You will need to purchase a Panorama head. This is a must to avoid parallax errors especially when objects are closer to the lens. A panorama head will allow the camera to rotate around the entrance pupil (EP) of the lens (this is the point of no parallax) and this will make the (EP) rotate around X and Y axis of the tripod centerline.

You can read more on setting up your camera/lens combination for the correct No Parallax Point in this thread.

The Samyang is a great entry price fisheye lens and really a good quality manual lens capable of very good shots. The correct shooting technique is (minimum) 4 shots in rotation @ 90 degrees (Yaw) click stops with -10 degrees tilt down. Followed by 1 Zenith/Up shot at +65 degrees. You might also like to shoot an offset Nadir/Down shot of where the tripod was positioned.

Though I have mentioned the "minimum" you will most likely find 6 rotational shots -10 degrees @ 60 degrees (Yaw) Click Stops and 2 +65 degrees 180 degrees apposed a better more reliable shooting sequence for ease of control point placement. Of course the Nadir/Down shot is again optional.

So your buy list is:

• Quality stable tripod
• Panohead
• Wireless Remote

I mention Wireless Remote because you need a way to shoot away from the camera to reduce shadows and movement etc (you can also use the camera Self Timer shooting option) but the wireless remote is a better option. If you need help on brands etc please ask.

Panoweaver software does the stitching from Easypano and Tourweaver compiles "tours" linking multiple rooms/scenes.

More on the Samyang 8mm Fisheye in this thread I started on another forum this time last year.

Regards, Smooth

Hi Smooth,

your explanations are, as usual "dispointignly"  clear, precise and perfect

Can you explain how to shoot the nadir wiyhout having paralax problems (or with a minimum of them) ?

Many thanks in advance.

Dominique

Hi Dominique,

Give this a try:

• Place a coin or similar on the ground in line with your tripod centerline
• After shooting your rotational shots and zenith move the tripod away some distance (taking notice of shadows) then tilt the tripod to take a picture of the nadir area with the coin in shot. This angle should be about 20 degrees tilt and the camera height as close as possible to the rotational shots.

You have the option of removing the coin before shooting (another person helps) or simply clone out the small object in post processing.

The important things here are the 20 degree (or close) angle and maintaining as close as possible to the rotational shooting height.

Panoweaver 7 does an amazing job in most cases. 

The only other thing is that your NPP should be pretty spot on to start with otherwise things will not turn out as you would like.

N.B: It never deals with geometric patterns all that well. Best to stick to pain non patterned areas.

I will happily look at an image set and test if shot as I have stated for your type of camera and lens combination.

Regards, Smooth

Yes, that is a good wireless remote.

It appears to be a re-badged Phottix Cleon II see www.phottix.com

Regards, Smooth

If you can upload the source images I will attempt to stitch them to see if you are on target.

You do NOT correct distortion first. This is the job of the stitching program (Panoweaver).

You also should NOT be adding the up/zenith image via the "ceiling" cap option. This is not what that feature is designed for.

All images to be stitched should be entered as fullframe fisheye including the sky/up/zenith shot.

Regards, Smooth