Judy-A
Posts: 525
Location: Edmonton, Canada
Registered: 20 Jan 2010
|
Carrying pano rig on day-trips and hikes
Posted: 28 Jan 2010 at 2:14 GMT
|
|
How do you carry your pano gear when on a short hike or when travelling by car? Do you disassemble/resassemble parts between stops?
I have an old aluminum tripod (needs replacing), NN3/RD-8 rotator, Nikon D5000.
Can I safely leave everything screwed together and put it in a padded duffle bag or backpack? Would I risk damage to components?
Judy
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
Peter Patricelli
Posts: 154
Location: Eugene, OR, United States
Registered: 20 Dec 2006
|
Re: Carrying pano rig on day-trips and hikes
Posted: 28 Jan 2010 at 3:59 GMT
|
|
Judy,
"Can I safely leave everything screwed together and put it in a padded duffle bag or backpack?"
That is exactly what I do. I made (sewed) a large pouch out of 5mm neoprene (old fishing waders), very padded and soft. I put the pouch, open at the top, into a top-zipping backpack. I swing the camera into a 0 degree zenith orientation with lens cap on and then stuff the camera, mounted on the pano head, detached from the tripod when hiking or walking any distance, into the neoprene pouch that is inside the backpack. If I am driving from place to place, I may leave the tripod attached and stand or lay the unit on a car seat. With neoprene pouch +/- backpack over the camera and pano head, it is quite protected.
Probably everyone does different things. It will be interesting to see the other responses. But this works for me.
Peter Patricelli
www.flyfishingfotography.com
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
|
Guest
|
Re: Carrying pano rig on day-trips and hikes
Posted: 28 Jan 2010 at 4:39 GMT
updated: 14 Mar 2011 at 16:13 GMT
|
|
|
When I am on the move, I keep things assembled as much as possible. If I have to walk, I have the camera attached to the panohead in a backpack, and the tripod in my hands (2 kg / 4 lbs), or if there is a long walk, I drop the tripod in it's nylon pouch and swing it over my shoulder.
|
|
|
|
Thomas Krueger
Posts: 358
Location: Genoa, Italy
Registered: 3 Mar 2006
|
|
John Willetts
Posts: 259
Location: Bath, United Kingdom
Registered: 13 Mar 2008
|
Re: Carrying pano rig on day-trips and hikes
Posted: 28 Jan 2010 at 11:39 GMT
|
|
The best solution is to get someone else to carry at least the heaviest part of the kit for you 
Seriously, I do a lot of travelling and walking.
I've got quite a heavy tripod with an Agnos rotator and arm to which I have permanently attached the female part of a Manfrotto quick release plate. I have similar plates on the Monopod - which doubles as a Hiking stick and the pole.
The big tripod comes with a bag with shoulder straps.
All this, I permanently keep in the back of my faithful 4 wheeler - together with Wellingtons, hiking boots and a stove (for making coffee).
I've got a fairly small (and cheap) photographic kit bag for the rest of the gear.
I only have one lens for the D300, the Sunex Fisheye, so it's always there. The 2 way spirit level is tied to the camera on a piece of string as is a a small bag containing a radio shutter release and lens cloth. Likewise, the lens cap is tied down. If I didn't tie everything to the camera I would quickly lose things. Under the camera is the male part of the quick release plate. Assembly takes a second.
Also in the bag, I have one of those foldable plastic grey/white cards for determining colour balance and exposure. A Zoom digital sound recorder and a Sony camera - in case I get the urge to take something other than panoramas - still or video. It too has a quick release plate.
Together,its reasonably light and bearable up to about 10 miles or so and is instantly assembled.
John
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
John Willetts
Posts: 259
Location: Bath, United Kingdom
Registered: 13 Mar 2008
|
Re: Carrying pano rig on day-trips and hikes
Posted: 28 Jan 2010 at 11:49 GMT
|
|
I forgot to mention, when I'm away from home for a few days,I take a mini laptop for storing the files. It's got NX2, Autopano, PT Gui and Pano2VR for occupational therapy on rainy days.
And, also tied to all the cameras, are spare memory cards.
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
Tim Eastman
Posts: 133
Location:
Registered: 13 Nov 2006
|
Re: Carrying pano rig on day-trips and hikes
Posted: 28 Jan 2010 at 14:06 GMT
|
|
|
The Sigma 8mm / NNR10 combo is a very nice solution, although the lens is costly. Very easy to set up and smaller footprint to eliminate.
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
Judy-A
Posts: 525
Location: Edmonton, Canada
Registered: 20 Jan 2010
|
Re: Carrying pano rig on day-trips and hikes
Posted: 28 Jan 2010 at 18:05 GMT
|
|
Thanks for all the great ideas.
Peter Patricelli, I like your idea of a padded pouch for the camera/pano head combo. I'm pretty handy with a sewing machine. You wouldn't happen to have the other leg from those old fishing waders lying around, would you? 
