Digital Compact Camera with Panorama mode

Hello!

 

I'm looking for a compact digital camera 3 to 5 Mpix with Panorama

mode. I know that HP cameras have the capability to stich up to 5

photos, and even preview it on camera. Other Companies, such as

Sony, Canon, Olympus, Kodak do not say much about this feature.

Though they mention panorama mode in certain models, they do not

inform about the number of photos, the camera uses for Panorama.Does

anybody know any sites where i can find the infos I need? Or

anything at all that might help me?

 

Kind Regards

Aris

You can create panoramas with any digital camera.All you need is stitching software on your pc or mac.Even though it is more convenient in camera I would imagine better panaoramas would be produced off camera due to the greater processing power.

I have used this method myself personally.

Try to use a tripod when taking the pictures since even the best software will not make up for poorly align pictures.

 

The Pentax Optio series like some other cameras have a panorama mode which superimposes a part of the pic you previously taken over the one you currently taking to help you align the pic.

 

Try to get a camera with a 28mm lens such as those made by Olmypus,nikon or Ricoh.Nikon also produce the Coolpix 8400 which is the only digital compact with a 24mm lens.

I use a hardware rig from <a href="http://www.kaidan.com/">Kaidan</a> to get the images, and then use <a href="http://www.panavue.com/index.htm">Panavue</a> to stich everything together.

Thanks for the prompt reply.

I am aware of the PC/Mac solution to create a Panorama. Obviously the results from a pc processed panorama cannot even be compared with those from a digital camera. BUT i am interested in digital cameras with built-in Panorama Function.

Thanx for the tips.Here's another one.

It is best to take pictures for a panorama, using a tiiiiny bit of zoom-in so as to have less distortion of the photo on the corners.

Thank You!

Aris

If your prime interest is panoramas, then I'd recommend you get one of these:

 

http://gregwired.com/pano/Pano.htm

 

To make stitching easier for the software (see links to Max Lyons' site on that page), it helps if the lens doesn't have much distortion. That often means shooting in the middle of the zoom range. You'll usually get less distortion with lenses that don't have a large zoom ratio.

<< BUT i am interested in digital cameras with built-in Panorama Function >>

 

I know of no camera that actually builds the panoramic photo in camera. I don't believe the HP does as well, though it does, as you've mentioned, allow you to view a low-resolution preview of the 5 images. All the "panoramic modes" I've seen simply provide a smaller viewing area to allow you to overlap the next image with the previous. Each image is still independent (this is true also with the HP) and would need assembly on the computer with the software that came with the camera.

 

<< they do not inform about the number of photos >>

 

That depends on the camera. My A80 will take as many as will fit on the card. The HP, apparently, only allows 5.

 

 

<< where i can find the infos I need? >>

 

Probably in the user manuals on the manufactures websites.

The A95 has a pano-mode.

 

I found that it's useless. Doing a proper stitch takes far more processing power than the camera has available, so what you end up with is that it does a few things to help you out, but does a LOT to hurt you, like limiting your ability to change the exposure settings, which is required if you ever want to do night panoramas.

 

The bigger thing is including some sort of software to stitch the pictures. The A95 does have software included, but it's merely "OK". Photoshop has a stitcher, and there's some free ones out there, too.

Fujifilm FinePix F810 Zoom.

If you do not want a wide angel zoom try the Optio 450/550/555.

5x zoom in a small camera.

That should have read "wide angle" not "wide angel"!