As a rule, panoramic photography refers to a frame with a wide viewing angle. A 3D image, in turn, should be projected onto a cube or sphere, providing the opportunity to consider all its details with a shift in the viewpoint.
Even conventional cameras have a panoramic mode . But manufacturers of technology in recent years have somewhat expanded this concept. It is not necessary to use special settings to create a spherical panorama. You can make some successful shots, and then "sew" them into a single composition. Also widely used is the method of scanning pixel pixels when rotating the camera.
Creating spherical panoramas using various methods gives different results. In this article, we will look at how you can create 3D pictures, and discuss which programs are best used for this.
What is a panorama?
Spherical panorama is one of the varieties of photography, which is intended for demonstration on a computer using special software.
It is based on an image in a cubic or spherical projection, created from a huge number of individual pictures. A characteristic feature of this type of frames is a huge angle of coverage, which makes it possible to capture the whole environment.
Virtual tours and 3D panoramas
It’s very easy to get a 3D panorama, just apply a cubic or spherical projection to the cube or sphere, respectively.
Several arranged panoramas turn into a virtual tour. Surely you have already seen something like this on the sites of educational institutions or libraries. A virtual tour is an online excursion, moving in which by clicking on the transition points. It is they who move the user to the next panorama.
Phased creation of a spherical panorama
Creating a classic 3D panorama takes place in several stages:
- Shooting. Taking pictures of the terrain from which you plan to create a spherical panorama.
- Stitching frames. This procedure involves combining all the photos in the PTGui program for further processing.
- Convert panoramas to Flash format. Convert the finished projection to the required format for viewing in 3D.
Shooting preparation
A spherical panorama is an image that requires some skill and preparation. Before starting the process of its creation, we will consider the nuances that are worth paying special attention to.
First you need to choose an interesting place to shoot and set up a tripod at the center point of the composition. The basis is a photo of the earth. Next, the lower, middle, upper rows are removed, the composition ends with shooting the sky. Remember that all subsequent frames should overlap the previous ones by a third - this will facilitate the panorama gluing step.
Camera setup
First of all, you need to adjust the focal length on the lens. It should be minimal, and the viewing angle of the apparatus - maximum.
It is best to set the focus of the camera lens to manual mode and concentrate on the middle plan of the panorama. This will protect you from changing focus with each subsequent frame.
For the desired image sharpness, the aperture value should be in the range f / 7 - f / 11. You should not take pictures at its maximum value, since the depth of field will decrease to a minimum , and many elements will fall out of focus.
The sensitivity settings should be selected based on the set aperture and the brightness of the place.
Exposure is also selected according to the brightness of the composition. Make sure that there are no overexposures and too dark areas in the photographs.
To shoot, select RAW mode. This will allow at the end of the work to correct the exposure, color balance, remove noise and add sharpness.
Panorama shooting
After installing the equipment and its settings, you can proceed directly to the shooting. Spherical 3d panorama is a composition that requires several consecutive frames, partially replacing each other. When changing lighting during operation, you will have to adjust the shutter speed.
The most difficult moment in shooting a spherical panorama is the creation of a photograph of the surface under a tripod. To do this, you will have to pick up the camera, holding it at the same point, extend your hand up and shoot a frame underneath. Be sure to watch your legs - they should not be in the picture.
To capture the sky, you need to turn the camera up on a tripod or take a picture using the same technology as when photographing the earth.
After successfully completing all these steps, all you need to do is combine the photos and convert them into the desired 3D product.
How to make a spherical panorama on Android
Let's step back a little from the classical concept of a spherical panorama and move on to studying the technology that every owner of a device with the Android operating system can use. And the Google Camera program, and more specifically the Photo Sphere mode in it, will help to do this.
Spherical panorama should be of high quality. To do this, you need to take a stable position, and keep the tablet or phone at face level. The lens should be centered on the blue dot that appears on the screen.
When shooting a spherical panorama, you need to follow the blue dot, carefully turning with the device. Sound notification will tell you when you need to make the next turn. Clicking on the green checkmark after completing the circle will automatically start processing the captured frames.
Create 3D panoramas on iOS devices
You already know how to create a 3D image on Android, and now owners of iOS devices will learn how to make a spherical panorama.
In this case, you should use the Google Street View application, which is identical to the Google Camera program. At the end of the circle you need to click the "Stop" button. The result can be viewed by opening the standard Apple Photos gallery.
View and publish a panoramic image
You can shoot a new photosphere immediately after processing the previous composition, but if you want to view the panorama you just created, swipe from right to left on the screen.
After enjoying your own work, you can share it through Google+ using standard functionality. Confirm your intention to publish a photo, and access to your panorama will be open. Now any of your friends will be able to view the record and rate it. Regardless of the device’s operating system, the panorama publishing scheme remains the same.
Useful tips to help make photography more successful.
A photograph will look much more advantageous if the surrounding picture is not too colorful and contrasting. Make sure that cars and people don’t get into the camera’s lens, because the trace left by them in the picture will spoil the whole composition.
But this does not mean at all that a spherical panorama cannot contain third-party objects. For example, a person can become part of the composition. To fit it well, you just need to ask him not to move for a while. But, on the other hand, if a person in the frame moves in the same direction as you, this will create some kind of magical effect.
Shooting spherical panoramas is a creative process that requires a bit of effort and imagination. Incomplete photospheres, duplicated people, interesting compositions - this is all that you can create with your own hands with the help of a camera.
This article told you how to make spherical panoramas in various ways. Use this knowledge for good and develop!