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20
The Hasselblad XPan Panoramic Cameras
PANORAMIC IMAGES ON FILM AND DIGITALLY
In digital photography, panoramic images are relatively easily produced in the computer with-
out the need for a special panoramic camera. Such images are produced in the computer with
a software program by stitching together a number of overlapping images specially made for
this purpose in a digital Hasselblad camera or digital back.
PRODUCING PANORAMIC IMAGES DIGITALLY
A digitally produced panoramic image can be successful only if the individual images to be
stitched together in the computer are carefully planned and photographed. As described in
more detail later in this chapter, under Composing Panoramic Images, a visually effective pano-
ramic image, regardless of whether it is produced in the camera or computer, must have impor-
tant image elements at the left and right end or top and bottom of the image area to emphasize
the reason why the image is panoramic and that the image could not be as effective in an
"ordinary" format. Therefore you must select the subject for the panoramic image carefully and
make certain that the selected image area starts and stops at important image elements.
Select a location that does not have image elements that are too close to the camera to
be kept within the depth-of-fi eld range of the lens that you plan to use. The images must be
made with a tripod-mounted camera, and you must make certain that the pan head is per-
fectly level in all directions. A spirit level is very helpful. Without it, make certain that horizon-
tal lines such as the horizon or straight vertical lines are perfectly parallel to the image sides
regardless of which direction you turn the camera. Basically any lens can be used but a stand-
ard or short telephoto is likely to be more successful than a wide angle. Regardless of what
lens you use, set the distance and the aperture so that all elements from the foreground to the
background are within the depth-of-fi eld range. Unsharp image areas are frequently disturbing
in a panoramic image. Do not use automatic exposure settings. Instead make the lens settings
manually based on the most important part of the panorama and keep this lens setting for all
the images so they all have the same exposure. Do not use polarizing fi lters as they affect the
image differently when the camera and lens are pointed in different directions.
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