I have been considering purchasing some equipment to make stitching panoramas a little easier, but am not sure what I need. I was considering putting a Kirk BH-3 ballhead (http://www.kirkphoto.com/BH-3_Ball_Head.html) on a set of Manfrotto CF legs and purchasing a Really Right Stuff Nodal Slide (http://reallyrightstuff.com/rrs/Itemdesc.asp?ic=MPR-CL-II&eq=MPR-CL-II-001&Tp=).
My question is: Since the ballhead already has a built in panning base with a level do I still need a leveling base such as Really Right Stuff's PCL-1 Panning Clamp, (http://reallyrightstuff.com/rrs/Itemdesc.asp?ic=PCL%2D1&eq=&Tp=)
Or will this combination (the BH-3 ballhead plus the nodal slide) be adequate for making panoramics?
I use a panning base with the nodal slide with good results. Make sure you also level the camera. Unless your camera body has a virtual horizon (Nikon D700 ex), I recommend a level in the hotshoe.
The problem is that you can level the camera without leveling the base of the tripod head. In that case, when you rotate using the panning base the camera the camera will go off level as you rotate. That is why people either get a leveling base for the tripod head, or use the PCL-1 atop their old clamp. I do the latter and it works like a charm. The pano I posted last week was done this way. The stitching is much easier if you capture your images right in the first place. ie - level rotation and rotation around the "nodal point" of the lens. Panoramics are fun. I need to do more of them.
You have to level whatever part of the setup turns. So you could have :
-- Standard ballhead and clamp : you have to level the tripod head (by adjusting the legs, which can be a pain) and then level the camera on the ballhead (which requires a level in the head or on the camera). You then rotate the whole ballhead on it's panning base.
-- Ballhead with leveling base and standard clamp : you have to level the tripod head (by adjusting the leveling base, which is better than the legs) and then level the camera on the ballhead (which requires a level in the head or on the camera). You then rotate the whole ballhead on it's panning base.
-- Standard ballhead with panning clamp : you just level the panning clamp, and only rotate the clamp.
So if you're frequently doing panos, you can save a lot of time with a panning clamp. But some people find it annoying to have that clamp there (size and weight) if they don't use it all the time. Personally, I just adjust the tripod legs until I'm really close, then shoot wide enough to encompass what I want. Sometimes I do panos handheld (when there are no FG elements to include).
Discussion
4 repliesMy question is: Since the ballhead already has a built in panning base with a level do I still need a leveling base such as Really Right Stuff's PCL-1 Panning Clamp, (http://reallyrightstuff.com/rrs/Itemdesc.asp?ic=PCL%2D1&eq=&Tp=)
Or will this combination (the BH-3 ballhead plus the nodal slide) be adequate for making panoramics?
Thanks all,
Zack
Pete D.
-- Standard ballhead and clamp : you have to level the tripod head (by adjusting the legs, which can be a pain) and then level the camera on the ballhead (which requires a level in the head or on the camera). You then rotate the whole ballhead on it's panning base.
-- Ballhead with leveling base and standard clamp : you have to level the tripod head (by adjusting the leveling base, which is better than the legs) and then level the camera on the ballhead (which requires a level in the head or on the camera). You then rotate the whole ballhead on it's panning base.
-- Standard ballhead with panning clamp : you just level the panning clamp, and only rotate the clamp.
So if you're frequently doing panos, you can save a lot of time with a panning clamp. But some people find it annoying to have that clamp there (size and weight) if they don't use it all the time. Personally, I just adjust the tripod legs until I'm really close, then shoot wide enough to encompass what I want. Sometimes I do panos handheld (when there are no FG elements to include).
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/569209-REG/Gitzo_GS5121LVL_GS5121LV_Leveling_Base.html
I add this RRS slide to deal with the nodal point on normal and wide angle lenses:
http://reallyrightstuff.com/rrs/Itemdesc.asp?ic=MPR%2DCL&eq=MPR%2DCL%2D002&Tp=
With my 70-200 I just clamp to the lens foot and don't bother with the slide.