Tag: Virtual Tour

“Content is King,” as stated by Bill Gates, is quite true today. Most businesses nowadays rely on online presence and digital marketing.

You will find so many unique ways businesses are trying to use content to stay ahead of the competition. And one such unique content is “Panorama.”

A panoramic image is a processed form of photography that gives you a wide and expansive view of a location. You can then convert it into a 360 virtual tour quite easily.

Virtual tours are right now one of the most interactive forms of content in the real estate, hotel, and travel industry to increase sales.

However, panoramic photography can be quite challenging. You have to consider the lighting, the right equipment, and the proper angle of view to capture a high-quality panorama.

In this guide, you will learn how to shoot panorama photos in the right way, with the best possible captures.

After reading this article, you will learn:

• The equipment needed for panoramic photography.
• Proper shooting techniques to capture panoramas.
• Ways to optimize capturing 360 panoramic images.

And eventually, you will be able to capture high-quality panoramas that you can use to create the best virtual tours.

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Step By Step Guide To Panoramic Photography

Taking panoramic images will need you to follow three main steps:

1. Collect the required equipment for efficient panoramic photography.
2. Use the right shooting techniques to capture images for the panorama.
3. Stich the captured images into a 360 panoramic image.

Let us look at each of them one by one.

Step 1 – Collecting The Required Equipment For Efficient Panoramic Photography

The first step to capturing panoramic images is to choose the right equipment.

Following are the tools you need to collect before you can proceed to capture your panoramic images.

1. High-Resolution Camera With A Wide-angle Lens

If you want to capture a high-quality panoramic image, you will need to choose a high-resolution camera and a wide-angle/fish-eye lens for the 360 effects.

Ideally, a camera with at least 24 megapixels and a wide-angle lens with a focal length of 35mm or less will serve your purpose.

The idea is to combine the camera and the lens to help you capture the full grandeur of a scene (which is not possible with a traditional lens).

• The camera’s high resolution will ensure all the details are captured to the last detail.
• The fish-eye lens will create a concave effect to help capture a 360 view.

Tips On Using Your Camera & Lens Properly

• Set your camera to manual mode.
• Use a decent shutter speed – 1/10th or 1/20th is ideal during the day.
• Set the aperture to about F11 and ISO to around 640 or more during the day.
• Set manual white balance to 4000 Kelvin

**Remember, these settings are suggested based on ideal photogenic lighting conditions. You may have to toggle the white balance and ISO a bit to get the best output.

Best Cameras To Consider For Panoramic Photo Shooting

• Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
• Nikon D850
• Sony Alpha a7R III

Best Wide-angle Lenses For Panoramic Photography

• Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM
• Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED
• Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 G

2. A Tripod For Stable Photography

You’ll need a stable tripod for panoramic photography to avoid noise and jitters caused by camera shakes.

Plus, you will be able to raise or tone down the height of the camera easily, to capture at just the right angle for the best panoramic view.

Tips On Using A Tripod Properly

• Try to keep the tripod on an even surface.
• Adjust the height and angle of the tripod for your desired composition.
• Notice the bubble of the tripod. If it’s in the center, it means the tripod is standing straight.

Best Tripods for Panoramic Photography

• Manfrotto MT055CXPRO3 Carbon Fiber Tripod
• Gitzo GT5563GS Systematic Series 5 Systematic Tripod
• Induro Alloy 8M AT214 Tripod

3. Remote Shutter Release

The remote shutter release will allow you to trigger the camera without physically touching it. This will remove the possibility of camera shakes.

Best Remote Shutter Releases

• Canon RC-6 Wireless Remote Controller
• Nikon ML-L3 Wireless Remote Control
• Sony RMT-DSLR2 Wireless Remote Commander

3. Automated Pano Head/Nodal Head For Controlled Photoshoot

Since you need to cover every angle of a view, you must maintain a fixed rotation angle. An automated pano head will help you maintain that angle.

You may set the amount of angle you want the camera to rotate after every shot (and set a timer to define how soon the camera will rotate next).

This will help you capture all angles of a 360 view without any manual effort.

Best Automated Pano Heads for Panoramic Photography

• Vidpro MH-430 Motorized Pan & Tilt Gimbal Head
• PROAIM Senior Motorized 2-Axis Pan Tilt Head
• Fanotec Nodal Ninja Mecha

5. Leveling Tools

In case your tripod doesn’t; have a leveling tool attached, you may buy one. They are useful to ensure your tripod is on level, i.e., standing straight against gravity.

