6x6 users shooting panoramas

[simonpg]

Great tip Colin

Thanks for that info Gilbert.

The vertical shot is a wonderful ex&le Marc.

I have no trouble with my Fuji Frontier lab doing good quality scans - they use a cardboard mask inside the 6x7 carrier (a true Xpan carrier costs them AU$2000+ for the Frontier!). The Xpan is equal to 6x7 horizontally. So you get a 50% resolution scan but that is enough for them to do a 30" print at 300dpi - fine for "normal" prints.

Here are some shots I took with the 45mm and 90mm lenses:

PS - posting these and having to see to sufficient compression and small enough size to fit within the limits here, reminded me of Marc's comment - the limit should be increased since this is an MF forum! Sorry the images are heavilly compressed and a bit small.

 

[agripix]

Simon:

Nice work!

Parkes Radio Telescopes, it looks like. Where was the bay/boat shot? Lakes Entrance??

Cheers,

Colin

 

[fotografz]

Simon, Sweet !!!

 

[simonpg]

Thanks guys.

Colin the telescopes (there are about 6 on the site sitting on rail tracks) are at a huge spot (I just can't remember right now) about 20 minutes from Mt Kaputar national park. The lake shot is 30 mins out of Newcastle where there is a lot of oyster farming.

Just love that XPan.!

 

[jotloob]

Gilbert

I don't know that ARCSOFT PANORAMA program . But you can also do that with PSCS as well .
There it is not so easy , as you describe , but it works perfect . I will post an ex&le later .

BTW , what lens did you use for that shot ? ? ? Regarding the darker parts in the middle and the corners , I believe that lens would like a center-filter .

Simon

I like the telescope images . Two very good ex&les for panorama . They express in a very good way our mighty high tech world .

NOVOFLEX demonstrated their panoramic heads on the road show , I visited yesterday .
In a short description , you take 4 , 6 , 8 or more images in a panoramic swift (lateral or vertical) . The images overlay each other a bit , but the program you use , stiches them together . Seemless . But the NOVOFLEX panoramic heads are not made for heavy MF digital gear . In my opinion they are just not solid enough for heavy gear .

 

[toona]

Simon, is it Narrabri?

This one:http://www.tft.csiro.au/places/ps20i.html? A friend of my brother is a radio astronomer and he hangs out here sometimes, I think!

Clarkie, it is definitely not 'The Dish'! Only one of those.

The low tide scene: Tuggerah Lakes, perchance? Or Lake Macquarie?

I do have a TX1 (shame, not a Hasselblad at all!) in response to Simon's original query. I like it a lot. It is really different to using a 'box' Hasselblad.

It can be a 'point and shoot' MF panoramic camera like no other. However, if I was REALLY going for panoramic landscape, I would still look hard at the big 120/220 format cameras...can't beat real estate in film!

 

[agripix]

G'Day Nick:

Just shows what happens when you leave town for 20 years and live overseas !! I know Kaputar and Siding Springs at Coona very well. Have walked Kaputar and the Warrumbungles many times, as I was born and raised in Gunnedah! Of course, there was no road to the top of Kaputar then, and you could get to Siding Springs from Coona, but not into the 'bungles from that side. How times change. Yeah, agree about that bay shot - looks like a prawner's special down around Toukley or something.

I like those shots, Simon.

Cheers

Clarkie !

 

[jotloob]

Gilbert

I had a couple of calender productions in the last years . One calender was purely with these type of mirror images , and all were taken with HASSELBLAD
The posted image was taken with a HASSELBLAD 201F , PLANAR CF 100mm on ILFOR DELTA100 and was the title image .

All images were just stitched together using PS .

 

[gjames52]

Jürgen:

I mentioned the program as not everyone has PS, nor the desire to purchase it.

It will do 360 degree and from what I can tell it is very easy to use. You simply drag the scans into a row of boxes and click, it does the rest. If you desire there are also manual options and lens choices too.

I really like the rocks, sort of looks like a turtle.

Regards:

Gilbert

 

[simonpg]

Thanks Jurgen. Great job with the stitching. Like Gilbert said they look like a turtle.

Nick, yes you are right - it was Narrabri. I did that Kaputar trip in October / November last year. With the drought in full swing there were hundred of kangaroos bouncing around on the site. I believe that they come onto the site at sunrise because they get shot on farmers' land over the road; then they return there to feed at night.

On that trip we went though Gunnedah. Gee, as a Victorian, these NSW town names drive me crazy.

Colin - you got it - Toukley! Of course now I remember! I took that one 2 years ago. My "shooting buddy has a holiday place on the lake. So you are a "well raised" NSW country boy! We'll forgive you for that!

Nick - TX1 / XPan - who cares Nick - same camera. I think it seems a lot of non-Japanese buyers had assess to getting the TX1 as saved very good amounts of money.

I do agree that the optimal panorama camera is a 6x17 using 120 film. However a real benefit of using the XPan is that it is so easy to take on trips etc you are never reluctant to take it along whatever else you are shooting.

One aspect that pleased me with the XPan is the superb build quality - really as good as a Leica M camera.

