I wish to take a series of panorama photographs using 6x9 camera and 110 Schneider lens. 8 exposures will cover approximately 360 degress.

I know that "I need to rotate the camera around an axis that goes through the nodal point of the lens." How do I do it? How do I find the nodal point? What do I have to look for on the ground glass?

-- Andreas Carl (andreas@physio.unr.edu), October 16, 2000

Answers

Kaidan manufactures three panoramic tripod heads that allow you to set the camera in/on the head, find the nodal point of the lens being used and shoot. There are dual scales allowing you to set the diemnsions for any camera and lens combination. The head has double levels so you can determine whether or not your camera is/remains level. In its brochure, Kaidan labels these the Kiwi product line. For info contact http://www.kaidan.com. I believe B&H carries the full line of such heads. I have seen the images made with one of these, and the panormaic prints were easy to match up--no they were seamless! best of luck, Bob

-- Bob Moulton (bobmargaretm@home.com), October 16, 2000.

Just another question to follow up: What happens if you do not use the nodal point (as I have done when making dyptichon- and tryptichon pictures)? Could people provide some information (literature/websites) about this topic?

Lukas Werth

-- Lukas Werth (lukas.werth@rz.hu-berlin.de), October 16, 2000.

I presume that you plan to use your 110 Schneider Super Symmar XL. Yhe dedicated page at http://schneideroptics.com/large/super_symmar/110xl/daten.html include numerous data, but unfortunately not the palce of the nodal point. However I'm prone to deduce from the principal point separation of 18,8 mm at infinity indicated on that page, that the nodal point is roughly 12 mm in front of the diaphragm.

To check yourself : put your camera not too far from a vertical target, set it on a head with a panoramic base, with a generously long Q/R perpendicular to film plane, the supposed nodal point at vertical of pan head axis. (this is easy with a monorail, if its long enough, with a counterweight in the front). Focus on the target, then rotate left and right the camera. If the target shifts, you aren't at the vertical of the nodal point. Pull and push the camera until there is no shift.

By the way, I'm astonished that you plan only 8 frames with such a lens on 6x9 for 3600

-- Dominique CESARI (cesarigd@club-internet.fr), October 17, 2000.

My former poster isn't clear at all about the "shift" of the target on the background. As my English is too poor, I will try to summarize it in a small draw.

-- Dominique CESARI (cesarigd@club-internet.fr), October 18, 2000.

Thanks Dominique, this "lamp-post test" works very well. I underestimated a bit the importance to get everything leveled in a horizontal plane, but once I did, I got some great shots.

The roll of 120 film is the "finished product" in other words, the black space between the frames acts like windo frames and thus each picture is spaced a little from the other. If I were to paste them together for a complete 360, I would have to use a slightly wider lens, probably 100mm or maybe even 95mm.

Thanks everyone!

-- Andreas Carl (andreas@physio.unr.edu), October 20, 2000.