John Willetts, thanks for describing your equipment so well. I'm going to have to implement your practice of having everything tied down. Do you leave anything dangling? I've struggled with a tethered lens cap and remote cord swinging into the nadir shot.
I've taken the pan/tilt head off my aluminum tripod and screwed the RD8 rotator directly to the tripod. I have one of those little acrylic spirit levels that fits in the hot shoe. It's a bit tricky to get the tripod level, though.
For spherical panos, do you take care to keep the pano head level?
Do any of you use ball heads on your tripods?
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
John Willetts
Posts: 259
Location: Bath, United Kingdom
Registered: 13 Mar 2008
|
Re: Carrying pano rig on day-trips and hikes
Posted: 28 Jan 2010 at 18:20 GMT
|
|
Everything dangles  You just have to remember to keep it all at the back of the camera. Keeping it all out of the way for Nadir shots can be great fun.
Getting the camera level - line one leg up with the front of the camera - then just adjust the legs. It takes a little practice.
Every shot has to be level.
I'm looking at these new electronic level indicators - could be very useful, particularly for pole work. But I won't buy before I buy. Hoping to see one at the Focus on Imaging show.
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
Ken Warner
Posts: 821
Location: Mammoth Lakes, United States
Registered: 14 Aug 2004
|
Re: Carrying pano rig on day-trips and hikes
Posted: 28 Jan 2010 at 18:23 GMT
|
|
|
Yes, ball head is a very good solution. I use a mini-ball head from Manfrotto a 484. Get them on ebay. Some of the people here like to level the tripod. I don't...
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
DennisS
Posts: 1292
Location: Los Anglels, United States
Registered: 1 Sep 2007
|
Re: Carrying pano rig on day-trips and hikes
Posted: 29 Jan 2010 at 1:44 GMT
updated: 29 Jan 2010 at 1:49 GMT
|
|
Judy-A said: For spherical panos, do you take care to keep the pano head level?
No. Using the tripod legs, get the first shot as level as you can. There really is no need for an additional leveler between the pano head and the tripod.
PTGui has at least two methods for leveling out a spherical panorama.
You can add vertical control points
www.johnhpanos.com/levtut.htm
or level out the panorama using the Panorama Editing window
www.ptgui.com/man/straighten.html.
Do not level between shots. Leave the rig alone for the entire sequence.
I have never used a ball head. Some people like them, others do not. It is just one more piece of equipment to haul around. It also is one more place for your rig to be weak. Put the pano head directly onto the tripod and adjust the legs. This should give you the most secure rig. For spherical panorama, you just need to get close to level, not perfect for the first shot. Car interiors are shot with the tripod (monopod or pole, actually) poking into the window at a 90 degree angle.
I have never done template stitching. The rules are probably different.
I also remove anything that might hang down from the camera. This includes the carrying strap and anything else. I have had too many Nadir shots ruined because I did not see something hanging down.
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
Judy-A
Posts: 525
Location: Edmonton, Canada
Registered: 20 Jan 2010
|
Re: Carrying pano rig on day-trips and hikes
Posted: 29 Jan 2010 at 17:31 GMT
|
|
Ahhh! So much good advice. Conflicting advice, even! 
DennisS, I'm using Autopano Pro for stitching. It has leveling controls as well.
I'm not planning to shoot subject matter like real estate tours that would be speeded up with stitching templates, but I will be on rough ground most of the time. Before buying a ball head, I'll try out what I've got.
Thanks everyone, for sharing your experiences.
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
Mark Schuster
Posts: 1321
Location: Welwyn Garden City, United Kingdom
Registered: 25 Jan 2006
|
Re: Carrying pano rig on day-trips and hikes
Posted: 30 Jan 2010 at 21:58 GMT
|
|
Judy,
Can you afford a Sigma f/3.5 8mm? If so do your outdoor work handheld. Just carry the camera/lens wrapped up in a change of clothes in your backpack. And if you don't like hard work - like me - get yourself Autopano Pro and Pano2VR. Photoshop is, in my opinion, an essential.
Mark
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
Judy-A
Posts: 525
Location: Edmonton, Canada
Registered: 20 Jan 2010
|
Re: Carrying pano rig on day-trips and hikes
Posted: 1 Feb 2010 at 19:31 GMT
|
|
Hi Mark,
After seeing all the good work done with the much less expensive Samyang f/3.5 8mm lens, I ordered one. I can't wait to try it out. I'll definitely be experimenting with handheld shots in good light.
I already have the software you recommend, so I'm almost good to go.
Judy
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
Smooth
Posts: 3774
Location: Mount Panorama, Australia
Registered: 21 Jul 2004
|
Re: Carrying pano rig on day-trips and hikes
Posted: 2 Feb 2010 at 5:10 GMT
|
|
The Samyang 8mm unlike the Sigma 8mm will require separate Zenith shot/s as well as the rotational shots. As it is not a full circular fisheye.
Regards, Smooth 
www.smooth360.info
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
back to threads list |
this thread is closed
Prev
