of a 3-axis head on top of a ball leveler. I have an AP-2, it isn' the only such device. There are other pan heads with click stops -- that's the AP-2 and the Minolta equivalent that came from the same tiny machine shop -- or scales in degrees.

The ball leveler is essential, if the pan axis isn't vertical the horizon won't be at the same level in successive shots. I've used several Manfrottos. Again, there are many others that will do at least as well as mine.

 

[bernard_L]

You don't say if you want to do it purely by analogue ways or if profane methods are also allowed.
By analogue ways, straight lines will be broken at the boundary between two frames; they will not look like they were made with a 617. . Or make imperfection a virtue and make diptychs, triptychs...
By profane ways: make sure neighbor pics overlap by ~1/3 of a frame and that they are level. Digitize them and use stiching software, e.g. hugin, free and cross-platform. You can decide to create your panoramic picture in rectilinear perspective (like a GW617) or as a cylindrical perspective (Horizon or Noblex style).

I agree with the advice given by Dan Fromm but you can get away with makeshift solutions. For example, if you accept to have the horizon in the middle of the frame (crop later if you don't like): stick a bubble level in the hotshoe. Adjust the ball head and the legs of the tripod (substitute for ball leveler) until the bubble stays centered as you rotate the center column of your tripod.

 

[mexipike]

I've always liked 6x9 dyptichs and triptychs. I like it best when it's printed full frame so you can see the frame lines and rebates, though a little difficult to do without a big enlarger or some unmentionable scanning.

 

[Trail Images]

I was thinking of stitching two 6x9 frames together for an ultra panorama

In the last two years I have made several pano shots with 3 photos for each pano using 6x7 images stitched. I use a tripod and a panning swivel for all shots taken. Using 6x9 you might just do the 2 images for each pano. I think they recommend about a 30-40% overlap of each photo.