Forum

Topic: Upload / Upload aborted: Creating panorama failed

I get this quite often, almost immediately clicking the UPLOAD button. Latest version of uploader (1.2.0087) on Windows 7 64 bit. Is there any logfile or similar where I can find out about the root cause ? Save the same file in different format, even resized a bit does not change the problem. Both TIFF (LZW) and PSD. Does it need a specific temp folder location or size available ?

Topic: Digital Cameras on Gigapan / Shutter release cable

Is there technical data on the servo port (pinout, levels, schematic, etc.) that I may use to design and build my own electronic release? It seems it should be fairly simple to interface to an IR shutter release if the technical details were known. This wold be fairly universal across the Nikon line. Thanks, Tim

Topic: Web Site and Forum / Fewer people viewing Gigapans

I ended up creating a link in my shortcuts to the most recent pans and bypassng the default landing page. Only a personal fix though. It would be nice to see see a page of most recent shot thumbnails or some kind of brief summary.

Topic: General Gigapanning / Epic 100 & Nikon D90 in action

I’m fairly new to Gigapan and have only recently purchased an Epic 100. I’ve shot a number of hand held pans in the past but since posting first first Epic 100 pan I’ve had a number of “how did you do that” questions. I took my video camera out on my last pan for a “behind the camera” view. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lO3kv-tsLEE

Tim
Mattapoisett, MA

Topic: Embedding / FullScreen Option in Embedded

It is possible to embed a GigaPan image (1) using the new GigaPan 2.0 Viewer, (2) in a larger window that automatically adjusts to the browser window and screen resolution, and (3) have the full screen button available. See it working on my website at http://www.gigapixel.com

It’s not as simple as using the iframe Embedder Wizard. I studied the webpage codes of a GigaPan image and by trial-and-error, created a template using existing codes. Once I had a template, I could easily use it on any image. Manual coding is involved.

Topic: Web Site and Forum / Can't place gigapan in GoogleEarth

The next set of fixes, including the GE plugin fix, is scheduled for the following week. If it wasn’t for the holidays, it would have been out this week.

Topic: Web Site and Forum / Can't place gigapan in GoogleEarth

I’m having the same issue, you can set the placement parameters but the gigapan itself doesn’t actually show up so you can’t fly into it or see how the parameters effect viewing. Tried in both chrome and firefox. Personally I liked the original version that worked in google earth.
Any idea when this will be fixed.

Topic: Embedding / FullScreen Option in Embedded

Please, please, please… let us have the full screen button. It will make all the difference…

Topic: General Gigapanning / Tripod Poll

Thanks very much all. Good info. I had thought about a surplus surveyors tripod….don’t need a fancy head if the legs are easily adjustable but again, I’m for easy too. I shot a pan yesterday in about 15-20 mph wind on a cheap (but old) Star tripod with a 30 pound counterweight. The legs were planted well but the rack and pinion column had a little movement. Keeping an eye on Craigslist. Happy Holidays!

Tim
Mattapoisett, MA

Topic: Gigapan Mechanism / Meaning of Epic 100 blinking battery icon

I see the same thing on my Epic 100. I use a matched set rated at 2500 mah (profiled with my Maha smart charget). Withing the first 10 shots or so I get a flashing icon as well….but went on to shoot two pans for a total of 700 shots. Perhaps the voltage threshold for the alarm is set too low in the firmware.

Topic: Special-effects Gigapans / Continuous Pan/Tilt

This would be a really nice feature. Set the start point and the end point, then take a given number of images between those points with a given time delay between images. Would be great for time lapse sequences with pans included. These would not be GigaPan images per se, but would utilize the capabilities of the device to acomodate a different genre of photography.

Topic: General Gigapanning / I am having a hard time with my Epic Pro

Hi -

James, what David said is absolutely correct: switch to using a long telephoto lens and let the system work as it was designed to. The 14mm prime on the 5d simply has way too much distortion at the edges of the photos, which is where the stitcher needs to find continuity between images in order to do its magic.

I use Olympus gear, but with a Leica 180mm f3.4 APO Telyt-R, a Leica 400 f6.3 or a Tamron 600 f8; I’ve also used the 70-300 lens to good effect at 300mm. You need to set the FOV for the lenses, of course, but it really does work fantastically well and generates what you are looking for…

JohnF

Topic: General Gigapanning / Tripod Poll

Hi -

I have an ancient Gitzo Reporter that I used with my Epic 100 (and the beta unit), but moved to a Manfrotto 028b with a very large ball head from Manfrotto (from my view camera days…) when using the Gigapan Pro. The 028b is fairly large, but I’ve carried it all day in NYC doing gigapans and it was eminently carryable. It extends well above my head without extending the central column and gives me that extra bit of extension that really helps…the cost isn’t too outrageous, as it uses aluminum rather than carbon or other exotic materials, but it is extremely solid and hence an excellent performer with the Gigapan Pro…

JohnF

Topic: Gigapan Mechanism / Meaning of Epic 100 blinking battery icon

Hi -

I also own the Epic 100. I found that you need to be extremely careful with battery sets: if you have one bad battery (or one that fails to hold a charge well) in the battery set, you’ll end up with very poor battery performance. Hence: check you battery sets frequently with a voltmeter to ensure that they are within a fairly narrow range of voltage over the 6 batteries. Having one more than about 20% off will impact overall performance.