 

[agripix]

G'Day Simon:

Here's another Aussie mountain range I know very very well - I've walked most of it. I tried to take three shots for a pano, but the sun came up too quickly and it is too hard to balance the lighting for a 'stitch'! This picture shows best the rows of hills and the desert spring wildflowers I think.

Taken just as the sun was hitting the tops. We had a passing shower of rain 30 minutes before, which took the dust from the air. (Ektachrome 64 and 50FLE)

Cheers,

Colin

Once again, compression has limited the upload here. I hope you get the idea, though.

 

[polypal]

Colin,

Great shot!

You Aussies have convinced me I need to visit Australia and have a chance to see this some of this beautifull continent for myself.

I like the expression when people speak about themselves as "handpicked by the finest courts in England".
It shows you do not take everything seriously and have a well developed sense of humour.

Paul

 

[agripix]

G'Day Paul:

Thanks.

Yes, please do visit down under. Give yourself a week to get over the jet lag, a month to learn the language, a year to see a bit of the country, and a lifetime to wish your great great great grandfather was a pickpocket in London.

BTW, the hills are in the Flinders Ranges in the southern outback of South Australia. One of those places where time has pretty much stood still - once you get off the beaten track.

Australia is as close as your local airport. http://www.qantas.com.au/regions/dyn/us/specials/webDeals305

Cheers,

Colin

 

[toona]

Colin

I've haven't got to the Flinders Ranges yet, but I do wonder if some of those OS types laugh at what we call 'mountains'! Although there are some that are sort of pointy in Tasmania, I suppose.

Simon

Phew! Glad there is no stigma with having a Fuji. There are enough 'Fujiblad' noises about. It is just what was there and (relatively) cheap.

I fully concur with the convenience idea. There isn't much of a compromise for the convenience at all, although I have never used some of the 'conveniences' like auto bracketing.

And about the build. You can hammer a nail with it.

I did some work on the Tuggerah Lakes (as in your Toukley shot) years ago, but haven't been back since...very scenic though and your photo catches the peace and quiet.

Paul

You would be welcome, of course. Not every one has a convict ancestor, but I do, so watch your gear!

Nick

 

[fotografz]

Anyone notice that the Journalist in the movie "Blood Diamond" is using a Hasselbald X-Pan?
Lots of scenes of her shooting war stuff with it, then stills come on screen ... but they're not Pano mode shots that I remember.

 

[simonpg]

Very nice image Colin! Great cloud formation too.

Paul, I'd not heard that specific comment about hand picked criminals

Like Nick, I have not done the Flinders Ranges either. My "shooting buddy" is keen for us to do them on our next trip - if my pancreas ever settles down I will. He says as Colin does that when you get off the beaten track the ranges are wonderful.

Nick I've done most of Tasmania - when are kids were young we regularly travelled there - probably the very best mix of geography in Australia and all in one smallish island with great roads.

Paul could make the trip with Jurgen who still plans on getting here one day - we could hold a Hasselblad forum convention!

 

[simonpg]

Marc, that is amazing about the journo chick using an XPan - I saw the movie and thought she was shooting a Leica M. Maybe she used both during it? Did you make out a Leica M at all during any scenes?

One day I plan to shoot a roll of Fuji Press 800asa in the street and see who well that film works. Any views - is there a better 800asa colour film?

 

[polypal]

Hi Simon,

I think Jürgen has the same problem I have:
We are both divided between old and new Hasselblads.

The beauty of Australia is well explained by posts from you and other Aussies.
Even the ones migrated to other parts of the world have a strong influence to interest me for a trip to Australia. Thanks Colin!
I like to be prepared, so I am looking for a dictionary that gives me some idea what you are talking about Down Under.

The forum makes the world smaller. I was able to help a guy in Sydney find a good repairshop for his Hasselblad.
He fixed his own camera with the help of a cd rom I send him containing factory repair information.

800 ASA film can be very tempting.
I like the Portra 800. It is worth giving it a try.

Paul

 

[fotografz]

Simon, in the scenes I saw it was definately a X-Pan ... I think : -)

I never used the fuji film in the X-Pan, but had used it in the Leica M to "fun" results ... has that gritty journalistic feel for color street photography. I used it from time to time for informal wedding coverage, like a rehersal night dinner at a pizza/beer joint.

One thing I did notice is the the M beat the pants off of the X-Pan when ever I shot both together and used the 35mm crop funtion on the Hasselblad. I shot them side by side at a few weddings and the difference was obvious to me. After that I never used the X-Pan in that mode again.

 

[simonpg]

Paul - I'll give Portra 800 a go. It is always handy to have a "favourite" high and very high speed film so that when you really need one you know what results will come.

You are so right about the "small world" we live in and how these fora have such big benefits for us. How ever did we solve our photography problems before this?

Interesting comment Marc about the M7 and Xpan's relative performance side by side. I'm not all that surprised since I really think the Xpan was primarily designed as a panorama camera so optimised for that. I NEVER ever shoot my Xpan in 35mm mode - my M7 is for that.

On lens performance I find the Fuji lens characteristics more like Zeiss - somewhat more conservative design compared to Leica's latest ASPH lenses eg the Summicron-M 35mm ASPH - high contrast and super-sharp compared to say the Fujinon 45mm and any of the Zeiss 6x6 lenses I have used (even the 180mm).