GIMP- panoramas

jowensphoto · Jun 21, 2012

Can anyone give me some hints on panoramas in GIMP? I found something that said, "There's any easy way and a hard way," easy being a plug in and hard being layers. I'd rather not use a plug in, so searched for tutorial without one to no avail.

480sparky · Jun 21, 2012

Out-of-the-packige GIMP can't do panos, so you'll need a plug-in no matter what. At least 2.6 didn't.

i've never attempted panos in GIMP, so I can't address how easy/hard layers would be.

Have you searched YouTube for some tuts?

jowensphoto · Jun 21, 2012

I just found this link: Create free panorama by stitching panorama photos together in graphics software - Part 2/2: Stitch panorama together and it seems to explain it. Seems simple enough. All of the youtube tuts used pandora.

I took a photo last year at the beach (not of the water) and couldn't figure out why it didn't have the "zing" I was looking for. We're headed back in a couple weeks and I think a pano might give me the end result I want.

As far as panos go in general (I'll obviously need to work on this before we go), for actually shooting: you stand in one spot, using a tripod for best result, panning the head and overlapping the frames 30-50%. Is that right, basically? Any other tips that might help?

Thanks for the advice!!

480sparky · Jun 21, 2012

jowensphoto said:
............
As far as panos go in general (I'll obviously need to work on this before we go), for actually shooting: you stand in one spot, using a tripod for best result, panning the head and overlapping the frames 30-50%. Is that right, basically? Any other tips that might help?

Thanks for the advice!!

If you're shooting a pano with the foreground quite close to you, you may run into problems with it lining up. If you find this is a consistent problem, you'll need to look into a head that rotates the camera / lens combo around the nodal point.

jowensphoto · Jun 21, 2012

OK, so how close is close? LOL I'd use a zoom so I wouldn't have to be on top of what I'm shooting, but it would be a matter of 35' max.

480sparky · Jun 21, 2012

"Use a zoom"?

Which one? An 8-16, or a 300-500?

I typically shoot at 10mm, and I only have issues when the foreground is within 10'. YMMV, so just take some shots and see what happens.

If the foreground becomes a consistent issue, it's time to upgrade your gear.

Josh66 · Jun 21, 2012

GIMP has a panorama plugin called pandora. I haven't used it much, but everyone seems to like it.

jowensphoto · Jun 21, 2012

lol probably kit lens and borrow/rent something else. Funds are laaaaacking

Any suggestions on what to borrow?

jowensphoto · Jun 22, 2012

Downloaded Pandora yesterday and took a few quick shots of my back yard. I used four images to create the pano below. I can see seams on the middle-right hand side. Will have to practice more so I can create my masterpiece

jowensphoto · Jun 22, 2012

Click the top one, not the bottom.

Josh66 · Jun 22, 2012

The fence makes the edges easy to see. Did you use a tripod? I wonder how much that would have helped if you didn't... (Looks like you didn't, judging by the second picture.)

Overall, it doesn't look bad for quick test shots though.

jowensphoto · Jun 22, 2012

I did use a tripod lol I am using an old Velbon that is about as basic as it gets. No leg brace, level, or "degree meter" or whatever the technical term is. Not sure if I was level to begin with, and only had the "click marks" to judge my panning.

The fence was tripping me up in post. When it was aligned, the grass looked weird. When the grass looked right, the fence was askew.

Anyhoo, might be going camping up in the mountains this weekend, there are some beautiful overlooks and ponds. I've never been into landscape much, but this might do it for me

480sparky · Jun 22, 2012

It appears you are shooting in some sort of Auto mode. ALWAYS shoot panos in full manual, so there's no difference between the frames in terms of exposure.

It also looks like the stitching software doesn't 'blend' the images, it just sticks 'em together edge-to-edge.

Another hint: Make sure your camera is perfectly level/plumb.. no matter which direction it's pointed. It takes some time to do this, but will make the stitching go much smoother and look better.

Set the tripod up, and adjust for plumb in one direction (say, North-South), then plumb it for East-West.

jowensphoto · Jun 22, 2012

I was full manual!! LOL I just double checked to make sure that I didn't use a light testing shot. All settings were the same for every shot:

1/50
8.0
ISO 100

For leveling/plumb(ing?), should I get a small compass to attatch to my tripod?

480sparky · Jun 22, 2012

jowensphoto said:
I was full manual!! LOL I just double checked to make sure that I didn't use a light testing shot. All settings were the same for every shot:

1/50
8.0
ISO 100......

Strange.... didja use a CPL? I can see a huge difference in the grass right in the center.