Pano - take panoramic photos

In terms of photo quality, smartphones are catching up with cameras. Today's level of development allows us to take decent quality pictures. Having a small photo studio in their pocket, many people think about creating panoramas. After all, there are so many beautiful places around that won’t fit into one small photo. However, having no experience in creating panoramic photographs, the end result is a stitching together of nondescript photographs, which is a shame to show. But it's never too late to learn, so we'll give you some tips.

Software component

Found beautiful view, but don’t know what to use to make a panorama? Don't be foolish. Both Android and iOS have standard tools for creating panoramic images. Don't know where they are? Just go to the camera app on your device and find the corresponding icon. Don't like it standard application? Then there are alternatives.

Android

Pano

Panorama

Like the previous one, the program is easy to use, but the algorithm for creating a picture is slightly different. You do not shoot certain scenes one by one, but simply rotate the camera in a circle after pressing the shutter button. A plus is the presence of some filters for processing photographs and the ability to turn on the flash. Sharing on social networks is also present.

iOS

360 Panorama

Cycloramic

An extremely interesting solution for creating panoramas. The program was created for the lazy. You don't even have to take the photo yourself. Simply place your iPhone on a flat, hard surface and launch Cycloramic. Due to the vibration motor, the phone will rotate itself. All you have to do is view the result.

If you decide which program to use, then don’t rush into battle right away. Having good technology does not make your photos masterpieces. Having a driver's license does not make you a racer. Having a bat in your trunk doesn't make you an athlete. It's the same with photography. Having purchased SLR camera You don’t become a photographer for unrealistic money. Before you begin your long journey of creating panoramas, read our tips.

Follow the light

The advantage of panoramas is also their disadvantage. When creating a panorama, you will have to shoot a wide area in front of you. The light may fall unevenly in this area. Then one part of your panorama will be very light, and in the other you will not be able to make out anything in the dark. Be sure to take this into account. Try to find a place with the same light balance. If you're indoors, don't forget to watch the shadows. You should be at a point from which approximately equal amounts of shadow and light objects are visible.

Follow the traffic

Panoramas are usually taken in busy places and this presents a certain difficulty. If the people in the area you are shooting are moving, then when you stitch the final image together, the picture may disappoint you. The presence of wind should also be taken into account. You won't be happy with the fact that one half of the tree is tilted in one direction, and the other in the other? This will somehow appear on the finished photo, which will ruin its quality. Try to wait for calm weather if possible.

Hold your phone more confidently.

It doesn't matter how good your phone's stabilization is if your hands shake incredibly. Shaking the phone at the time of shooting will definitely be reflected in the picture. You will either smear it or it will end up cut off at the top or bottom. In general, this is not the result you expected. Try to hold the phone steady and not shake it. If that doesn’t work, then find some flat, hard surface and place the phone on it.

Learn to move slowly

If you don't have a tripod or an area to mount your smartphone, you'll have to turn it yourself. This must be done slowly and patiently. No need to make sharp turns. Rotate around your axis, centimeter by centimeter. And most importantly, try to stay at the same point where you started shooting.

Now you're ready

Now, having some knowledge, you can safely start creating panoramas. Be bolder. The more you try, the better you will get at it. Moreover, modern smartphones are small darkrooms in your pocket. A little effort and you won't believe your success. Just don’t forget about our advice and everything will work out for you.

Panoramic photographs are always breathtaking, as they can create a certain effect of presence when viewed. Smartphone family HTC One have at their disposal an excellent tool for creating panoramic images. But what if your smartphone is not equipped with such functionality or its implementation does not suit you, it doesn’t matter - you can always use third party solutions, some of which we will try to consider in this article.

We came under close attention to both paid Pano along with free utility with the self-explanatory name Panorama, and also having trial and commercial versions of Photaf Panorama. Let's try to find out specific examples, whether it is worth forking out for this or that solution.

Pano

The work scheme used in Pano can be considered classic for this type of work. You take a regular photo, and after a short pause, only part of it remains on the screen, with which you need to align the next photo as accurately as possible. There are no strict restrictions on the number of pictures in a series. As practice has shown, the program glues up to eight photos without problems, and the processing time for images increases very slightly.

Several test series, combined into a single whole, showed relatively good performance of the “gluing” algorithms, but it is too early to draw final conclusions. It is worth considering other contenders for the role of the most preferred program for creating panoramic images. Moreover, Pano is the only program that does not have a free version.

You can independently evaluate the quality of the application using the pictures below:

Install Panorama for free:

Photaf Panorama

Unfortunately, the program does not respond to changes in the position of the device in space, so using numerous settings is not very convenient. However, it is still worth focusing on certain points. The most important option is force activation manual mode, which makes the program an analogue of Pano. By default, Photaf generates a panoramic image automatically, and vertical and horizontal level indicators are designed to combat deviations.

The program can notify you of image capture by both vibration and sound signal. Autofocus is turned on by default, and just before shooting, the white balance or exposure level is adjusted, and the flash is turned on if necessary.

Pressing the on-screen button activates shooting, and you can combine images at any time using the corresponding key. During the merging process, the program icon is displayed in the notification area, and the procedure itself takes a little more time than other programs from this selection.

In preview mode, the image appears in pseudo-3D and can be easily scrolled across the screen using gestures. The quality of the picture can be slightly improved by clicking on the corresponding context menu item.

