Oneshot Panocamera · first step
Comments (11) Looking forward, after Canal View experience we are to build up a new oneshot photo system. This is based upon 3 fisheye lens addons and 3 compact cameras.
This is the story of the first small attempt, the idea is to have a proof of concept and a kind of working prototype.
We want to investigate on how small we can go with the system, how close we can go to the objects, in order to experiment a panoramic oneshot camera, able to capture timelapses and video.
Resulting will be the investigation about artistic and communicative languages, the decision if to acquire or build our own oneshot panocamera from scratches, and a better knowledge on how to project or build it according to our own real applications.
Aiming to be:
- able to take full 360 panoramas, complete with Zenit and maybe Nadir.
- small and lightweight, hungable and high-pole-wise
- having less parallax possible, and be usable in tight spaces (<= 6meter diam sphere)
- being able to take 1 pano/sec perfectly syncronized
- being as automatic and as remotable as possible.
- being cheap, cheap and cheaper again while always better than mirror solution
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Ideas and solutions:
Canon A460 is the camera I selected for the task.
2nd hand cheap, you can hack the firmware with chdk, good resolution (no overtight sensor) small size.
Nikon FC-E8 is perhaps the best fisheye adapter ever.
I got 3 of them by cheapo on ebay in the years.
Soligor 0.19x fisheye adapter was also sold by IPIX with their logos and marks.
I’m experimenting with 3 cameras cause I’ll be eble to enhance resolution by zooming in a little bit, and still have a full spherical pano.
Also a dual camera setup is possible.
Here
http://www.diy-streetview.org/
run from my friend Jan.
Here he explains the normal problem you will always have with these fisheye adapters.
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Control box.
Canon cameras with StereoDataMaker hacked firmware can be remotely triggered from the usb plug.
http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/USB_Remote_Cable
Jan’s way.
http://www.diy-streetview.org/2010/02/10/black-box-landed/
Jan’s way is more or less THE way. Still perfectible, but now it is really the best.
Concept: the device that drives the camera is in the box, while a remote trigger with a timer and whatever is secure in your hands.
My way will be far more rude and easy for the moment.
Cheap device with 1 aaa battery
http://www.canoremote.de/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chinesejetpilot/2376735136/in/photostream/
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The Panocamera:
This is the concept camera, Jackar adapters on. They provide optimum result for the price and the project limit, but lack a situable camera-to-rig connection. Decided then to glue a thread mount to camera, in order to be able to attatch the cameras through their own screw, or through the tubes lateral holder.
Cameras with and without cosmetic ring.
Camera fitting with the adapter tube. Once the aesthetical ring is removed we can glue on a stepping ring to hold the jackar tube. The tube is estensible and can be set to the desired lenght.
Close up of the camera and tube fitting. Old Fujix digital viewer on the background.
Difference in dimension between FC-E8 Nikkor and Soligor/iPix fisheye 0.19x lens.
Partially assembled rig, with Fuji eye-level monitor, usb cables and stuff.
Lucky finding, cheap chinese lens collar fits exactely the Soligor lens.Looks like a really pro-looking solution.
Displaying the final setup. Still incomplete.
.I’m waiting for 3 step up filters, male 37mm/female 40.5 to glue on the cameras to fit a permanent screw-on tube holder. I believe better in this far better than bayonet cause it is far more firm and secure. Plastic bayonet with plays are NOT a professional choice and would induce even more complicated and less predictable lens misalignments.
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© Luca Vascon / Officine Panottiche 2009,2010
