Still Working On Resolution

[Elliot]

I am making some progress with the sharpness - clarity images and the Nikon D70.

[Jeff Mottle]

Nice picture Elliot. Good exposure and colors too. In Puerto Rico I presume?

[Elliot]

Jeff,

 

Thanks... affirmative from Puerto Rico. I just came back after two weeks there. I went through the Hurricane twice. Hi HI Close call in PR and close call on the way back. The plane shaked like a "maraca".

 

See you, wife is waiting in car.

 

Thanks

Elliot

[Elliot]

Jeff,

 

Some more photos from the island.

 

Elliot

[Harjeet Singh]

wow, these images are really crisp.

[Elliot]

Hello,

 

I am still trying to figure out this camera. I am trying to do some Panoramic sequences with Realviz 4.02. This program requires very crispy and sharp images in order to do a nice stitching for a cubical panoramic image.

 

For the Nikon D70 users, I have the following questions keeping in mind that I am trying to achieve the maximun sharpness posible:

 

1. Do you take the photos on Aperture, Shutter or Programed Priority

 

2. Do you set the White Balance on "Cloudy", "Tungsten" or manual

 

3. Do you try to stay with ISO 200.

 

4. Do you control on the camera setting the level of sharpness or you leave it on the default mode.

 

5. Does anybody has experience with the 10.5 DX lens from Nikon. Specifically Nodal Point and de-fishing techniques.

 

6. Do you use the Caputre Editor Program from Nikon and what is your experience with this program. Do you de-fish with the Capture software?

 

 

Here are some examples I have found made by some professional photographers:

 

http://www.inertia-llc.com/client/memsclib/pill-qt.html

 

http://www.spaze.org/2d/photos/photos_evene.htm

 

Does anybody has experience with the Panoramic tripod heads, like the Manfrotto (Bogen) 303SPH or the Single Shot from Kaiden. If anybody has experience with the 303SPH do you have any comments about how to find and calibrate for optimum nodal point positioning.

 

Does anybody has experience with Realviz 4.02

 

Thanks

Elliot

[Chris Potts]

I just start using new experenice Realviz 3.0 last month with free CD from Computer Art magzine.(soon willl be upgrade 4.0)..It really great and easy to use it....It ace..I just starting to love it

 

so Yeah that is best way using photo tripod stand to help you perfect picture position to make Panoramic at 360 degrree.....but I dont have Panoramic tripod heads but it seem dont need one for me. I did been test panoramic view around nearly 360 degree my bedroom (no excuse, my bed is really messy one ) it look good and easy to edit in RealViz.... It better than Photoshop...and quicker too....

 

If you want photo panonramic across street...(say about 180 degree view), Sometime it dont need for tripod stand..you can do it hold very stable carefully that is all.....

 

Mine camera is Canon Powershot G5....

[Jeff Mottle]

1. Do you take the photos on Aperture, Shutter or Programed Priority

Aperture Priority most of the time

2. Do you set the White Balance on "Cloudy", "Tungsten" or manual

Most of the time I use Auto, but I've just started to experiment with this and I am still trying to find some time to use the PRE mode to be able to shoot a grey card in the field.

3. Do you try to stay with ISO 200.

If I can I stick to 200

4. Do you control on the camera setting the level of sharpness or you leave it on the default mode.

Default mode. I do all sharpening in PS. I've read that the in Camera shapening is no where near as powerful as PS anyway.

[Ernest Burden III]

I am still trying to find some time to use the PRE mode to be able to shoot a grey card in the field.

 

I do all sharpening in PS. I've read that the in Camera shapening is no where near as powerful as PS anyway.

 

Early on I used my Nikon's white-balance off-a-card feature, and it works very well. But I have found that on auto it get the balance right almost always, and besides, I usually play with it in Photoshop.

 

ALWAYS turn off camera sharpening. The same goes for scanners and profiles--set 'input' devices to plain vanilla, then use ONE app to adjust.

 

You should not need to sharpen most images anyway, especially with mega-mega-pixel images. But if you do, there is a great way to do this better, though its a proceedure. I can explain it, but I learned it from someone else's tutorial, so I should find that and post the link. But the basic idea is to select only the parts of the picture that really benefit from sharpening, and leave alone the rest. Otherwise you are just sharpening noise, so one step forward one step backward.

[William Alexander]

Elliot,

 

Auto works best for non HDR images. I would fix the settings for reflection, environment maps, and images that you want a full and natural contrast (as possible with speed and stops).

 

Sharpness?-

 

Are you doing the high distortion calcualtions as you stitch images?

 

If it's the way stitcher overlaps and interpolates the images, the ghosting effect, try the export to PS. I just got the latest version of Stitcher and the export of images to PS layers is an awsome way to fix stuff.

 

Are you using a at least a tripod or pano head? Without, I am sorry to say, it may not yeild perfect results, ever from my experience with stitcher.

 

All said and done Stitcher is an awsome program.

WDA

[Elliot]

Hello Harjeet, Chris, Jeff, Ernest and Alexander (Maybee I am missing somebody)

 

Thanks for your responses. I have been reading a lot about the Nikon and the Panoramic photos. It is very confusing since everybody has their own story.

