A simple panorama is typically a wider-than-usual image, created from several overlapping source images; see my single-row panoramas page for more details.
A multi-row panorama extends this concept by overlapping additional rows of source images, hence increasing the final panorama resolution in the vertical dimension as well as in the horizontal. This can be achieved using a manual pan-tilt tripod head or by using a motorised pan-tilt head.
Please see the imaging page for other panorama types.
Why use a pan-tilt tripod head?
A pan-tilt tripod head may sound 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 pan-tilt 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 pan-tilt 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 a little ‘soft’ in the corners can be used for higher-resolution photographs because only their sharp centre area is used. This means that less-expensive (and often much lighter) lenses can be used.
A manual pan-tilt head achieves all the above, but is tedious if high resolutions are desired (to capture as much detail as is practical).
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. Further, the sequence can usually be repeated, allowing the effect of polarising filters, etc., to be assessed.
Whether manual or motorised, the resulting source 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 (Hugin, MS ICE, etc.).
Since it takes time to move the camera between each image (whether manual or motorised) multi-row panoramas are best for static subjects (landscapes, townscapes, architecture, etc.).
Notes and checklists
Here are my notes and checklists for capturing high-resolution multi-row (or single-row) panoramas with various motorised heads:
| Motorised head | Notes | Checklist | Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benro Polaris | notes | checklist | 1.45 (as 2-axis) |
| DJI RS3 Mini gimbal | notes | checklist | 0.89 (3-axis) |
| Sky-Watcher AZ-GTi | notes | checklist | 1.33 (2-axis) |
| Syrp Genie II | notes | checklist | 1.44 (2-axis) |
Comparison images
For the motorised heads listed above (and also the GigaPan Epic 100) I have taken test images of Kenilworth Castle from the South, with various cameras and lenses. Although, necessarily, these were not taken under identical conditions they offer some useful comparisons.
The full set of images, with suggestions for downloading, can be
found on my Kenilworth Castle web page.
Here is one sample:
 Kenilworth Castle (JPEG 2023) 42477×9335 7×2 images; taken 2023:07:20 10:43 Camera: Panasonic DC-GH6; 50Mp High-Resolution mode Lens: Olympus 75mm prime (35mm equivalent: 150mm) Exposure: 1/500s, f/5.6, ISO 100 Stitch software: PTGui |
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This page was last edited on 2025-02-21 by mfc.