multi-row panos, you need a special rig that fits on top of your ball
head. Both NodalNinja.com and ReallyRightStuff.com (RRS) make
good panoramic heads, in particular the RRS is great because it
has the Swiss-Arca quick release clamps. I use the knob-style
quick release, not the lever-style. IMO it is safer.
[Note: Here we have moved in even a little closer yet. The subject
is a patch or Oregano and this panorama is focus stacked, although
care was used to highlight focus in the foreground and let it go soft
in the back. Again, this looks like an ordinary photo except it is very
detailed up front and the spread of it is what you would expect to
find using a wide-angle lens, only I don’t have any wide angle lens
that is this sharp.]
Tripods for Stacking and Panoramas
The main tripods I use are all three-section (as opposed to four-
section) tripods. I find that three sections are more stable than four
sections. The only advantage to the four-section tripods (that I care
about) are that they fold up smaller and this is not a concern for me
whatsoever. And since my three-section Gitzo tripods go flat to the
ground, I have what I need for my work.
In addition, although I have a tripod with a center column, I seldom
ever use it because the center column makes the tripod less stable
than simply working off a flat plate at the top of the tripod legs.
This may seem like overkill but you have to remember that mostly I
am stacking focus and doing mini-panoramas and for those I need
great stability, which IMO center columns and four-section tripods
don’t provide.
The Background in Stacked Panos
If you are going to stack a panorama, be sure to pick an area in the
background where the focus stops. I have some wonderful pano
shots that have- mismatched background focus, that is: the line
where the images were stitched together is focused to the left of the
line and abruptly blurred on the other side. This is something that
can be avoided with a little forethought.