There are mainly 2 types of leveling tools

• Bubble levels
• Electronic levels.

Bubble levels are the most common ones used.

Best Leveling Tools for Panoramic Photography

• Manfrotto 438 Compact Leveling Base
• Novoflex MiniConnect Professional Level
• Gitzo GS5370C Centre Ball Level

Step 2 – Use The Right Shooting Techniques For The Best Panoramic Photography

Once you have all your equipment ready, it’s time to capture panoramas.

1. Choosing the Right Spot

The first step in capturing a great panorama is finding the right spot.

You may want to take a panoramic image of your office interior. Or you may want to take an exclusive panorama just outside your resort to capture your resort and the environment around it.

The spot to place your camera and other equipment will vary. The spot you choose will determine the quality of your image, and using an AI image enhancer can further improve sharpness and clarity in every detail of the captured scene.

• Interior photoshoot
  In the case of interior photography, the best location is always the center. However, you have to work on maintaining a constant light balance throughout. For example, if there are windows on one side, find a way to block the sunlight from coming through. You do not want half of your image to be bright and half of your image to be dark.

• Exterior photography
  When taking external panoramas, you should find a wide-open view where the elements around are not too close, and you get a soothing view of what you want to capture. You may stand in the spot and crouch a bit to judge if the angle is right before placing your equipment there.

2. Set Up The Tripod And The Panohead

Once you have decided on the spot, place the tripod in the middle and adjust the bubble level to the center. Also, adjust the height of the tripod to the height you found suitable when observing the view prior.

Next, set the pano head and adjust the pano head to rotate to an angle of 60 degrees after every shot. This will help to capture 6 photos horizontally.

Best Practice: Avoid using the center column of the tripod as it may cause instability. Instead, use the tripod’s legs to adjust the camera’s height.

Once these are set up, attach the camera to the pano head.

3. Configure Camera Settings

As mentioned above, if you capture the image during the day, set the following configurations:

• Camera Mode: Manual
• Shutter speed – 1/10th or 1/20th
• Aperture: F11
• ISO: 640
• Manual white balance: 4000 Kelvin

If the weather is not too bright or too cloudy, these settings will help to get the best possible panoramic quality.

Before you start the shooting session, rotate the camera manually and check if you are satisfied with the lighting and angles. Make changes to the settings if required as per your observation.

Always use manual mode when capturing professional photos. It will give you more control over the image quality.

And finally, attach the remote shutter release to the camera.

4. Capturing Your Panoramic Photo

Once the setup is ready, go ahead and initiate the photoshoot.

Most automated pano heads come with a remote. So you may set it up and initiate the capture from afar.

You could either stand behind the photo view or go sit in your car to avoid getting caught up in the image.

First, initiate the shutter release once and then initiate the pano head rotation using their remotes respectively.

Every time the pano head rotates, clip the shutter release ones.

Once you have covered a 360 angle horizontally, stop the rotation. Since it’s a fish-eye lens, it already covers 180 degrees vertically. However, it will still keep the top and bottom ends missing around the center.

So, you need to manually move the camera view up to 90 degrees and down 90 degrees to capture 2 photos.

Now, you have a total of 8 images from all angles on the shooting spot.

Your photo session is complete for this spot. You may then follow the steps you followed in this section to capture images for more spots that you have in mind.

Once you are ready with your images, it’s time to stitch them into 360 panoramas.

Step 3 – Stitching Images Into Panorama Photos

Stitching images for panoramas is not a manual process. You simply need to use good stitching software, and it will be done in just a few clicks.

1. Good Photo Stitching Software To Choose From

There are several software options available for stitching your panoramic shots.

Some of the most popular ones include:

• Adobe Photoshop
• Lightroom
• PTGui

Each of these software has unique features, but they all follow a similar stitching process.

2. Step-by-Step Stitching Process

The stitching process involves aligning and merging multiple overlapping shots to create a single panoramic image.

Here’s a standard process to stitch your panoramas:

Step 1: Import your images into the stitching software.

Step 2: Identify the order of the images and which ones are the upper and downward views.