After spending lots of money on high-capacity but fairly flaky batteries, I switched to the Sanyo Eneloop batteries and have had by far the fewest problems with these…

Hope this helps!

Topic: General Gigapanning / I am having a hard time with my Epic Pro

The main intent of the GigaPan system is that it be used with lenses other than wide angle. You can get the best results with the longest telephoto you own. This will have the flattest field, with your only remaining problems being vignetting or depth of field. If your subject is close, then the normal lens zoomed out all the way will give great results. If you use your 14mm lens, then you don’t need the GigaPan unit, just a tripod, panning it manually to give 25 to 30% overlap, then use Photoshop or one of the other pan programs to merge. (I use the focus dots in the viewfinder to set the overlap.) Those programs may provide the significant de-warping needed to correct for the lens. Also, with a telephoto, the nodal point issue is minimized and you can setup for best balance on the longest lenses.

Topic: General Gigapanning / Tripod Poll

I used to use a cheap $90 tripod. I have since purchased a Velbon Rexi http://www.velbon.co.uk/products/photo/ultra_RE…. I dont use a head other than the gigapan

Topic: General Gigapanning / I am having a hard time with my Epic Pro

James, I would imagine that there would be some distortion at the edges of the photo due to the focal lenght, i think this is causing you problem. If you could post a picture taken with this lens somewhere it would help

Topic: Cold-weather Gigapanning / Does it work in cold weather?

i have been using gigapan epic pro head here in Alberta, shot many times at -35C (-31F) it just plan works, it keeps going & going,make sure, you have it fully charged, keep battery warm before you head out. If your going to do extended cold weather shooting, get extra battery. Also turn off LCD display
I do have the head mounted on a very large video tripod, I also use 3 10 lbs. sand bags to to keep unit solid.
Also plant tripod in snow bank usually 3 feet deep, the shot must be rock solid all the time.

Topic: Web Site and Forum / What happened to all the google earth data

Sorry one has to set the “Share this Gigapan with others using Google Earth” flag. Otherwise the view in Google Earth button is not shown even for my own panoramas

Topic: General Gigapanning / I am having a hard time with my Epic Pro

Please help. I have a Gigapan Epic Pro. I am using a Canon 5D Mark ll with a 14mm. prime lens. I set up the Nodal point and centered the camera in the unit. Initially because of the huge field of view of the ultra wide angle lens I was shooting at 76.4mm FOV range, but none of the photos would stitch correctly. I tried multiple different overlap options, but nothing helped. I then tried to minimize the FOV and set it at a shallow 20.1mm FOV. Nothing seems to work. When I stitch the photos in the Gigapan software they look awful. The photos end up being all over the place with either too much insane overlap or non at all. What am I doing wrong? I’ve used the Epic Pro for a year now, and never had any problems, but now with this new lens I can’t get anything to work for me. Does anyone have any thoughts? Thanks.

Topic: Web Site and Forum / What's a pro membership?

Pro Membership is the next level of membership that will be available along with the new features in 2012. Much of the programming is already done, which is why you are seeing that bug. I’ll see if I can duplicate this behavior and make a record of it for fixing.

Totally agree about the forum search. We have a list of forum features we’d like to see available to gigapaners, and it will be just a matter of working them in into the development schedule.

Topic: Web Site and Forum / What's a pro membership?

In the process of making a test image public to get the plus features working for my account, I got an error message that says I need a pro account to turn off snapshots by visitors. It would seem simple enough to disable that checkbox option and label it as a “pro” feature so that the user doesn’t need an error message to learn about a feature.

I tried searching the web and this site and can’t find information about a pro membership.

By the way, Search for the site needs a Forum option for the drop down. A site search for “pro membership” just delivers some Gigapan images.

Topic: Web Site and Forum / Can't access profile and other observations

Thanks, Angelko. At least I know what we need to do to keep links private.

Topic: Gigapan Mechanism / Meaning of Epic 100 blinking battery icon

Wow. I figured this was a simple question that would get a quick answer.

Thump, thump, thump…is this thing on?

Topic: General Gigapanning / Tripod Poll

Tim;
I have a 190XB manfrotto tripod that I’m quite happy with. It has a 486RC2 ball head which I find really convenient for levelling but it’s kind of like balancing on the end of a stick – looks wonky but seems to work. With my pro I have had vibration issues in high wind environments such as in the mountains but I suspect that would be the case with most anything. I suggest take your unit to a reputable camera store and try it on several in the store – they’d probably love to see it!