Panorama Equipment

Shooting great panoramas is not rocket science. With awareness of the basic concepts at hand, and an investment in fundamental support equipment, any shooter can create great panoramas. We typically recommend that shooters new to panos start out with single-row panoramas before moving on to multi-row panoramas. The additional setup complexity of multi-row panos will be so much easier to absorb after you conquer the logistics of single-row panos! Below are some packages and components to make shooting great panoramas easier and more fun.

Pano Elements Package includes one PCL-1 panning clamp and one MPR-CL II nodal slide

Pano Elements Package

The best way to get your feet wet with single-row panos is our Pano Elements Package. This package contains:

• one PCL-1 panning clamp: can mount on any 3/8"-16 or ¼"-20 male threaded stud or any female socket tapped M6-1.0 or ¼"-20.
• one MPR-CL II nodal slide: this 7.4-inch rail has a built-in clamp at one end to accommodate any camera body fitted with a conventional Really Right Stuff-style plate.

The panning clamp delivers a level panning base in mere seconds, and the nodal slide ensures elimination of parallax. Includes everything you need for single-row panos (except package does not include dedicated camera plate; purchase separately).

Image shows upside-down PCL-1 mounted with PCL-DVTL.

PCL-DVTL

If you already own a Really Right Stuff-style clamp, then you can mount your PCL-1 panning clamp part-time by adding our small PCL-DVTL dovetail. This slim, custom mount allows you to drop the PCL-1into your existing clamp for only those times when you want to shoot panos. Very convenient! And when you're done shooting, just slip the panning clamp back into its custom neoprene pouch and drop it in your camera bag.

Really Right Stuff L-Plate

Nikon D200 with 50mm/f1.4 lens. Camera fitted with BMBD200-L plate; mounted on MPR-CL nodal slide & PCL-1 panning clamp.

While technically not a dedicated piece of panorama equipment, a Really Right Stuff L-Plate is ideal for shooting panos. An L-plate allows the shooter to mount the camera in portrait mode. When mounted in vertical, you can capture more pixels top-to-bottom, and this is a huge benefit when it comes time to crop the final blended image.

Consider the image below. If this image was shot with the camera mounted in landscape mode, there would be fewer total pixels top-to-bottom (you'd still be able to capture the same amount of pixels left-to-right). But with the camera now mounted in portrait mode, you increase the amount of vertical real estate that you capture in the individual images. And after cropping, you're left with more of the original image.

RRS-337

This handy dual-axis acrylic spirit level mounts effortlessly into any standard hot shoe. Its dual axis delivers far more leveling precision than any single axis spirit level. Add one to your bag, pull it out when leveling is critical, then slip it back in your bag.

Ultimate Omni-Pivot Package

After you've conquered single-row panos with our Pano Elements Package, move up to multi-row panos by adding our Ultimate Omni-Pivot Package. By combining your Pano Elements Package with our Ultimate Omni-Pivot Package, you'll have everything needed for simultaneous horizontal and vertical panning (except package does not include dedicated camera plate; purchase separately). The standard Ultimate Omni-Pivot Package includes:

• one PCL-1 panning clamp:
  this clamp installs on the CRD-Rail to provide the vertical panning
• one MPR-192 multi-purpose rail:
  this rail constitutes the horizontal component
• one CRD-Rail with "on-end" integral clamp:
  this rail constitutes the vertical component

The Ultimate Omni-Pivot Package weighs 22.7-ounces (646g). When combined with the Pano Elements Package, your entire rig for shooting 360° panoramas weighs in at only 2.5-pounds. This package comes packed in its own neoprene pouch and requires absolutely no tools for assembly. See link at left "Multi-Row Panos" for more detailed information and images on how to use this package.

Ultimate-Pro Omni-Pivot Package

If you don't own any pano equipment from Really Right Stuff and you want to jump right into shooting multi-row panos, buy our Ultimate-Pro Omni-Pivot Package. This premium package contains everything needed for simultaneous horizontal and vertical panning (except package does not include dedicated camera plate; purchase separately). The Ultimate-Pro Omni-Pivot Package includes:

• Two PCL-1 panning clamps for fast leveling and fluid precision panning in both vertical and horizontal axes. Mount one to vertical rail (CRD-Rail); one to top of ballhead.
• One MPR-192 multi-purpose rail supplies the horizontal foundation for the package. Rail integrates high-contrast spirit level & laser-engraved scale; robust build accommodates considerable cantilevered load.
• One CRD-Rail with "on-end" integral clamp slides onto the MPR-192 rail to create quick-mount vertical component. Beefy cross-section ensures uncompromising rigidity and stability.
• One MPR-CL II Nodal Slide for shifting camera aft. Mount body plate in integral clamp. Laser-engraved scale on both sides assures repeatable set-up.

With this premium package, all you need to add is the dedicated plate for your camera body. This package comes packed in its own neoprene pouch and requires absolutely no tools for assembly. See link at left "Multi-Row Panos" for more detailed information and images on how to use this package.

The Really Right Stuff Ultimate-Pro Omni-Pivot Package shown here with a Canon Rebel XTi fitted with our BGE3-L plate.

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