How necessary is "top pan" for non-VR panoramas?

[NancyP]

I am doing single-row panoramas with just the ordinary bottom pan on the head. This seems fine, at least with objects 10 feet or more away from camera. I haven't tried multiple-row panoramas (baby steps first). When and why do people use "top pan"-capable quick-release clamps?

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

Using the bottom pan is OK. Nowdays I use an Arca Swiss D4 head that has pan at bottom and top and I normally use the bottom pan. The advantage of using the top pan is that the tripod head can be used for levelling. I use my D4 with a levelling bowl so my head is always level.

Once upon the time I started this thread: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=36973 , may be still useful?

I often use stitching, sometimes so I don't need to crop, or to get a wider view than my widest lens.

Best regards
Erik

I am doing single-row panoramas with just the ordinary bottom pan on the head. This seems fine, at least with objects 10 feet or more away from camera. I haven't tried multiple-row panoramas (baby steps first). When and why do people use "top pan"-capable quick-release clamps?

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

I am doing single-row panoramas with just the ordinary bottom pan on the head. This seems fine, at least with objects 10 feet or more away from camera. I haven't tried multiple-row panoramas (baby steps first). When and why do people use "top pan"-capable quick-release clamps?

Hi Nancy,

When you also use a No-Parallax-Point (NPP) slider, to slide the lens entrance pupil into the position of the (usually vertical) axis which one rotates around to avoid parallax, the top rotation is paramount. Otherwise you might as well rotate around the ordinary bottom pan.

As you say, subjects at a distance are less critical (and wider angle lenses as well), but when recognizable/structured foreground detail is involved, doing things right becomes important enough to spend some money on. It's usually not possible to go back and reshoot situations, so one might as well get it right the first time.

Cheers,
Bart

[Ellis Vener]

I use a top side pan as it just makes life easier for me. For landscape work it might not make a difference but for architectural work it does.  The tripod then acts as  a very sturdy leveling platform for the Pitch axis (fore and aft angle) and roll axis (horizon leveling). The top level panning clamp controls yaw.

Another use for a camera platform rotator is if you are shooting verticals. Once you get the camera's roll axis set to be parallel to the horizon or at another angle , the  panning clamp  on the camera platform can be used to set the pitch angle

[NancyP]

Thanks, people. I have been managing with a carefully leveled tripod, NPP rail, and bottom pan for single-row panoramas, but I can see that a multi-row pano will need more equipment.