Panoramic Patella, What is it and Why Do You Need It? [Actualizado]

Warning: you will probably end this article with a panoramic head on your wish list 😉 . And it is that I believe that there should be few people left on the face of the earth who have not yet made a panoramic photography. Because the truth is, hey, how cool are the photos, right? And not only that, they are also a fantastic way to shoot landscapes with a wide angle without necessarily having a wide angle lens. Or to photograph architecture without having to walk two kilometers backwards trying to take in a building. The truth is that he has many creative and compositional possibilities and more when most phones have this option integrated into their camera.

Now, if you’ve already messed around with your phone, you might want something better. It is also possible that you have already taken the next step by taking your first steps freehand, and tried to join the photos with an editing program. Maybe the result is not bad, but is it perfect? Probably not.

To make it perfect you lack an essential ingredient: the panoramic patella.

I’ll explain why and leave you with some panoramic head recommendations.

What is panoramic photography?

Panoramic photography is achieved primarily through sum of several photographs Thus allowing us to cover a much larger portion of the scene than with any other system, also avoiding the deformations associated with very angular lenses such as fisheye or similar.

The “sum” of the photographs is made by means of a editing program in an agile and simple way. The more optimized and correct the original photos are, the better results will be obtained in the final panoramic image. Avoiding cuts or malformations in the joint areas as much as possible.

What is a panoramic patella?

The panoramic patella is a specific head for panoramic photography, which allows us to move the camera so that the optical center of the lens does not change (or nodal point). This is important, because if we shift the optical center, we will have what is known as parallax bug.

The parallax error causes that when joining the images (stitching) in editing, you have distortions that affect the quality of the final image. For this, it is very important that the optical center (or nodal point) be kept as fixed as possible. That is, ultimately, the function of the panoramic patella.

Types of panoramic heads

Like everything, depending on the dedication and the specific use that you are going to give it, you can find different prices for panoramic head or panoramic head (VR head).

The best known are the Node Ninja. If you are going to give it continuous use or you are going to make panoramas that require a high level of security for gripping the equipment (for example, images from above, nadirs, etc.) and/or you want to add elements or accessories in the future, these are the most recommended.

Manfrotto, Leofoto, and other brands also make panoramic heads. You will find different prices and qualities. Here are some that you can find on Amazon:

If you don’t want to invest too much, Ebayit can also be an option where to find a panoramic head, and even, if you have the skill and desire, you can make it yourself.

How to Pan

Once the camera is placed on top of the panoramic head,

• Find an environment that lends itself to it. Scenery, skylines of cities, squares, great monuments, etc.
• Avoid movement in front of the optic.
• Take care of the composition.
• Adding a human element can help increase interest and adds a sense of scale.
• Preferably use a medium focal length (35 or 50mm).
• Keep the same settings for speed, ISO, white balance, etc. for all shots in the panorama.
• Overlap each image with the previous one by at least 20-30%. The editing program will remove what it doesn’t need, but won’t add successfully if the scene is missing.
• Take the images with the camera in vertical format if the destination is a horizontal format.
• And horizontally if the destination is a vertical format.
• Turn on help guides to make sure your images line up properly.
• Check that the tripod is well aligned with the ground. It is highly recommended that if your tripod does not have a bubble level, you get one to make this type of check.

Mobile tripods with rotating head

If all this catches your attention, but your mobile is your thing, then I will leave you with some recommendations of tripods for smartphones, so that your panoramas come out perfect regardless of the pulse you have ;), because they all allow 360º rotation .

Alfort

The cheapest, with a 360º rotating head and Bluetooth connection (check compatibility with your device). Sponge and plastic legs, lighter and less corrosive.

Yoozon

Mobile tripod and selfie stick. It is a very versatile tripod with Bluetooth for selfies but also with a swivel head for your panoramas.

Vicloon 106cm

With 360 ° horizontal rotation and a 90 ° vertical rotation view and load up to 1.5k, it measures 35cm folded

Photopro

These flexible legs are wonderful when you want to place the tripod in impossible places.

If you need to document more deeply about panoramic photography, be sure to take a look at this article where it explains in detail how to take a panorama, or this other one with tips to make your panorama impressive.

Nice landscape photos, right? the truth is that when we combine panoramic photography with scenes capable of taking your breath away and a good composition, the result is wonderful.

How about? Is the panoramic head among your new wishes for this year? If it is not within your budget, do not get overwhelmed and do the best you can with the means you have at hand. that no gadget It takes away the desire to continue learning and exploring the photographic world ;).

I hope this article has been useful to you. If so, and you think someone else might be interested in your content, don’t hesitate to share it on your social networks. You already know that our goal is to reach as many interested people as possible. Thank you very much and until next time.