# Basic steps in creating a 360 spherical panorama



## DonaldG (Aug 23, 2007)

The various steps in producing a 360 degree spherical panorama

Step 1:
Take a suitable sequence of photographs. In this example a full frame camera fitted with a 15mm fisheye lens was used. This was mounted on a special 360 pano head.
(It is possible to create this using the camera hand held Using a weighted piece of string. I will explain that in another post)


Each frame produced is 5307x3538 pixels



























The two special images one up and one down.


Step 2:
Pass the 6+2 images to suitable software that can stitch and warp the images. I use PTgui which is one of the best. that will produce the following image:









The completed image size is 14404 x 7202 pixels (c90Mb)

Step 3:
Create the 360 spherical. I have a licence from KRpano to use the special tools and the Flash based viewer.
The licence is required if you want to display the finished item on a website.
If you want to try it on your own computer instead you don't need the licence.

The KRpano takes the 'flat' and breaks it down into many 'tiles', creates several other files including the html & xml pages. These ate then uploaded to the website.

When viewed, the complete image is NOT downloaded in one go. Only the tile/tiles needed to fill your screen are fetched...

Questions? :grin:

EDIT: Note the use of taking the photos with the camera in portrait mode not landscape. This technique is recommended not just for 360 panos but for any pano. More images will be needed but much more of the scene is captured and gives better cropping options.


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## DonaldG (Aug 23, 2007)

The special pano head I use. (A Nodal Ninja 5).

Note how the vertical and horizontal pivot point is at the front of the lens. This particular lens is a 28~300 zoom set at 28mm/

This pivoting point should be set at the front nodal point of a lens but don't worry about that sort of thing...



























Rotator settings. Depending on the lens size, you can set the precise angle of rotation to ensure a proper overlap, frame by frame.


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## ebackhus (Apr 21, 2005)

You and your marvelous toys... An excellent tutorial, I wonder if my little point-and-shoot Canon can pull this off.


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## DonaldG (Aug 23, 2007)

:grin:

Yes, even a mobile phone can be used to make panoramas - perhaps it would be pushing the boundries a little to try a full 360 Spherical. But definately a 360 cylindrical cand be readily achieved..


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## sandman55 (May 28, 2005)

That's very interesting Donald. I have been to some places and not really tried because the camera wouldn't do it justice but a cylindrical panorama would probably do it.


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## zuluclayman (Dec 16, 2005)

nice bit of kit there Donald :grin:

are you using the pro version or standard version of PTGui?


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## Dori1960 (May 19, 2011)

Sweet set up!!!


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## DonaldG (Aug 23, 2007)

zuluclayman said:


> nice bit of kit there Donald :grin:
> 
> are you using the pro version or standard version of PTGui?


Pro version

It will handle all types of panos, from a simple 2 frame one to multi rows/multi frames. Cylindrical and spherical panos.


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