Check out this panoramic tripod head I made...

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

01/07/2006 09:26:26 PM · #1

I was reading the other day that in order to get a panoramic to come out perfectly, you needed to swivel camera/lens from the center of the lens (the nodal point), not the center point of the camera (the normal tripod mount on the bottom of the camera). So with that in mind, I set off to build a contraption that would allow me to swivel my camera around the nodal point of the lens. This is pretty easy to build, so I thought I would share a couple of pictures of it in case anyone else wanted to build one.

I used some 5/8 oak hardwood as my material, a ballbearing lazy susan swivel, a 1/4-20 insert (for mounting to tripod, and a 1/4-20 nylon bolt (for mounting the camera to it). I used my router to cut a 1/4" slit in the top piece to allow the camera to slide forward or backward so that I can center the lense regardless of which lense I am using. The sliding option isn't necessary if you always use the same lens for panoramic shooting. If this is the case, a 1/4 hole drilled in the correct location will work. All in all, it cost me about $15.00.

Here are a few pics of it. I think I will disassemble it and stain the oak and attach a little piece of felt to the surface as to provide a nice soft area for the camera to sit.

pidge

Canon EOS-7D Mark II

01/07/2006 09:28:21 PM · #2

Do we get to see any samples from your handi-work?

ShutterPug

Canon EOS-6D

01/07/2006 09:30:44 PM · #3

I see one major flaw here........there is a Nikon mounted on that contraption. hehehe

>>>running away quickly>>>

digitalpins

Canon EOS-60D

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

01/07/2006 09:34:06 PM · #4

pretty awesome when do they go on sale

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

01/07/2006 09:36:08 PM · #5

Originally posted by pidge:

Do we get to see any samples from your handi-work?

Well, it's rather embarassing and clearly shows that I'm a little better in the woodshop that I am running a camera. It was almost dark too, so I'll use that as my excuse for a bad photo.

Apple iPhone 5

01/07/2006 09:36:22 PM · #6

Impressive!

Originally posted by jahoward:

I think I will disassemble it and stain the oak and attach a little piece of felt to the surface as to provide a nice soft area for the camera to sit.

How about a mini-bar and camera-jacuzzi for a real touch of luxury... ;-)

Mattel Barbie Photo Designer Digital Camera

01/07/2006 09:49:13 PM · #7

Originally posted by jhonan:

How about a mini-bar and camera-jacuzzi for a real touch of luxury... ;-)

That's brilliant. I bet I have enough material left over that I could build a cup/cocktail/beer holder right onto the side of the head. Of course it will be mounted on the left hand side so that I can keep pushing the shutter release with my right hand and drink the beer with my left hand.

As for the wise crack about the major flaw being the Nikon mounted to it, no soup for you. ;)

nsbca7

01/07/2006 09:54:54 PM · #8

Well that is one way of doing it. Very novel and a lot less expensive then my Gitzo pan head. Must have been fun to build.

pidge

Canon EOS-7D Mark II

01/07/2006 09:56:42 PM · #9

Originally posted by jahoward:

Originally posted by pidge:
Do we get to see any samples from your handi-work?

Well, it's rather embarassing and clearly shows that I'm a little better in the woodshop that I am running a camera. It was almost dark too, so I'll use that as my excuse for a bad photo.

No excuses necessary, it works, and that's what's important. Looking foward to seeing more! :)

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

01/08/2006 12:25:34 AM · #10

Thanks for the reassurance pidge. You're right, it does what it's supposed to. Now I need to learn how to use the camera and I'll be in business.

Spork99

OM System OM-1

01/08/2006 01:12:53 AM · #11

That's a great idea and I've seen similar gizmos selling for a LOT more than $15 but I have a question: How do you determine the optical center of the lens?

Another idea might be to add a level.

Message edited by author 2006-01-08 01:14:06.

Prof_Fate

01/08/2006 01:16:12 AM · #12

Hmmm...two thoughts from having seen other versions of this idea.
I thought it was supposed to swivel at the sensor plane, often marked with a circle with a line through it on the camera body.
I googled on this and you are right. Hmmm. I must have misunderstood. this site has lots of info on this - and they have mounted the camera as i suggest (see next paragraph) Site loads slow - animation on it.

Also, to maximize the final image size, the camera should be mounted portrait style - more images needed as you pan, but they are all taller, making the final image taller.

Any degree marks to help in locating the pans?
Nice ball bearing set up - anyway to lock it still?
I would be afraid of using a plastic screw to mount my camera to anything.

And one last nit pick - why didn;t you paint it black?

01/08/2006 01:55:15 AM · #13

Originally posted by Spazmo99:

How do you determine the optical center of the lens?

Well, that can be sort of tricky. I read that one way to do it is to use a streetsign post, streetlight post, or something mounted verticle to view through the lens. I poked a shovel into my lawn and used the shovel handle. Have the post about 3 to 5 feet away. When the swivel point is located at the nodal point of the lense, the streetsign post you are looking at will not appear to be moving in relation to the background when the camera/lens swivels. If the post is moving left or right in relation to the background, the nodal point and the swivel point are not aligned. This is sort of hard to explain, so I hope I didn't make it any more confusing that it already is.