Pano Heads .... Are they worth it?

bbg404

bbg404

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Ben
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Evening all I thought my pano photos had came out alright was quite pleased with them but I see more and more people mention they're using Pano Heads I.e. Manfrotto MH057A5 for example

I don't really understand how they work or how they could improve a pano image

I may be thick but I thought if the tripod was perfectly level and you freed the pano motion and spread out the images evenly they worked fine but there must be a reason people pay the £400-700 price tag
 
Takes out any guess work and allows you to rotate around nodal point rather than the tripod mount.
 
theres some cheap copy cat designs from china on ebay, ive no idea of there quality tho
 
a1ex2001 said:
Takes out any guess work and allows you to rotate around nodal point rather than the tripod mount.
Click to expand...

It's actually the "entrance pupil" or "no parallax point" that you need to rotate around and not the "nodal point" which is something different.

Bob
 
Last edited:
Canon Bob said:
It's actually the "entrance pupil" or "no parallax point" that you need to rotate around and not the "nodal point" which is something different.

Bob
Click to expand...

Learn something new everyday I've never shot a panorama in my life with or without a special head!
 
a1ex2001 said:
Learn something new everyday I've never shot a panorama in my life with or without a special head!
Click to expand...
The classic pano head is the Nodal Ninja....so named because it appears they got it wrong too!

Bob
 
Canon Bob said:
IMO, yes. The closer that you have a foreground object then the more need you have to rotate around the entrance pupil to avoid parallax errors when stitching.
In short, a view of the mountains from a cliff edge will be fine but stick a daisy in the foreground and things get a little more technical.

Bob
Click to expand...
Just read an article on the manfrotto website that said nodal point as well but then when describing the nodal point described the entrance pupil, looks like this is a common problem!
 
a1ex2001 said:
Just read an article on the manfrotto website that said nodal point as well but then when describing the nodal point described the entrance pupil, looks like this is a common problem!
Click to expand...
It's like many things, Alex, if it gets repeated often enough then it becomes fact irrespective of the validity.

From the Nodal Ninja website....
The entrance pupil (incorrectly referred to by some as nodal point) of a lens is the virtual image of the aperture formed by the lens elements in front of it, and is the place where light paths cross before being focused onto the CMOS, CCD or film plane.

Modern camera lenses have two nodal points. When light enters a complex lens system it gets refracted through various angles as it goes. The nodal points are the two points on the optical axis where outgoing rays are parallel to the incoming rays.

Bob
 
bbg404 said:
I may be thick but I thought if the tripod was perfectly level and you freed the pano motion and spread out the images evenly they worked fine but there must be a reason people pay the £400-700 price tag
Click to expand...

IMO this simple approach works fine in many cases where there is no close foreground subjects.

However you don't have to spend a fortune.

I have a lightweight setup consisting of a short rail and an L-bracket for the camera. I have some positions marked on the rail for different prime lenses. It does single row panos quickly an easily once you have it leveled.

Something (inspired by) and similar to:

http://thelightweightphotographer.com/2013/10/07/lightweight-panoramic-set-up/
 
Google Manfrotto Panoramic heads in YouTube and you'll discover videos produced by Andy of 360 Tactical VR showing how to set up admittely Manfotto pana heads.
 
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