Step 3: The software will automatically align the images using control points or features in the images.

Step 3: The images will then be merged into a seamless panoramic image.

Step 4: Adjust the cropping and straighten the image if necessary.

Step 5: Generate the final stitched panorama.

Now, your panorama is ready. But there’s more work.

3. Optimizing The Stitched Panorama

You will notice that the stitched image will have a few issues, such as low brightness, dull color balance, or some blurry areas. You may edit the image to improve these issues.

Tip 1: Adjust the exposure and color to ensure the final image looks natural and has balanced colors.

Tip 2: Improve blurred areas with custom sharpening.

Tip 3: Adjust the image tilt if necessary.

Caution: Avoid over-editing the image as it can result in an unnatural and over-processed final image.

Once ready, export the image, and that’s it. You now have a complete 360 panoramic image that you captured and generated.

Tips for Advanced Panoramic Photography

1. Use A Polarizing Filter

A polarizing filter will help you capture more vibrant and natural-looking images.

It reduces glare and reflections on water and other reflective surfaces. Plus, it can improve color saturation and contrast.

Practical Use: Screw it onto the front of your lens and adjust it until you achieve the desired effect.

Best Practice: Use a circular polarizing filter, as it is more effective than linear polarizers with autofocus cameras.

Also, try to position yourself at an angle to the sun when using the filter to get the best results.

2. Be Mindful Of Exposure Changes

While you’re capturing panoramic photos, the exposure can change from one shot to the next, especially if you are shooting during the golden hour or other times of changing lights.

After the 6 photos are captured, if you notice unsatisfactory exposure at a certain angle, capture from that angle again after adjusting the white balance and ISO to get a better shot.

Best Practice: Shoot during times of consistent light, such as midday or overcast days.

Use exposure bracketing, which takes multiple shots at different exposures, to ensure you capture the perfect exposure.

3. Avoid Moving Objects

Any moving object will ruin a panoramic photo by creating a ghosting or blurring effect.

So, before you start capturing, make sure there are no moving objects, at least around the scenery that you want, with the utmost quality in your panorama.

If there are trees around, avoid holding the photo session during windy weather.

Best Practice: In the case of external photography, shoot during times of low activity, such as early morning or late evening.

Tip: Use a fast shutter speed to freeze motion.

4. Experiment with Different Perspectives

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different perspectives when shooting panoramas.

Try shooting from high vantage points or low angles to add interest to your images.

Tips: Use a drone, if possible, to shoot from a high vantage point.

Alternatively, try shooting from a low angle by placing your camera on the ground or using a tripod with adjustable legs.

Best practice: Use leading lines, such as a road or path, to create depth and interest in your images.

Turning Your Panoramic Images Into A 360 Virtual Tour

Once you have your panoramic images, you may use them by creating a virtual tour for your business.

And it’s actually quite easy. In WordPress, you will find a plugin called WPVR, which lets you create stunning virtual tours in just a few clicks.

All you have to do is upload your 360 images, and the plugin will turn it into a realistic, interactive virtual tour. And then, you will be able to customize it and make it more engaging using tooltips, images, and videos, and even connect multiple views through a click-to-move button.

On top of these, you may use a lead form to collect leads, include your company information, add an explainer video, include a floor map, and even set it to be viewed using a VR Box.

This means your hard work in capturing panoramic images will pay off, as you will then have amazing virtual tours to stay ahead of your competition online.

• Check out WPVR now!

Schlussbemerkungen

If you have the right tools, you can capture 360 panoramic images without many complications.

The quality of the outcome may be a bit shaky at the beginning, but as you gain experience, it will all become super easy.

And once you are good at panoramic photography, you may go ahead and create your own virtual tours. or offer panoramic photography services to other businesses that may want to use virtual tours.

So go ahead and get your camera equipment ready. start capturing high-quality panoramas now.

P.S. If you own a drone, then you can avoid these steps and do aerial photography instead to capture high-quality 360 panoramic images. Here’s a complete guide.

Since you’re interested in Panorama images, you know how the popularity of panoramic photography increased among smartphone users in recent years.

However, you also know that traditional Android smartphone cameras have limitations in capturing high-quality panoramic images.

But don’t worry! There are some perfect panoramic camera app for Android in the market that offer a range of features to capture immersive 360-degree photos.

