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Camera Settings and Polarizers

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Robert Landry
New member
Username: Bob_landry

Post Number: 1
Registered: 8-2007
Posted on Wednesday, August 08, 2007 - 9:49 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post

I've been using PF for 3-4 years with great resuts. I shoot everything on manual by scanning the intended scene and manually setting the camera to something close to the center of the range of exposure of the scene, thinking that the camera may otherwise set exposure for the individual frames. I also avoid using a circular polarizer, which I would like to use for better color saturation. Will PF deal with auto settings and with a polarizer, or should I continue shooting using my current methods?
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David Richardson
New member
Username: Customdavid

Post Number: 21
Registered: 1-2006
Posted on Thursday, August 09, 2007 - 2:41 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post

I have not tried a polarizer, but I also lock down my settings. I have tried using the "auto correct" option but find that this sort of averages the lighting and I end up with a sort of "gray" that is not flattering. It does make some of the dark areas of the image stand out more, but ones that were well lit, not that great. Instead, I lock my exposure on my first fame, take the rest and then uncheck the auto correct and I get properly lit images for the most part.

When there is a significant difference in the light in one direction vs. the other I will then turn the camera 180 degrees and repeat the process (on a tripod with a panorama head). When I am done, if I have a problem with one of the images (to dark or too light) then I pull the images from the other set and blend them together. I have gotten some really good results doing this. Here is an example of one:

http://www.panoramashots.com/panoramashots/USA/CA/Sacramento/Sutters_Fort/0007/0007.html

Everything inside the door was almost completely black and the open door on the far side was the only thing visible. I did a little Photo-shop and blended the room from a properly lit set of images with the open door from the first image. The result is nearly seamless.

Here is another example http://www.panoramashots.com/panoramashots/USA/CA/Sacramento/Capitol/0008/0008.html of the same type of thing, the window with the tree was a complete washout, I used a different set of images to resolve.

Not sure if that answers your question, but hope it helps,

David
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Frank Grages
New member
Username: Frank_grages

Post Number: 7
Registered: 7-2007
Posted on Sunday, August 12, 2007 - 10:50 am:   Edit PostDelete Post

Robert,

the biggest problem will be the stregth of the polarizing effect (the inrease of contrast) depending on the angle of the camera to the sun.

To get a sky with almost the same contrast, you might have to re-adjust your polarizer between two shots or else you will have parts with very light sky and parts with a very intense, blue sky.

I mostly do panoramic shots at night or at "blue hour". Panorama factory can handle those differences in exposure very well.

See http://www.galerie.grages.net (chose "panoramen") for some examples.

Best regards
-Frank

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