Panosaurus

[FattMarrell]

Okay so I just bought the efs 10-22mm wide angle for my digital rebel. This thing is nice! It takes about 100degree shots. I bought it mainly to do virtual tour things, seems to be working out so far.
Has anyone used the Panosuarus??? I'm about to buy one of these things, but I'd like an opinion or two before I order.
http://gregwired.com/pano/Pano.htm
Seems to work on digital slrs, I'm going to do the measurements soon.
Who's used one of these things?
-Matt

[RoB_m]

i've never used one but it does look like it'd give you better pano's than takin them on a normal tripod. in order to get good consecutive pano shots you need to rotate the camera on the noddle point of the lens and the panosaur does that.

[FattMarrell]

Well it seems on one of his images he mounted a 300D, so the rebel must fit.

[Bob_A]

In the FAQ it states that the camera/lens combo must not weigh more than 3 lbs, which means I couldn't use it with my 24-70 2.8L and 20D (3.6 lbs). Should be ok with a 20D and the 10-22 though, since the combined weight would be 2.4 lbs.

Read the FAQ, it contains a lot of info that may help you make a decision (for or against buying it).

Bob

[Jesper]

Yes, I have one and used it with my 10D.

It's OK when you have a light lens (for example the 50 f/1.8), but if you want to use a heavier lens, the Panosaurus is too flimsy.

[BobL]

i've never used one but it does look like it'd give you better pano's than takin them on a normal tripod. in order to get good consecutive pano shots you need to rotate the camera on the noddle point of the lens and the panosaur does that.

Noddle? is that like having a loose tripod head?

Needing to use a tripod depends on lighting and how steady your hands are, and nodal point rotation is really only essential when you have a close foreground. I used to lug my Manfrotto QTVR pano head everywhere but eventually found I could shoot 90% of my land and city scape panos sans tripod and just rotate about my feet and find they're pretty reasonable. Close up, indoors and low light I use a tripod with the pano head.

Here is a fairly challenging 360 degree (1390 x2500) hand held pano taken under difficult lighting at 6am in the morning. OK the exposure is not consistent and things don't line up like they would if you used a tripod and pano head but I like travelling light and didn't really want to lug my tripod from Australia to Italy for a 2 week holiday.

[Andy_T]

Noddle? is that like having a loose tripod head?


No. Actually it should be spelled noodle (as in pool noodle), but I am afraid Belmondo has this very tightly copyrighted (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=66444&highlight=pool+noodle).

Bob, very nice panorama :D

Best regards,
Andy

[BobL]

No. Actually it should be spelled noodle (as in pool noodle), but I am afraid Belmondo has this very tightly copyrighted (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=66444&highlight=pool+noodle).
Bob, very nice panorama :D
Best regards,
Andy

Thanks - and I'm still laughing after reading the noodle poodle thread.