This article will discuss the top 5 panoramic camera apps available for your Android smartphone.

Once you go through this, you can choose the most suitable panoramic camera app for Android for you.

Let’s dive in.

Not an android user? Do you use iPhone? Here’s are some of the best panoramic camera apps for iPhones

Features to Look for in a Panoramic Camera App for Android

First, let’s have a look at the features or options a good panoramic camera app for Android should have.

You need to consider these features that contribute to the quality of 360-degree images.

Here are some of the features to look for:

i. Image Resolution:

Higher-resolution images provide more details and clarity, resulting in better-quality panoramic photos.

ii. Stitching Accuracy:

A good panoramic camera app should be able to stitch together multiple images accurately, without any visible seams or distortions.

iii. Ease of Use:

A user-friendly interface and straightforward navigation can make it easier to capture panoramic images on your Android device.

Top 5 Panoramic Camera Apps for Android

You’ll find many panoramic camera app for Android on the Google Play Store.

Here are the top 5 apps, along with their unique features and capabilities:

1. Panorama 360:

Panorama 360 is a popular panoramic camera app that will allow you to capture 360-degree images with your Android devices.

It allows you to capture 360-degree photos in high resolution and even supports VR viewing.

The app features a user-friendly interface, high-resolution image capture, and an auto-stitching feature for seamless panoramic images.

It also offers social sharing options, allowing users to share their panoramic photos directly from the app or send them via email.

The app comes with a variety of editing tools and filters to enhance your photos.

You can easily share your panoramic photos on social media platforms.

Features of Panorama 360 Android App:

• 360-degree photos.
• High-resolution photos.
• VR viewing support.
• Editing tools and filters.
• Social media sharing.

Pros & Cons of Panorama 360 Android App:

Pros:

• Easy to use.
• Good image quality.
• Variety of editing tools.

Cons:

• Limited free version.
• Some features require in-app purchases.

Average User Rating: 3.7 out of 5

App Reviews: 108k

App Downloads: 10M+

App Link: Panorama 360.

2. Cardboard Camera

Cardboard Camera is a panoramic camera app developed by Google.

It allows you to capture 360-degree photos and view them in VR with a Google Cardboard device.

The app features high-quality image capture, an auto-stitching feature for seamless panoramic images, and a virtual reality mode for viewing photos in 3D.

It also allows you to add sound to your photos for a more immersive experience.

With Cardboard Camera, you can easily share your panoramic photos with friends and family.

Features of Cardboard Camera:

• 360-degree photos.
• VR viewing with Google Cardboard.
• Sound capture.
• Sharing options.

Pros & Cons of Cardboard Camera:

Pros:

• Good image quality.
• User-friendly interface.
• VR viewing support.

Cons:

• Limited editing options.
• Requires Google Cardboard for VR viewing.

Average User Rating: 4.4 out of 5

App Reviews: 162k

App Downloads: 10M+

App Link: Cardboard Camera.

3. Insta360

The Insta 360 camera is a cutting-edge panoramic camera designed to capture immersive 360-degree photos and videos. With its advanced features and intuitive interface, it allows you to create stunning panoramic content with ease.

Whether for personal use or professional projects, the Insta360 camera offers unparalleled versatility and quality, making it a must-have app for capturing life’s moments from every angle.

Features of Insta360 Panorama Camera:

• Easy 360-degree photo capture.
• Real-time preview and editing capabilities.
• Advanced stitching algorithms for high-quality panoramic images.
• Integration with social media platforms for easy sharing.
• Additional features such as filters, effects, and virtual reality (VR) support.

Pros & Cons of Insta360 Panorama Camera:

Pros:

1. Easy 360-degree photo capture for immersive experiences.
2. Real-time preview and editing features enhance user experience.
3. Integration with social media platforms simplifies sharing.

Cons:

• Require significant storage space for high-resolution images.
• Some advanced features may be locked behind in-app purchases.
• Compatibility with certain Android devices may vary.

Average User Rating: 4.2 out of 5

App Reviews: 20.8k

App Downloads: 1M+

App Link: Insta360

4. Wide Camera – Panorama 360 HD

The Wide Camera – Panorama 360 HD is a powerful panoramic camera app for your Android device.

It allows users to take 360-degree photos and offers a variety of features for editing and sharing them.