Finally, the application has an online gallery with a selection of panoramas made by other users, and if desired, it is easy to add the results of your own creativity to them. Comparing Photaf Panorama with other participants in the review, one cannot fail to note the wealth of settings and the presence of auxiliary indicators when shooting. But you can achieve any satisfactory picture quality only by purchasing full version.

You can familiarize yourself with the panoramas shot using Photaf Panorama using the examples below.

Camera modern smartphone not much different from a good digital camera. Manufacturers are trying to improve their creations using the latest technical equipment. Not long ago good mobile phone boasted a two-megapixel camera, the photo quality of which was not up to par. Now devices have the ability to take high-quality macro photographs, use all kinds of effects, and even shoot video in HD quality.

Advanced Android smartphones can take panoramic photos. Panoramic photography on Android is associated with shooting panoramas, that is, shooting is carried out at a large viewing angle. Most phones have Android based Panoramic shooting is part of the functionality of a standard camera. For convenience, applications have been created that make it easier to create a panoramic picture for Android. Let's take a closer look at panoramic photo apps for Android.

PhotafPanorama
The most popular program for panoramic photos for Android. The application interface is extremely clear, but the presence of a huge number of buttons slightly disorients the user. An inexperienced user will encounter minor inconveniences, which, unfortunately, the program does have. Firstly, the program will not respond to changes in the phone’s position in space. Secondly, as mentioned above, the application has many buttons, which makes it difficult to use. PhotafPanorama will automatically create a panoramic image, and correction will be made using level indicators. In the settings you can change the white balance, adjust the exposure, disable autofocus and make minor changes. The program will notify you of image capture with a sound signal or vibration. Preview of the image is carried out in 3D mode; you can work with the image by touching the screen. In this mode, you can slightly adjust the image by pressing a specific button. Photaf has an online gallery where you can post your photos, as well as get acquainted with the work of other users. You can download a simplified version of the program for free, but purchasing the full version costs money.

Pano differs from its counterparts in that the program interface is extremely simple. Even an inexperienced user can easily use the panoramic photo app for Android. Minimalism is also evident in the functional component of the program: in the settings you can only regulate the inclusion of geotags. The application is capable of stitching together an unlimited number of pictures, while maintaining the quality at a decent level. At the end of gluing, you need to click on the checkmark in the upper right corner, after which the program will generate the panorama you shot. The finished work can be published in social network or save to phone memory. Please note that Pano does not have a free version.

WondersharePanorama
The program interface differs from Pano and PhotafPanorama in that WondersharePanorama uses two large sections: gallery and photo creation. The program takes golden mean in terms of functionality: here you can adjust the flash and use filters on the photo. Going to the gallery is done with one touch, which significantly saves time. The application does not require multiple presses of the shutter button: WondersharePanorama will automatically take ten photos and then stitch them together. The result of the work will be displayed on the screen, where the user can save, publish or delete the panorama.

Panoramic photographs are always breathtaking, as they can create a certain effect of presence when viewed. Smartphones of the HTC One family have at their disposal an excellent tool for creating panoramic photos. But what to do if your smartphone is not equipped with such functionality or its implementation does not suit you, it doesn’t matter - you can always use third-party solutions, some of which we will try to consider in this article.

We paid close attention to both the paid Pano, along with the free utility with the self-explanatory name Panorama, and Photaf Panorama, which has trial and commercial versions. Let's try to find out with specific examples whether it is worth forking out for this or that solution.

Pano

The work scheme used in Pano can be considered classic for this type of work. You take a regular photo, and after a short pause, only part of it remains on the screen, with which you need to align the next photo as accurately as possible. There are no strict restrictions on the number of pictures in a series. As practice has shown, the program glues up to eight photos without problems, and the processing time for images increases very slightly.

Several test series, combined into a single whole, showed relatively good performance of the “gluing” algorithms, but it is too early to draw final conclusions. It is worth considering other contenders for the role of the most preferred program for creating panoramic images. Moreover, Pano is the only program that does not have a free version.

You can independently evaluate the quality of the application using the pictures below:

Install Panorama for free:

Photaf Panorama

Unfortunately, the program does not respond to changes in the position of the device in space, so using numerous settings is not very convenient. However, it is still worth focusing on certain points. The most important option is the forced activation of manual mode, which turns the program into an analogue of Pano. By default, Photaf generates a panoramic image automatically, and vertical and horizontal level indicators are designed to combat deviations.

The program can notify you of image capture using both vibration and a sound signal. Autofocus is turned on by default, and just before shooting, the white balance or exposure level is adjusted, and the flash is turned on if necessary.

Pressing the on-screen button activates shooting, and you can combine images at any time using the corresponding key. During the merging process, the program icon is displayed in the notification area, and the procedure itself takes a little more time than other programs from this selection.

In preview mode, the image appears in pseudo-3D and can be easily scrolled across the screen using gestures. The quality of the picture can be slightly improved by clicking on the corresponding context menu item.

Finally, the application has an online gallery with a selection of panoramas made by other users, and if desired, it is easy to add the results of your own creativity to them. Comparing Photaf Panorama with other participants in the review, one cannot fail to note the wealth of settings and the presence of auxiliary indicators when shooting. But you can achieve any satisfactory picture quality only by purchasing the full version.

You can familiarize yourself with the panoramas shot using Photaf Panorama using the examples below.