Looking for best lens for 360° photography

[IkarusJohn]

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I’m not sure about your logic, Peter.

 

If you use a depth of field calculator, set the circle of confusion at 12 microns, I think you will be able to achieve the depth of field you want with a more telecentric lens.

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[Peter E]

I’m not sure about your logic, Peter.

If you use a depth of field calculator, set the circle of confusion at 12 microns, I think you will be able to achieve the depth of field you want with a more telecentric lens.

Hi John,

 

Hmmm, maybe I overlook something but if you check the MTF charts and depht of field tables on the Leica website for every lens, you'll see that you need a wide angle at f5,6 or f8 to get a depht of field from 0,7m to infinity, this without difraction and best results. This is not possible with a 28, 35,50,...

A 50mm at f5,6 is sharp from 14,44m to infinity...

 

I need sharpness from 0,7m to infinity, this is not possible with a tele.

Edited December 20, 2017 by Peter E

[IkarusJohn]

So what will be the subject?

 

For the detail you would want, and to avoid distortion (which will cost you when you come to stitch the photos), I can’t imagine going wider than 50, but then I’ve never attempted getting a sharp in focus range from 0.7 to infinity. That would be a considerable achievement.

 

Perhaps the distortion could be mitigated with considerable overlap as you start your shooting process. Another thing to consider is that, provided you get the field of view you want, using a 50 or 90 AA Summicron, taken in portrait rather than landscape, you will get more detail, as you will need to take more picture for the same image.

 

I hope you can post a link to the end result. Sounds like quite a challenge!

 

Cheers

John

[ramarren]

I've done a few simple horizontal panoramas with the WATE, using a tripod and head with a panning base (no nodal point jig on top of that, for the moment). If you set 16mm @ f/8 or f/11 with the camera oriented vertically and do about a 15-20% overlap frame by frame, the panorama merge on cylindrical projection setting from Lightroom does an amazing job of stitching automatically and there's little if any distortion that can be seen. The depth of field and detailing is quite amazing, presuming you've used a good, sturdy tripod. 

 

I have found over the years that getting the most out of an ultra-wide lens is nearly as persnickety as getting the most out of an ultra-tele lens when it comes to detail resolution: you need a really sturdy, really stable camera support to get the most out of either. 

[Peter E]

 

I did a lot of cylindrical panoramas for the farming industry in the fields. Here I use another camera (sony apsc) because we are so close to the subject, 0,5 -0,6 meter. For interior shooting I use my SL with the WATE (not my wate ;( ). The WATE is amazing.

I use the camera in vertical position and shoot with 25-30% overlap. The best is not to refocus, so the whole shooting is at the same focus setting.

I'm finishing a project now that I did in a museum, this involves 23 360° views you can walk through.

When it's ready, I'll post the link to see it.

 

Yes, you need a very stable tripod and mount with nodal point correction.

With the WATE at 21mm I do 12 images for 1 360° and this 3 times: 12 down, 12 straight forward and 12 up, so 36 images to stitch.

The SL is a perfect tool to do this

Sometimes I use the WATE at 16 or 18mm, but I prefer 21mm because of the less perspective distortion.

 

So, for me the WATE is very good, but it's not mine.

 

For this reason I'm looking for a good alternative, of course, I can go for a used WATE... ;-)

But, for the price of a used WATE, I can buy a new 18 or 21...

A difficult choice to make...

 

Best regards

Peter

[otto.f]

What’s wrong with a used WATE then if you know that it’s you’re winning team. I much more easily buy a used lens than a used camera. For this project you prefer 21 as an angle but it’s also nice when a tool you need for one purpose gives back something extra that tickles your creativity.

[helged]

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I did a lot of cylindrical panoramas for the farming industry in the fields. Here I use another camera (sony apsc) because we are so close to the subject, 0,5 -0,6 meter. For interior shooting I use my SL with the WATE (not my wate ;( ). The WATE is amazing.

I use the camera in vertical position and shoot with 25-30% overlap. The best is not to refocus, so the whole shooting is at the same focus setting.

I'm finishing a project now that I did in a museum, this involves 23 360° views you can walk through.

When it's ready, I'll post the link to see it.

 

Yes, you need a very stable tripod and mount with nodal point correction.

With the WATE at 21mm I do 12 images for 1 360° and this 3 times: 12 down, 12 straight forward and 12 up, so 36 images to stitch.

The SL is a perfect tool to do this

Sometimes I use the WATE at 16 or 18mm, but I prefer 21mm because of the less perspective distortion.

 

So, for me the WATE is very good, but it's not mine.

 

For this reason I'm looking for a good alternative, of course, I can go for a used WATE... ;-)

But, for the price of a used WATE, I can buy a new 18 or 21...

A difficult choice to make...

 

Best regards

Peter

 

 

The 21 SEM is stellar, and can be found used for a reasonable price (Leica-wise).

[IkarusJohn]

I agree with Helged, if 21 works for you the SEM is a fabulous lens. The overlap you have will deal witn any distortion.

[Peter E]

What’s wrong with a used WATE then if you know that it’s you’re winning team. I much more easily buy a used lens than a used camera. For this project you prefer 21 as an angle but it’s also nice when a tool you need for one purpose gives back something extra that tickles your creativity.

Oh, nothings wrong with a used WATE or any used lens :-)

Most of my lenses are second hand :-)

 

You have a point, the WATE is a tool with more possibilities, I must consider this too.

 

@Helged and John,

Thanks for the input regarding the 21 SEM, I'll check this one too :-)

 

I know what to do during the Christmas holidays ;-)

 

Best regards

Peter

[RoySmith]

I did some 360° Panorama shots a few years ago. I was using a Canon 5D and the Canon EF 15mm Fisheye lens.

I used a tripod with a leveling base and the RRS Pano Setup
Canon EF 15mm Fisheye is very sharp and I could do the shoot with 6 vertical shots and 1 nadir & 1 zenith.

You can see one of my first ones here  (you may need to enable flash to view this)
 
Another one here (this one needs Java - different viewer)   For this one each photo was a 3 shot HDR image so you can see out the windows.

The entire collection is here
 
I came across a Contax 16/2,8 F-Distagon Fisheye Lens AE Contax/Yashica Mount in good condition and even got the Novoflex Adapter to use it - but haven't got around to setting it up for the SL.

This lens has great reviews and can be had fairly reasonably priced.

 

The advantage of the fisheye lens is one needs fewer shots

 

Roy