Panoramic photography or wide format photography is a technology of photography that uses special equipment or software to create wide angle photos. Generally panoramic photos have an aspect ratio of 2:1 or greater where the width at least twice as big as the height. That ratio can go up to 10:1 when we’re talking about 360 degrees photos, which is also derived from panoramic photography.
The first successful panoramic camera was built in 1844, in Germany by a man called Friedrich von Martens who named it the Megaskop. The difference between the Megaskop and past attempts of panoramic cameras was the addition of set gears which offered a more steady panning speed, the result of this technology was a better exposed photographic plate. As early as 1888, with the invention of flexible film, many brand name cameras were marketed and more widely used.
Today, there are many methods to take or create a panoramic photo. Short rotation cameras for example, can usually capture a field of view between 110 to 140 degrees. This method however, creates unusual distortion of straight lines to the viewer because the image, which was originally viewed and captured from the camera in a curved perspective, is being viewed flat. Full rotation cameras use the same technology as the short rotation cameras, although they have a much wider field of view which can go up to 360 degrees. On the other hand, most commonly used form of panoramic cameras, fixed lenses can range its field of view anywhere from 90 to 180 degrees, this last one generally known as the “fisheye lenses”. Not to mention the most basic, point-and-click cameras even have the ability to take panoramic photos nowadays.
With so many options out there including auto stitch softwares, there are no excuses for anyone not to take panoramic photos. These are great for scenery photos and once printed either on photo paper or canvas, can make great gifts for those loved ones.
