When to use which type of panorama?

Monday 18 September 2023, 22:11 by Nando Harmsen | 3,277 views | 10 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

A panorama lets you capture a lot in one image. More than you can capture with your widest wide-angle lens. You can also use it to create high-resolution images. Or you can simply crop a normal photo to a panoramic format. There is plenty of choice, but how do you decide what to use?

The choice seems easy. Yet I notice there is a lot of uncertainty about the right choice. With this article, I will give you a guideline to make it easier to choose the right option.

Sunset on the Opal Coast. A panorama was needed to get the angle of view I wanted.
Creating a panorama takes time and energy. If you do it properly, you also need some extra equipment. The subject you are photographing also affects the choice that is best for you.

Sometimes you do not have the time, or you do not feel like putting a lot of time into it. At other times, one method does not produce the desired result. You may also never use the possibilities that the result offers.

The Northern Lights above a fjord in Norway. This is more than 180 degrees, and in this uncropped photo you can clearly see that 5 photos were taken to get the desired angle of view.
First, a few facts. A panorama made from multiple photos always produces a much higher resolution than your camera normally captures. With two photos, this difference is not that great. With four or more photos, the resolution quickly becomes enormous.

You should first ask yourself whether you actually need that enormous resolution. There is no point producing a 250-megapixel photo if you never print it larger than 30 x 40 cm. Or if you only use it for your online portfolio.

The famous cliffs in Etretat at sunset. I could capture this in a single photo. A panoramic crop was sufficient.
It also depends on the resolution of your camera. Is it 12 megapixels or 60 megapixels? That makes a huge difference. In the first case, a panorama of 6 photos produces a beautiful resolution of 50 to 60 megapixels. With the other camera, it will run into the hundreds of megapixels.

Then there is the angle of view you are dealing with. Do you want more in the frame than your widest wide-angle lens can provide? Then it is very clear. A panorama made from multiple photos is necessary. Otherwise, you simply cannot fit it all in the frame.

I could only photograph an old bridge over this canal using four separate images. I did not have a wide enough angle to capture it in a single photo.
But do you have enough angle of view with your widest wide-angle lens? Then there is no need to make a panorama. At least, if your camera's resolution is sufficient. If it is not enough, a panorama made from multiple images will be necessary after all.

To put everything in a row, here are the guidelines.

Do you want a wider angle of view than your widest wide-angle lens? Take multiple photos and combine them.
Do you need more resolution than your camera provides? Take multiple photos and combine them.
Do you have a sufficiently wide angle and is your camera's resolution sufficient? Consider a panoramic crop.
Do you have a sufficiently wide angle but is your camera's resolution not sufficient? Take multiple photos and combine them.

Movement in your subject can cause major problems when combining photos for a panorama. As you can see here with the boat.
There is one more thing to take into account. When you photograph a subject that is moving, a panorama made from multiple photos can be a difficult task. Sometimes it is even impossible. In that case, there is only one solution. A panoramic crop from a single photo.

How do you prefer to make a panorama? Do you always take multiple photos and combine them for maximum resolution? Or do you make panoramic crops? Let us know in a comment below this post.

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About the author

Nando Harmsen has been photographing for more than 40 years. He specialises in wedding photography and landscape photography. Nando also gives talks, workshops, masterclasses and photo trips, and regularly reviews new and interesting equipment.

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10 comments

Trudy wrote on Tuesday 19 September 2023 at 11:29 | reply
Nando, I always find your posts very informative. Clear explanations and tips, with good (and beautiful) example photos. For me as an advanced photographer, they serve as a refresher, but I think beginners can also benefit a lot from them. Compliments!
Translated from Dutch.

Nando wrote on Tuesday 19 September 2023 at 12:05 | reply
Thank you, Trudy
Translated from Dutch.

Donald Willemsen wrote on Tuesday 19 September 2023 at 12:01 | reply
A fine article Nando, but I think you failed to mention one thing. That is the difference in angle of view between a full-frame or crop camera. On a crop camera, a focal length of 18mm corresponds to 29mm on a full-frame camera. That difference seems small, but it isn't.
I myself still have a 10-18mm lens available and a 7.5mm prime. Because I have a crop camera (R7), I naturally have to take the crop factor into account. The 7.5mm then corresponds to an angle of view of 12mm on a full-frame camera. The major disadvantage is the enormous distortion. Straight lines horizontally and vertically become curved, and you can't just straighten those in post-processing. In addition, everything is then displayed smaller.
In the end, I still have to make a difficult choice. What is the wise thing to do?
Translated from Dutch.

Nando wrote on Tuesday 19 September 2023 at 12:08 | reply
Dear Donald,
A crop factor is not important. Your camera and lens have an angle of view and you make use of that. Converting it to something else adds no value, and it's of no use to you.
It's very simple, is the angle of view you have with your lens too narrow? Then you can make a panorama.
Translated from Dutch.

Van Loon anToon wrote on Tuesday 19 September 2023 at 18:14 | reply
With analogue cameras there was a slit camera that took panoramas. With those long negatives.
Wouldn't there be a brilliant mind somewhere who could also provide this for the digital age?
I myself take a lot of panos horizontally and vertically. Usually handheld.
Your texts are always clear and your photography even clearer.
Translated from Dutch.

Nando wrote on Wednesday 20 September 2023 at 09:49 | reply
Indeed. I had forgotten about that kind of camera. In fact, the digital slit-scan camera is already here. It is moving your camera from left to right, as I also show in the course. Even your smartphone camera has that digital variant of the slit-scan camera.
Thank you for your nice response.
Translated from Dutch.

Mac wrote on Wednesday 20 September 2023 at 08:35 | reply
@Donald,

as nando already points out, crop or FF makes no difference. If you look through the viewfinder (or screen), then you see what you see and you have to make do with that.

Especially if you make panoramas by stitching, it is best not to have too large a field of view due to distortion. It is best to take photos vertically and stitch them.
Translated from Dutch.

Natuurliefhebber wrote on Wednesday 20 September 2023 at 08:36 | reply
Hi Nando, after watching your course on panorama photography, I got to work this week, resulting in some beautiful panoramic photos. Thanks for your very good and clear explanation!
Translated from Dutch.

Nando wrote on Wednesday 20 September 2023 at 09:47 | reply
@natuurliefhebber:
Nice to hear that you got great results. It's good to hear that I was able to help you with that. You're welcome
Translated from Dutch.

Donald Willemsen wrote on Wednesday 20 September 2023 at 10:22 | reply
@Mac, thanks for the tip. I know the theory.
Translated from Dutch.

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