 

Common denominators:

 

1. Most everybody use the camera on aperture priority

 

2. Most everybody does default sharpness control

 

3. Most everybody tries to stay within ISO200

 

4. Most everybody using the fisheye 10.5 Dx are also using the Capture 4.1 editor to de-fish the image. This is a favorite lens for the panoramics

 

Now when it comes to White Balance I found that everybody has a different story. The Realviz people say not to use white balance (WB) on automatic. Real pro photographers are saying to use the gray card method or the white card method in liu of the automatic WB. I notice very little difference among the differents modes. Of course one will yield the bluish color.

 

 

Chris and Alexander, I think that you both are using the Realviz. Everybody thinks this is a breat pogram. I don't know anymore what to think! Their customer support is horrible, horrible, horrible, horrible or maybe it simply doesn't exist. Their manual is too brief and their price is too high.

 

I have heard over and over that if your nodal is not perfect the program will stretch the pixels to achieve the stitching and this is the culprit for the loss of clarity or crispy images. I am not too sure of the Nikon D70. I have heard that on the professional community they refuse to use the any of the cameras with a small chip sensor since their images are not too clear. I have heard that Nikon is famous for their lack of sharpness. I have been a long time fan of Nikon cameras. I don't know anymore what to belive. I heard the Sigma is the way to go.... other people say the Kodak with their full size sensor is the way to go.... I also heard the Kodak is noisy.... This afternoon I tried the new Kodak... The photos look very sharp..... I am really confused. A friend from Canada told me the camera is only 40 percent of the quality, the rest is technique.... That really rule out my camera and place the blame on me.... Hi Hi

 

I am using the high distortion mode on the Realviz, however I don't see too much difference in using it or not using it. What is it really supposed to do...?

 

Do you know what calibrating the lens means.... is that what the High distortion will do.... read the "exif" file and determine your lens and its characteristics in order to create the right spherical image....?

 

I am using the Manfrotto (Bogen) 303 SPH with the balancing head... I forgot the number..... I am not sure that I am calibrating the tripod head in the right manner. Very expensive compare to the Panosour. I am using the Panosour manual for calibration instructions, the Manfotto instructions are no good.

http://gregwired.com/pano/S1.htm

 

I have heard great comments about this tripod head....

 

How are you calibrating your head and finding the nodal. I heard that on the DX lenses the nodal point is ussually indicated by the gold decorative trim on the lens. Is this true...? I am starting to believe that the main secret for obtaining a sharp panoramic is the correct calibration of the nodal point. However, this is where I am not to sure of what I am doing......

 

Thanks to everybody for your responses.

 

Elliot

[Elliot]

William Alexander

 

I read your message again. I have done the high distortion calibration. I am not too sure I obtaining the correct results.

 

On the issue of exporting to photoshop ( I have the latest Realviz 4.0.2) What is what you are trying to tell me....? Sorry for the question... I am too old....! You go to Realviz create the panoramic and export any of the individual pictures for correction within photoshop. I noticed that if I do that, Realviz will switch to the corrected version when I get back to (It will use the updated version). Is that what you mean.....?

 

I agree with you on the tripod pano head.... I did several circular (one row) without a pano head. Yes, it is possible to obtain a somewhat acceptable picture. For a real good one you need a pano head. That Manfrotto with all the bell and whistles was very expensive. After I bought it I discovered the Panosour for $60.00. Great little gadget.... I may buy one....

 

During my trip I couldn't get the results needed. I ended up hiring a kid that does Real Estate pano's. He came up to the hospital with a "One Shot" Kaiden... He got very good results.... However.... that cute device is another $1,000.00 with all the accesories.

 

Are you doing spherical panoramics (360's). Are you doing the three rows or the the fisheye method. What lens you are using for it.... I tried the 12-24 Nikon Dx but it didn't work good. When I switched to the 10.5 Nikon Dx I was able to obtain better results. However, I am having a terrible problem to get the overhead cap to align.... Are you experiencing the same problem....? I am doing the bottom cap first and then the top... I guess that's what everybody is recomending.... Are you doing the single shots on "raw" or fine JPEG. I have tried both methods... Raw seems to be a little bit better but then you are doomed to the Capture Editor and large files.....!

 

Thanks

Elliot

[William Alexander]

Elliot,

 

Sorry for the delayed response.

 

>>I read your message again. I have done the high distortion calibration. I am not too sure I obtaining the correct results.

 

Are the images changing so there is little or no distortion @ the overlaps-they match? You can also after 2 images, do the high distortion calibration for every image.

 

>>On the issue of exporting to photoshop

 

Yes. You can edit the problem image/s to stop the ghosting. Have your tried the cropping function in sticher to remove overlap. I used this option to remove my son from a couch in an interior pano. He would'nt stay put for the duration.

 

>>During my trip I couldn't get the results needed.

 

Were you using the Manfrotto head? Did you calibrate the focal node to the pivot center of the pano head?

 

>>Are you doing spherical panoramics (360's).

 

Yes, it's a bit tricky. Exteriors can be tough with the sky and getting the proper orientation of the images. I'm working with the panos for HDRI lighting and not totally committed to making the investment at the moment. So I'm using my sony cybershot on a DIY pano rig. Lots o pictures- gotten really good at stitcher! Here is a link to some early pano work.

 

http://www.cgarchitect.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6138

 

 

Could you post an image of what you are having problems with? As that may help me, help you.

 

WDA