Camera panorama function for backscenes?

[Douglas G]

I have just upgraded my ancient camera to a Panasonic Lumix TZ40.

 

One of the reasons I chose this was its rather nifty Panorama function which allows you to take a long panorama in one shot by holding down the shutter button and swinging the camera round. This You Tube video is a demo of how it works:

 

 

I have found a thread on using photo stitching programs to joining several images together, but found nothing on whether large backscenes can also be created with an image taken by a camera's panorama function.

 

I was wondering will the definition be as good when a panorama photograph is blown up and printed to a large scale for a backscene as when several photos are stitched together from the same camera? I was also wondering if there are advantages in the exposures being smooth as you point the camera in different directions relevant to the sun compared to several photos that might look different unless settings are locked.

 

Douglas

[Rumblestripe]

It is a useful function however, what usually happens is that the camera when processing the panorama reduces the number of pixels it uses in the direction perpendicular to the sweep. For example the sweep function on my 16Mp SLR. If I look at an individual "landscape" format picture the picture is 4912 x 3264 pixels, if I take a panorama using the sweep feature I get an image that is 8192 x 1856. The vertical dimension has been nearly halved. On my Nikon 12Mp compact it is even worse, a landscape photograph is 4000 x 3000 and a sweep panorama is 3200 x 560! Now I don't know how your Panasonic works its wonders but it is worth checking. A vertical resolution of a mere 560 pixels is pretty unusable for printing in any usefully large size.

 

The other point to be made is that you are flattening reality about a single point of rotation. Have a look at this image of 4472 Flying Scotsman in the workshops at the NRM, York taken with a sweep panorama!

 

 

This is what the camera is doing to your image! Obviously the effect is far less noticeable when pointed at distant mountains but worth bearing in mind.

 

But the great thing about digital cameras is it costs next to nothing to try stuff out, Have a go and let us see what you produce.

[Douglas G]

Thanks for that helpful reply.

 

I have since discovered photo stitching software and got it to work well (pics on another thread, so will use that for backgrounds. I have also found information on line that confirms that the resolution of the automatic panorama images is much less.

 

cheers,

 

Douglas