3.1 How to Shoot a Panosphere
If you're interested in learning more about panospheres and how I used them in my thesis, check out this post
The time involved in this process may vary depending on the equipment used.
The Setup
Entrance Pupil
The camera needs to be placed on the tripod in a way that the entrance pupil of the lens spins around the same point.
The entrance pupil will be slightly different for each lens used, but typically there will be a red dot on the lens signifying where the entrance pupil is located.
This is where the z-axis is located and the camera needs to be spun around this point.
Some tripods might not allow the camera to be placed where it needs to be, as was the case with the tripod I used for my thesis project. Ideally, the tripod should allow the camera to slide back and forth enough so that the entrance pupil can be lined up with the center of rotation on the head of the tripod.
After finding the entrance pupil,
Take some fishing wire with a weight tied at the bottom of the string,
Attach it to the tripod in a way so that it lines up with the entrance pupil.
Ensure that when rotating the tripod around, the weight lines up with the mark on the floor.
The Process
Photos should be taken at intervals of approximately 5 to 15 degrees around the z-axis in a circle.
Next, repeat the process with the camera tilted 5 to 10 degrees upward.
Continue until the camera is fully pointing upward.
Afterward, repeat the same process going below the initial axis (or the starting axis).
*choose smaller degree increments for more enclosed spaces, and larger increments for large outdoor spaces where objects are further away.
Example set of photos for a successful stitch
Each photo is taken with a 5- to 10-degree separation between shots. It's better to have more photos than fewer. Some of these 'layers', as I refer to them, have more photos than others, but for visual purposes, all layers are shown with the same number of photos.
All photos stitched in Photoshop from the sample set above.
Post Production
For this stage, you will need Photoshop and PTGui. You can manage with just Photoshop, depending on the purpose and use of the fully stitched image.
PTGui will turn the photo into an interactive photosphere, I did not purchase the program, only the free trial, so all of my spheres have watermarks on them.
Photoshop can get a fairly successful stitch with some modifications depending on the photos and how many there are, and what the subject material is.
Photoshop:
Go to File > Automate > Photomerge.
Browse to select the photos.
Select a merge method (you may need to experiment with different methods and checkboxes to get the best result for your photoset).
Wait for Photoshop to process the photos.
Want to explore alternatives to this process? Check out Chrome Ball
Wondering why you should choose this method over shooting a Chrome Ball? Read Chrome Ball VS Panosphere
