Apple QuickTime VR - Manual (Page 80)

Equipment guidelines
For best results, it’s recommended that you use the following equipment to capture
photographic images:
m A film camera with manual lens focus adjustments and motor-driven film advance. Use
the camera in portrait orientation for a greater vertical field of view. Alternatively, you
can use a digital camera or a video camera. You have better exposure control and can
achieve a variety of effects if you use a camera that has interchangeable lens and filters.
For example, you can use wide- or ultra-wide-angle lenses to capture a range of
environments from small rooms to outdoor expanses.
m A rectilinear lens. You should not use a wide-angle lens with a fish-eye distortion.Wider
lenses provide a greater vertical field of view in the resulting QuickTime VR panorama,
and require fewer exposures per panorama.
m High-speed color print film. This type of film provides adequate detail, as well as flexibility
for varying light conditions. Low-speed films can limit flexibility under certain lighting
conditions. The benefits provided by a fine grain film generally are not noticeable in
interactive media. A good all-around choice for panoramas is 200 ASA film. It has a wide
enough latitude to capture details and yet can be used under a variety of lighting conditions.
m A bracket for mounting the camera to the pan/tilt head in portrait orientation. You can
obtain a bracket from one of the companies listed in Appendix B.
m A sturdy pan/tilt head. To make it easier to adjust, it’s a good idea to use a head with axial
bubble levels, rather than circular bubble levels.
m A sturdy tripod.
m Remote shutter-release cord.
m Hand-held incident light meter.
m Double spirit level.
m Plumb line for positioning the rig directly over node markers.
Note: The focal (or nodal) point of the lens is where light rays actually cross within the barrel
of the lens. The axis for camera rotation should be over this point, not the focal (film) plane.
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