Steve'sDigicams

poppop · Nov 11, 2006, 8:31 PM

Want compactp/s for travel. I like wide angle of Canon's SD800. I like the telephoto of Canon's A710IS. I think I read that 710 or Canon software has a "panaroma stitch" feature? Got me to thinking, could I satisfy my wideangle interestsby stitching a couple of shots together? I know its not the same as the 28mm effect of the SD800, but the other end of that lens just isn't long enough.

Do you have any suggestions about this idea? Or should I be looking at another camera? (e.g. the Olympus FE-200 might do, but I haven't seen any reviews on it yet).

Thank you!!!!

BillDrew · Nov 11, 2006, 9:03 PM

Just about any camera can be used to stitch panoramas - though it can be *much* easier if you have a way to keep the exposure and white balance the same for every "frame".

KALEL33 · Nov 12, 2006, 12:51 AM

Yes, the Canon A and G series can do the photostitch. It shows you the previous pic and the one youre shooting and you just overlap a bit. The Canon software will find the matching edges and take care of the rest. I've done a few of them and they turned out great, but finding someone to print them is another story.

poppop · Nov 12, 2006, 1:34 AM

Can one use photostich and cropping to get a picture that is something like what one have gotten with a wide angle?

robbo · Nov 12, 2006, 2:13 AM

Yes, you can. In fact, you can assemble images that no wide angle single shot could handle. The problem is that you need to make sure that the images used in the stitching are equally bright/dark. Pictures taken in the direction of the sun are brighter than pictures taken away from it. So you can end up with almost "striped" skies. There are lots of programs which can stitch images. I kind of like Canon's photostitch which comes with all Canon printers and digital cameras.

poppop · Nov 12, 2006, 10:46 PM

Thanks for the info thus far! This is making think that I could get the Canon A710IS, for example, and deal with my wide angle shots when traveling in the photostich kind of way.

Do you have to use a tripod for the pix that you want to photostich?

And another question along this line - has anyone used conversion lenses on these little point/shoot cams? I've seen that advertised too.

And finally an off topic question - has anyone missed not havinga polarizer with a p/s cam?

KALEL33 · Nov 13, 2006, 12:14 AM

No and Yes. No you dont have to have a tripod. The canon photostitch will find the bottom and top of each panorama to define the pic and yes I have used the adapter lens on cameras. They come in useful in some circumstances or I use filters for a different effect.

kcmargulies · Nov 13, 2006, 12:55 AM

how about the KODAK V705?????

it has a 23mm wide lens and can stitch up to three shots **IN-camera** no computer needed.

it also has 7MP.

you may want to check it out, or some of the V series cousins that have the same in-camera panormic stitch feature at Kodak.com...

best of luck...

slipe · Nov 13, 2006, 1:54 PM

poppop wrote:

Quote:

Can one use photostich and cropping to get a picture that is something like what one have gotten with a wide angle?

If you hold the camera with the long side up and grab 2 or 3 shots to stitch you get a normal 4:3 ratio shot that is equivalent to about 27mm from a 38mm lens. If you normally print 4 X 6 (3:2 ratio) you can get even wider.

I find you need a tripod only if you are doing a more complex stitch both vertically and horizontally. Things don't seem to end up straight without a tripod with a panorama head. But if you are stitching only in one dimension you can learn to do a nearly perfect job without a tripod. Digital images are free, so you just have to practice a little.

The overlap in most optical viewfinders is perfect for shooting panoramas. Just pan across putting the left edge where the previous right edge was. I don't use the panorama marks on the LCD even with cameras that have a panorama mode unless the camera has an EVF with 100% coverage. I find I do a better job using the eyelevel viewfinder and many of my panorama shots are in bright sunlight where the LCD can be a hassle.

