How To Make 360 Video With Dslr Camera

Nodal ninja panoramic head tutorial — Nodal ninja panoramic caput tutorial

It'southward no secret that virtual tours are hotter than ever. How practise you lot stand out from the contest? And what if y'all don't accept a 360 photographic camera? One respond to both questions is to shoot a loftier quality 360 photograph with a DSLR or any camera using a panoramic caput. In this postal service, I'll talk about the advantages of shooting a 360 photo with a panoramic head. I'll also discuss how to shoot with a panoramic caput. UPDATE: here are samples of 360 photos with a panoramic head compared to 360 cameras.

Nodal Ninja 3 mk III — the new Nodal Ninja 3 mk 3

Here is a complete guide to shooting 360 photos with a DSLR, including what kind of camera or lens you lot demand, how to shoot and how to stitch.

Here are 6 advantages for shooting a 360 photo with a DSLR instead of a 360 camera:

UPDATE: here are samples of 360 photos with a panoramic head compared to 360 cameras.

Detail. With a panoramic caput, you tin can take a 360 photograph of extremely high resolution, even gigapixel resolutions. The longer the lens you employ, the higher the resolution of the final stitched photo.

Left: crop from 360 photo from Samyang / Rokinon with Sony a6000; right: crop from Ricoh Theta V — Left: crop from 360 photo from Samyang / Rokinon with Sony a6000; right: crop from Ricoh Theta 5

Perfect stitching. If setup and used correctly, a 360 photo with a panoramic head will have no parallax fault. Even objects that are very close to the photographic camera will exist stitched correctly. This means a panoramic caput is ideal for small spaces such as machine interiors.
Image quality. Even 360 cameras that have similar resolution as a depression-resolution DSLR panorama (shot with a round fisheye lens) will have image quality that is not as adept as that of the panorama, just because of sensor size. With a larger sensor size, DSLRs will accept higher image quality even with similar resolution. The DSLR shot will take amend detail, dynamic range, color depth and bit depth.

Left: a crop from a panorama with a circular fisheye lens (30mp). Right: crop from Xiaomi Mijia Mi Sphere (24mp)

RAW mode. Virtually 360 cameras can't shoot RAW. DSLRs and interchangeable lens cameras can often shoot in Raw. Raw files have more particular, dynamic range, exposure latitude, and about unlimited adjustment for color temperature.
Flash and filters. Most 360 cameras cannot employ flash or filters. If you desire to use wink or filters for special effects in your 360 photo, using a DSLR or ILC is the only option.
Cost. If you already have a good quality camera, you lot can use that. You simply demand a panoramic head and stitching software. Moreover, when it's fourth dimension to upgrade, yous can utilize the same lens and panoramic head.

How to shoot a 360 photo with a DSLR using a multi-row panoramic head

In that location are several types of panoramic heads. Single row panoramic heads are designed for fisheye lenses (or if you desire to take a partial panorama). The one that I would recommend is a multi-row panoramic caput — which lets y'all aim the camera upward or downward, or anywhere in between, which makes information technology more versatile and can be used with many types of lenses.

Hither's the tutorial for a multi-row panoramic head:

How to use a unmarried-row panorama

Equally an culling to a multi-row panoramic head, you can use a single-row panoramic caput, such as the Nodal Ninja R series.

Equipment suggestions

Single-row panoramic caput: For a single-row panoramic caput, meet this separate page.

Multi-row panoramic head: For a multi-row panoramic caput, I recommend the new Nodal Ninja 3 Mk 3 (the one I have is Mk II). It's the entry level panoramic head past Nodal Ninja, and it tin can work for mirrorless or modest DSLRs. (For longer lenses, you'll desire the Nodal Ninja 6 or M-series). If you want a more economical panoramic caput, the SunwayFoto one works. But the difference between Nodal Ninja and the SunwayFoto is that the Nodal Ninja is more repeatable and will exist less likely to accept stitching errors.

Lens suggestions for multi-row panoramic head.

Samyang / Rokinon / Bower 8mm f/2.viii Fisheye Series II – a full frame fisheye, available for many APS-C mounts. On a full frame DSLR, you lot tin shave off the lens hood to make it a round fisheye lens. Sharp. Number of shots for spherical photo: 8 or ix (one zenith, 6 horizontal, ane or 2 nadir). Stitched resolution (when used with 24mp camera): around 95mp.

If you happen to have a Samsung, the Samsung 10mm fisheye is very precipitous. Withal, it has no manual focus distance indicator. Number of shots for spherical photograph: 8 or nine (1 zenith, six horizontal, one or 2 nadir). Stitched resolution (when used with 28mp camera): around 95mp.

Meike 6.5mm circular fisheye – a circular fisheye available for many APS-C mounts. Also sharp. But it does not have a distance indicator, and does non have detents for its discontinuity ring. Number of shots for spherical photograph: iii or iv horizontal. Stitched resolution (when used with a 24mp camera): around 30mp.

Lensbaby 5.8mm circular fisheye: a circular fisheye for many APS-C mounts. I wasn't impressed with it, even stopped downwardly to f/11. I'1000 non certain if it's because mine is decentered but I volition exam it out further. Number of shots for spherical photograph: three or 4 horizontal. Stitched resolution (when used with a 24mp camera): around 30mp.

Check back in a few days because I'grand going to post a comparison between popular 360 cameras and 360 photos from a panoramic head, using a few dissimilar fisheye combinations, to help yous choose a 360 photographic camera and/or fisheye lens.

360 cameras vs. DSLRs (technically, interchangeable lens cameras)

Alternatives

There are other means of capturing high resolution 360 photos. There are panoramic heads designed for GoPro Hero cameras. With these panoramic heads, y'all can capture 65 mp 360 photos or more than in 8 shots (Pano5+one Mk Ii or Panohero H5B) or in the 12 shots in the case of the Zifon. Compared to a DSLR panohead, these panoheads are smaller, easier to setup (no need to find the no parallax point, no need to observe the hyperfocal distance), and have a lower overall toll. I volition mail service a comparison of image quality between a GoPro panoramic caput and a DSLR panoramic head.

Another alternative is to use a high resolution 360 camera, such as Panono (134mp) or Ultracker Aleta S2C (66mp). I'm working on reviews for both of these cameras.

What practise you think of shooting with a panoramic head? Allow me know in the comments!