Quote: Originally posted by DiscoverMB on January-23-2009

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Hey everyone. New to EasyPano and about to make a purchase. I'm looking at a Nikon Rebel XS with a fisheye lens (assuming the fisheye is a must). Anyone have experience with this camera?

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I believe you mean "Canon" Rebel XS which is the American name for the Canon EOS 1000D. Canon's latest entry model DSLR.

It is a fine camera and mated to a Sigma 8mm Fisheye will be perfectly suitable for Panoweaver software.

If you were to compare with Nikon you would put it up against the Nikon D60.

Don't forget you will need a panohead. The Agnos MrotatorUM would be a great choice for that combination.

Regards, Smooth

I realized after I walked out of the room that I typed Nikon. I don't know why I did that. But yes, I did mean the Canon Rebel XS. I'm currently using an old tour software called Remote Reality with a Sony 707 camera. The tour is a mirrored 360 degree lens. But this system seems far better. And the Tourweaver software seem to have quite the impact.

Is there much of a learning curve?

Quote: Originally posted by DiscoverMB on January-23-2009

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Isn't there a setting or lens for 360 x 360?

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Firstly there is not such thing really as 360x360 what you view is 360x180 being 360 degrees in rotation and +90 degrees from the horizon up and -90 degrees from the horizon down. But marketers in the US have over the years incorrectly promoted such nonsense.

Should you go with the Canon EOS XS/1000D and Sigma 8mm you will need to shoot 4 images at 90 degree stops and stitch these with Panoweaver using the "Drum" image setting. This will allow you to stitch a full spherical/equirectangular 2:1 aspect ratio panorama image projection.

Although the lens is marketed as a 180 degree fisheye this is only true if fitted to a Full Frame sized sensor camera like the Canon 5D, Nikon D700 etc. On a small frame sensor camera like the Canon EOS XS you have a 1.6x multiplier factor meaning your VFOV in portrait mode is a lot less because of the cropped edges. (you will shoot in portrait orientation on the panohead) Shooting 4 shots in rotation will cover the complete 360x180 bar some small area at the zenith/top and nadir/floor. This is easily dealt with in Photoshop with cloning/healing/patching or by adding a tripod cap etc.

Regards, Smooth

Thank you, smooth! Sounds like you relaly know your stuff.  

I just made the Rebel XS purchase with the sigma F3.5 fisheye lens. My issue is that in purchasing from the Studio from EasyPano, they're asking for a Credit Card verification form which asks for the last 4 digits of the Social Security Number. I'm not happy with that at all!!!

Also, I'm concerned with the panohead and arm from Kaidan they offer. I'm hearing it's plastic and doesn't offer the support needed to keep it totally in place.

Thoughts?

I wouldn't touch the Kaidan panohead personally. I don't know about the 4 digit Social Security number thing? It is normally the CVS number on the back of your card 3 digit they ask for.

You are welcome to order via my website www.smooth360.info though last I looked Easypano didn't offer me the Studio package only Panoweaver and Tourweaver as single items. Once before they did but it is not listed for me now as a reseller.

Really I recommend you purchase the Agnos MrotatorU panohead. Delivery is only a couple days to a week from Italy. Mention Smooth sent you and they should look after you with a small discount of some sort.

Steer well clear of plastic.

Regards, Smooth

Thanks, smooth. I'll look into the panohead.

For others and future reference, I called Kaidan directly to discuss their products. The particular head Easy Pano offers is some sort of durable resin material. They said depending on the weight of the camera and lens to take that into consideration. If the combination is under 4 pounds, it would be fine. Over that, they recommend another version.

As for the CC issue, I'll have to wait for the folks at Easy Pano to wake up and discuss it with them. Thanks for the offer to purchase through your site, but I'm going to get the whole Studio 2008.

I can't wait to get started. The one-shot system I currently have just doesn't cut it anymore.

My comment about Kaidan was more based in the service (or lack of) I received after being a customer over multiple panoheads. I won't make that mistake again.

As for the CC system and your social security number that just doesn't sit right with me. We don't even have Social Security numbers in Australia so what would we quote?

Anyway, good luck with your purchases.

Regards, Smooth