I'm contemplating on purchasing the easypano software, but it is the tourweaver that intrests me the most. I have installed the demo version and I have looked at the sample images.
1. What's the difference between cylindrical and spherical images? I noticed that you have more reach with a spherical image, is that correct?
My final question would be which lens is required for these spherical images?
2. My ultimate goal is to create a virtual tour, as i've seen many fantastic ones. Am I correct in thinking spherical images are the best for this goal?
3. In the same optic, I have a Nikon Coolpix 8700, and there is a Fisheye lens availabel on the market, the FC-E9 of Nikon. Will this lens be suitable?
Hi Joeri, Welcome to the forum. Yes the FC-E9 is the lens recommended by nikon for you camera.
Cylindrical V Spherical:
Cylindrical images are old school ie you get free software that stitches these type of pano with your digi camera. They are just normal 'panoramas' that dont give you a full 360 x 360 experience.
Spherical images allow give you a fully immersive feeling ie you can often look all the way down to the floor and all the way up aswell are all the way round in 360. They give you upto 60% more 'view' than the more basic cylindrical pano.
Spherical image are a must for the 'serious' pano photographer and can often be simpler to produce (depending on eqp & number of shots taken) The 8700 & FC-E9 will produce a good quality fully immersive image in 3 shots.
For your camera & lens combo I recommend you get THIS
tripod head/Lens rotator if you havent got one already.