BBMF Hangar, RAF Coningsby – Oct 17th, 2007

I can’t seem to get any of the links to work anymore!

Is there a problem

Everything seems to be OK as far as I can tell. You are using the updated links?

I can’t seem to get any of the links to work anymore!

Is there a problem?

Val x

All links to the old web site will now stop working in the next few days.

If you have linked to any of these panoramas (as you are very welcome to do) for your own web sites please use the new links.

There is also a new temporary page for my new website at http://elevation360.com This will always be the main page so if you bookmark it you will always be taken to the most up to date version of the main page as and when the content is updated and the new site goes “live”.

billyh42

While these shots were indeed taken using a Digital camera, it is just as easy to use film as long as you can scan your negs/slides accurately. By accurately I mean exposure and colour rather than position!

Flatbed scanners won’t cope very well, but film scanners, such as the Minolta DiMage perform admirably!

Just as with Digital, the key to this type of “stitched” shot with film is that everything, from the taking of the shot through to the scanning of the film, must be done totally manually to ensure consistent exposure and colour so that the shots can be stitched without too much editing.

I used to use an old Nikon F3, both with neg and slide, for my stitched panoramas before I went digital!

Thanks again for the info,i guess a film scanner would be a nice cheap option to replacing my old trusty Nikons 😀

Digital does speed things up a bit though!

Billy

Thanks again for the info,absolute quaility ! i have a flatbed scanner which as you say is a bit hit and miss on image quaility so i guess film only scanner might be the way forward for my old crusty Nikons !

Newark now have some similar panoramic shots on their website including a Vulcan cockpit shot – follow the link from their homepage.

www.newarkairmuseum.org

but the quality might suffer as you would have to scan the prints or slides into your computer

i love film but it does not transfer too well through a scanner if it’s a little too old

While these shots were indeed taken using a Digital camera, it is just as easy to use film as long as you can scan your negs/slides accurately. By accurately I mean exposure and colour rather than position!

Flatbed scanners won’t cope very well, but film scanners, such as the Minolta DiMage perform admirably!

Just as with Digital, the key to this type of “stitched” shot with film is that everything, from the taking of the shot through to the scanning of the film, must be done totally manually to ensure consistent exposure and colour so that the shots can be stitched without too much editing.

I used to use an old Nikon F3, both with neg and slide, for my stitched panoramas before I went digital!

Digital does speed things up a bit though!

Billy

They are done in the digital domain.

You should still be able to use your stills camera, but the quality might suffer as you would have to scan the prints or slides into your computer.

Thats what i thought about quaility issues,i love film but it does not transfer too well through a scanner if it’s a little too old.Maybe Santa will bring me a new DSLR next year :p

Great work, Billy.

🙂

They are done in the digital domain.

You should still be able to use your stills camera, but the quality might suffer as you would have to scan the prints or slides into your computer.

When you say ordinary still camera do you mean good old fashioned film still’s or digital stills ? I’m still in the film age with my trusty old Nikon F.3 and FM.2

Nice effect im sure this type of image is really best viewed in a large print format for the best effect.

done a bit of this type of work in the past and on a PC monitor just doe not do it any justice, would suggest you have a few shots done out in poster or at leats A3 . nice pics .

Edit

just checked those images on 360 on your web site .
must say they are stunning the effect is great . what a diffrence to the normal way images are shot.
great work

Sorry folks, the links to the 360 Degree Spherical Panoramas have now changed and have been updated in the original post.

Thanks to all those who let me know!

This is because the panoramas have now been moved over to my new website and will now run full-screen at the same file size.

This is due to the panoramas now being presented in a Java/Flash format which means that the previous method of running a script to chose between QuickTime or Flash in no longer used.

This method should enable everyone to view the panoramas properly without having to rely on having any particular software or plugin installed for their browsers as the Java Player is a “client-side” player – i.e. it is installed on my server but is accessed automatically when anyone views the panoramas.

There are now also some very simple (and colourful) on screen controls to enable the viewer to chose between window and full-screen views, a play/pause button and a rotation direction button.

I would be interested in any comments as to how you think this compares to the old method.

Thanks

Billy Hepburn

www.elevation360.co.uk

Great shots – a nice change from the standard “spotter” shots!

How did you get access to the hangar?

Val

I just asked – they couldn’t have been more helpful!

Billy

Great shots – a nice change from the standard “spotter” shots!

How did you get access to the hangar?

Val

Thanks for the info Billy.:cool:

James

Strange but nice is the BBMF hanger open all year round?

The visitor centre is certainly open all year round (although closed at weekends, Bank Holidays and for two weeks at Christmas/New Year) but you will need to telephone in advance to make sure the hangar itself will be open.

The visitor centre is free admission but access to the hangar is by guided tour (£3.90 for over an hour – fantastic value) only. Photos are allowed but only from “behind the rope” at one side of the hangar.

I got special permission to take my photos so again you would have to telephone and ask.

I personally found everyone at the BBMF most helpful and obliging.

billyh42

Can i ask how you make photo’s / film / effect like that? Is it done with still photo’s or a video camera? Or is it fancy software?

These shots are done using an ordinary still camera!

Depending on the subject matter I usually take 5 or 6 shots. The BBMF hangar shots needed 6 shots as there is a “complex” roof to the hangar.

So I took 5 overlapping horizontal shots and 1 vertical shot for the roof.

These are stitched together in a small software programme called PTGui and this programme also outputs the final result as a video file for the interactive panorama.

You can download a fully working demo of PTGui at www.ptgui.com .

billyh42

Strange but nice is the BBMF hanger open all year round?

James

Billyh,

They are very impressive. Can i ask how you make photo’s / film / effect like that? Is it done with still photo’s or a video camera? Or is it fancy software? Either way, I really like them. Thanks for sharing them with us.

Regards
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