If your like me and have a passion for landscape photography, then your natural development will lead you to wanting to shoot larger wider images. Unless you have really deep pockets and can afford the hi end Hasselblads, Mamyas and Phase One cameras then the next best option is using a panoramic head and stitching images together. The benefit of this is that you can effectively take a range of image side by side, known as single row panoramas, across a larger area of landscape. If like me you use a Canon 5D MKII which produces a 21.2mp image, then by shooting say a 5 frame pano image, this will give you an image approximately 5 times the size once they are stitched together. This is particularly useful if you plan on printing your images at larger sizes.

There are a range of great products out there and it really comes down to your personal preference and your intended use. Before purchasing my Really Right Stuff panoramic head I read a range of reviews by fellow photographers and various blogs I found on the internet. I was also fortunate enough to borrow a panoramic head from Shannon Sakovits (www.shannonphotography.com.au) who is a good mate and fellow photographer.

Once you have decided on your intended use its as simple as order the various elements needed to make your panoramic head. For me that consisted of 3 products. The L Plate for Canon 5D MKII, the BH-55 ball head with Panning Clamp which would allow for really easy panning motion and the Precision Plus Package nodal slide which allows you to eliminate parallax. Not sure what parallax is then read here...

Following is an example of a 5 image stitched panorama taken by yours truly at Craigs Hut in Victora Australia