The slow continuous mode on most cameras fixes the exposure and WB to the first shot. With some cameras you can just hold the shutter button and it is already in slow continuous. Others require a menu entry. In either case I find it perfect for quick panoramas. The advantage to using the panorama mode is that with some software the panoramas are identified and numbered in order for easier stitching. My Olympus was that way but it was still easier to just hold the button down in continuous and find the panoramas myself at my leisure on the computer.

poppop · Nov 13, 2006, 11:39 PM

Thanks everyone! This is really giving me a better idea of features to go for, and what I might make a compromise over.

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"I am leaning toward the A710IS at this point. I will check out that Kodak too. Some of the reviews consistently rate Canon high, which is why I was looking there.

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"And then I read some comments in another forum about the Sony HCN5 (? I think that's the number), which the owners rave over. But that moves a bit out of the point and shoot range.

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"Decisions, decisions.....

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Nov 11, 2006, 8:31 PM	#1
poppop Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 34	Want compactp/s for travel. I like wide angle of Canon's SD800. I like the telephoto of Canon's A710IS. I think I read that 710 or Canon software has a "panaroma stitch" feature? Got me to thinking, could I satisfy my wideangle interestsby stitching a couple of shots together? I know its not the same as the 28mm effect of the SD800, but the other end of that lens just isn't long enough. Do you have any suggestions about this idea? Or should I be looking at another camera? (e.g. the Olympus FE-200 might do, but I haven't seen any reviews on it yet). Thank you!!!!

Nov 11, 2006, 9:03 PM	#2
BillDrew Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Hay River Township, WI Posts: 2,512	Just about any camera can be used to stitch panoramas - though it can be much easier if you have a way to keep the exposure and white balance the same for every "frame".

Nov 12, 2006, 12:51 AM	#3
KALEL33 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 260	Yes, the Canon A and G series can do the photostitch. It shows you the previous pic and the one youre shooting and you just overlap a bit. The Canon software will find the matching edges and take care of the rest. I've done a few of them and they turned out great, but finding someone to print them is another story.

Nov 12, 2006, 1:34 AM	#4
poppop Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 34	Can one use photostich and cropping to get a picture that is something like what one have gotten with a wide angle?

Nov 12, 2006, 2:13 AM	#5
robbo Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 978	Yes, you can. In fact, you can assemble images that no wide angle single shot could handle. The problem is that you need to make sure that the images used in the stitching are equally bright/dark. Pictures taken in the direction of the sun are brighter than pictures taken away from it. So you can end up with almost "striped" skies. There are lots of programs which can stitch images. I kind of like Canon's photostitch which comes with all Canon printers and digital cameras.

Nov 12, 2006, 10:46 PM	#6
poppop Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 34	Thanks for the info thus far! This is making think that I could get the Canon A710IS, for example, and deal with my wide angle shots when traveling in the photostich kind of way. Do you have to use a tripod for the pix that you want to photostich? And another question along this line - has anyone used conversion lenses on these little point/shoot cams? I've seen that advertised too. And finally an off topic question - has anyone missed not havinga polarizer with a p/s cam?

Nov 13, 2006, 12:14 AM	#7
KALEL33 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 260	No and Yes. No you dont have to have a tripod. The canon photostitch will find the bottom and top of each panorama to define the pic and yes I have used the adapter lens on cameras. They come in useful in some circumstances or I use filters for a different effect.

Nov 13, 2006, 12:55 AM	#8
kcmargulies Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 55	how about the KODAK V705????? it has a 23mm wide lens and can stitch up to three shots IN-camera no computer needed. it also has 7MP. you may want to check it out, or some of the V series cousins that have the same in-camera panormic stitch feature at Kodak.com... best of luck...

Nov 13, 2006, 11:39 PM	#10
poppop Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 34	Thanks everyone! This is really giving me a better idea of features to go for, and what I might make a compromise over. style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"I am leaning toward the A710IS at this point. I will check out that Kodak too. Some of the reviews consistently rate Canon high, which is why I was looking there. style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"And then I read some comments in another forum about the Sony HCN5 (? I think that's the number), which the owners rave over. But that moves a bit out of the point and shoot range. style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"Decisions, decisions.....