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Panoramic Stitching with Zeiss Loxia 85mm f/2.4 Sonnar
The Zeiss Loxia 85mm f/2.4 is lightweight and compact enough to be ideally suited for field use for still photography including panoramic stitching. This page comments on field experience using it.
Shot using the Really Right Stuff PG-02 LLR Pano-Gimbal Head, which allows the desired angle of camera to subject, even while it can be kept level by rotating.
Example: Carrizo Plain old ranch complex
Manual focus is idea for stitching because there are no concerns about inadvertently changing focus—focus once and shoot all frames, knowing that there will be no electronic glitch to change focus as with some cameras, nor any need to disable AF with the shutter release.
Optically, the Zeiss Loxia 85mm f/2.4 Sonnar is outstanding, delivering razor sharp detail. Its 1% pincushion distortion is not ideal but low enough that correction usually should be skipped, since correcting it does reduce micro contrast visibly. On the other hand, stitching generally loses some micro contrast, so correction is just fine when needed.
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Diglloyd Guide to Mirrorless offers comprehensive integrated coverage of most APS-C and full frame mirrorless cameras and lenses.
Special emphasis is placed on Sony full-frame, including Sony lenses and the high performance Zeiss Batis and Zeiss Loxia lenses plus Rokinon/Samyang and others. Fujifilm X, Olympus and Panasonic M4/3, Sigma dp Merrill and dp/sd Quattro are also covered in depth. Years in the making, it offers a wealth of material for choosing and using a mirrorless camera.
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- Optical quality analysis of field curvature, focus shift, sharpness, flare, distortion, and performance in the field.
Want a preview? Click on any page below to see an excerpt as well as extensive blog coverage, for example on Sony.
Sony A7R III + Zeiss Loxia 85mm f/2.4 Sonnar + polarizer Zeiss
ENV: Carrizo Plain National Monument, 60°F / 15°C
RAW: Enhance Details, LACA corrected
off Elkhorn Road
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