The app uses advanced algorithms to stitch together multiple images into a seamless panoramic view, resulting in high-quality images that capture the entire scene.

Features of Wide Camera – Panorama 360 HD:

• High-resolution panoramic images.
• Real-time capture and preview.
• Automatic image stitching.
• Advanced photo editing tools.
• VR viewing support.
• Social media sharing.
• Live wallpaper creation.

Pros & Cons of Wide Camera – Panorama 360 HD:

Pros:

• High-quality panoramic images.
• Real-time capture and preview.
• Wide range of editing tools.
• Supports VR viewing.
• Live wallpaper creation.
• No ads.

Cons:

• Some features require in-app purchases.
• Limited free version.
• Large file sizes may take up significant device storage.

Average User Rating: 3.5 out of 5

App Reviews: 1.17k

App Downloads: 500k+

App Link: Wide Camera – Panorama 360 HD.

5. Photaf Panorama by Bengigi

Photaf Panorama is a pretty good 360 camera app for Android that comes with a gyro sensor to guide you when taking 360 panoramas.

This panoramic photography app is well suited to capture 360 photos on the go as its sensor will indicate which angle to take pictures from next. If you are able to stay stable while capturing the images, then the app will automatically stitch the captured images into a 360-degree panorama.

You can even transfer your photos to your phone or desktop and use them to create virtual tours.

Features of Photaf Panorama:

• Guided 360 image capture
• Gyro sensor for compass & direction
• Automatic Image Stitching
• 360 Panorama creation
• HD Panoramas (in Pro)

Pros & Cons of Google Street View:

Pros:

• Guided photography to avoid flaws
• Fast panorama generation
• Access to their own featured photo library
• 360 image capture for free

Cons:

• Limited editing options.
• Complicated UI
• Sometimes errors in stitching

Average User Rating: 3.6 out of 5

App Reviews: 68.8k

App Downloads: 5M+

App Link: Photaf Panorama

How to Take Better Panoramic Photos

Capturing high-quality panoramic photos can be a challenging task, even with the best panoramic camera app.

Here are some tips to help you take better panoramic photos:

Choose A Good Location:

Look for a location with a scenic view or an interesting subject.

The more interesting the location, the better the panoramic photo will be.

Keep Your Camera Steady:

Avoid moving your camera while capturing the images for the panoramic photo.

This can result in blurred images or visible seams in the final photo.

Overlap Your Shots:

Make sure to overlap your shots by around 30% to ensure accurate stitching of the images.

Use Tripod & Gimbal:

Using a tripod can help keep your camera steady and make it easier to capture accurate shots for your panoramic photo.

Using Gimbal will keep your 360 images and videos super steady if you’re taking the shot by hand.

Use the right settings:

Adjust the settings on your panoramic camera app to ensure you capture high-quality images.

This includes adjusting the exposure, focus, and white balance settings.

Wrapping Up:

These were the top five panoramic camera apps for your Android device.

Each of these apps comes with its own unique features, pros, and cons.

Whether you’re looking for high-resolution photos, VR viewing support, or 3D effects, there’s an app on this list that will suit your needs.

Download these apps, experiment with their features, and capture stunning panoramic photos on your Android device. You can go through our next guide If you don’t know how to take a panoramic photo with drones.

** FAQs **

How do I know if my Android phone supports panoramic photography?

• Most modern Android smartphones come with built-in panoramic photography features. Check your camera app for panorama mode. If unavailable, download panoramic camera apps from the Google Play Store.

Can I use panoramic camera apps on older Android devices?

• Yes, you can use them on older devices if they meet minimum requirements. However, older models may face slower processing speeds or feature limitations compared to newer ones.

Are there specific techniques for capturing better panoramic photos?

• Yes, techniques like selecting stable locations, keeping the camera steady, overlapping shots, and using tripods or gimbals can enhance stability and quality in panoramic photography.

Do panoramic camera apps require a lot of storage space on my Android device?

• Panoramic camera apps may consume storage space, especially with high-resolution images or video recordings. Regularly delete old files or consider cloud storage options for managing space.

Can I use panoramic photos taken with these apps for professional purposes?

• Yes, you can utilize panoramic photos professionally in real estate, travel websites, or virtual tours. It ensures high-quality representation and accuracy in depicting subjects or locations