One shot 360 optic set up - how to correctly set up your camera to use with a one - shot 360 lens.

Using a One shot optic with your camera.

3 step guide.

1. VIEW - looking through your viewfinder / lcd screen get the view of the reflector as large as possible in the rectangle of your frame:

Framing your view of a 360 One shot VR reflector:
INCORRECT - zoomed IN too far.
INCORRECT - zoomed OUT too far.
CORRECT

2. FOCUS - set your focus MANUALLY to a distance HALF WAY up the reflector. How? - easy, using the manual focus setting on your camera, adjust this until the furthest point of the reflector becomes sharp and in focus. Then continue until the nearest point of the reflector becomes sharp (this shows in your viewfinder as the small black circle in the centre of the reflected image). The half way point is then of course, midway between these 2 points. REMEMBER you are setting to focus on the reflector.

Setting the focus correctly on a 360 One Shot VR reflector:
A. Focus set at far point of reflector.
B. Focus set at near point of reflector.
CORRECT - Focus set half way up reflector

3. APERTURE - now set the Aperture on your camera MANUALLY to a large 'f-stop' number - this increases the focus 'depth of field', then as you had set the precise focus distance to half way up the reflector, the entire reflector should now be sharp and in focus when you take your photo. You will now need to set your shutter speed correctly - this may be a slow setting (as you have a HIGH f-stop). If you have the 360 One Shot Optic mounted to a tripod, and even better if you have a timer option on your camera, use this to ensure you have no camera shake.

That's it - simple!

These instructions apply regardless of which camera / lens / mount / bracket solution you are using with a 360 One shot optic reflector.
(Using the Pano Pro? - see the PANO PRO CAMERA COMPATIBILITY GUIDE for more information).

Red Door VR Limited, UK - Panoramic Photo Equipment Specialists - pageloads from 111107: