I have been taking high-resolution panoramas for many years, and in 2022 came across the Benro Polaris motorised mount which has been my default since mid-2023 (I previously used, and keep as backup, a Sky-Watcher AZ-GTi and a Gigapan Epic 100). This page provides some background, some information about the Benro Polaris, and a checklist for using it.
Why use a motorised tripod head?
A motorised pan-tilt tripod head sounds like an over-the-top accessory but it can be very cost-effective, because:
- It allows a higher-resolution image to be created than the camera’s sensor supports.
- For a given lens, a motorised head lets you emulate a wider view lens than the lens in use, either for a panorama or a vertical image. A 50mm lens has a 38°×29° field of view, but with a motorised head that same lens can cover up to a full 360°×180°.
- The final image is ‘stitched’ by combining multiple images. Typically a 30% overlap is used – so only the centre part of each image is used. This means that lenses that are bit ‘soft’ in the corners can be used for higher-resolution photographs because only their sharp centre area is used.
A motorised head lets you take multiple photographs of a scene (perhaps tens or even hundreds) while automatically changing the camera pan and tilt for each one. Since it takes time to move the camera between each image this technique is best for static subjects (landscapes, townscapes, architecture, etc.).
The resulting images are then stitched together by software to make a composite high-resolution image; I nowadays mostly use PTGui but there are several free alternatives.
The Benro Polaris
Benro Polaris with Panasonic GH6 camera & 200mm lens
In 2022 I discovered the Benro Polaris motorised head, which is more expensive than the Sky-Watcher AZ-GTi but can still save expenditure on lenses. As well as being more robust than earlier heads I’ve used (such as the GigaPan Epic 100), I have found that support from Benro has been very good.
The app used to control the head (Polaris) has Remote control, Time lapse, Panorama, and other options, and its Panorama option allows repeat panoramas which is especially useful.
The head can be attached directly to a tripod; I prefer to use a levelling head on the tripod and a Leofoto Quicklink to avoid having to rotate the Polaris onto the tripod screw. The top of the Polaris has an Arca-Swiss compatible clamp which allows many options for mounting the camera. I also prefer a camera that has a tilt screen (the Panasonic GH6 shown has an articulating screen that can also be tilted without being swung out) – this allows using the tripod at a lower height, for better stability.
The Polaris connects to the camera via a USB cable (USB-C at the Polaris end). When positioning the camera for setting the start or end of a panorama it’s best to use the camera’s screen as there is some lag in showing what the camera sees on the app screen.
Here’s my Panorama Polaris µ4/3 checklist which might prove a useful starting point for a new setup.
In summary: with a decent tripod, a camera that supports control by USB, a good lens, and a motorised head like the one described, you can create better-quality and/or higher-resolution images of static subjects than the camera and lens are capable of on their own.
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This page was last edited on 2024-11-02 by mfc.