Chapter 10

Taking Photos with the QuickPan™

HOW MUCH OVERLAP?

The amount you turn the camera for each shot varies. It is dependent on a number of factors such as the field of view (the angle) of your camera and lens, as well as which program you intend to use. For example, Apple recom- mends that the images should overlap by anywhere from one-third to one- half. You should check with the recommendations of the software that you intend to use in order to determine overlap requirements.

HOW MANY SHOTS?

Once you’ve determined the overlap, you’ll be able to figure out how many shots. The easiest way to do this is to simply look through the viewfinder and turn the camera to achieve the desired amount of overlap. You then check the angle readout to see how far you turned the camera. Round the angular value to the nearest convenient value. For most stitching programs, it is gen- erally not that important to use a precise overlap value.

However, it should be noted that some programs are more sensitive to an overlap value that constantly repeats from shot to shot. You may need to experiment somewhat to obtain the best results.

TAKING THE PHOTOS

When you’re ready to shoot, make sure that the camera and QuickPan™ are securely attached. You should use a tripod that is sturdy, ideally one that has a center support system of braces to help keep the camera and QuickPan™ from excessive flexing. Some tripods have built-in bubble levels which make it easy to level the unit.

Proper leveling is important. We discussed earlier, the process for leveling the camera in elevation (looking up and down on the Vertical Bracket), now that you’re ready to shoot, it is important that the rotation plane of the camera is level as well.

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Kaidan QPX-2 manual HOW Much OVERLAP?, HOW Many SHOTS?, Taking the Photos