What equipment is needed to shoot the 3D spherical panorama?
If one has a sufficient level of professionalism, he or she, under certain conditions, can shoot a simple 3D panorama, using only one single photo camera without the use of any additional equipment. Though the ideal results can be achieved only using the right set of equipment.
The standard set of equipment for the spherical 3D panorama shooting includes:
1.CameraYou can use any digital camera, but the ideal variant for the spherical 360 panorama shooting is the digital single lens reflex camera (DSLR). Unlike the «snapshot cameras», DSLR cameras have the capability of the different lens usage, a lot of controls and the great image quality. 2. LensThe most often used for the spherical panorama production lenses are super-wide angle lens and Fisheye lens. The quantity of the frames, which are needed for the sphere closure, depends on the focal distance. To put this in perspective, I prepared the list of the most popular lenses, which are used for the 360 panorama shooting. 3. Panoramic headTo avoid the parallax effect, the camera should be installed on the special panoramic head. There are two main kinds of panoramic heads – single-row and multi-row (spherical). The panoramic heads review and comparison can be found in the next article. 4. Leveling baseUsed for the accurate set-up of the panoramic head. The reviews and comparison of the leveling bases can be found in the next article.
5. The tripodA sturdy tripod ensures the rigid fixation of the spherical panoramic head with the camera.
6. Remote release cord (or wireless remote control)Not essential, but quite useful accessory. Makes it possible to remotely control the camera’s shutter. 7. Spirit levelThe spirit level is inserted into the camera’s hot shoe. Used mainly for the nadir shooting, but you can perfectly do without it. |
