How many frames do you need for a panorama, and how far should you rotate between them?
Choose your sensor, lens, orientation and the total angle you want to cover. The planner gives the number of frames, the rotation per click and an estimated panorama size in pixels.
How the tool works
The horizontal field of view of one frame is 2 x atan(side / (2 x f)), where side is the sensor edge that runs horizontally and f is the focal length. In landscape orientation that is the long edge, in portrait orientation the short edge. The rotation step is the field of view multiplied by (1 – overlap), and the frame count is ceil((total angle – field of view) / step) + 1, with a minimum of 1. An overlap of 30 percent is a common starting point, and 20 to 50 percent is the usual range.
The pixel estimate uses the focal length in pixels (frame width in pixels / 2 / tan of half the field of view) multiplied by the covered angle in radians, which is the width of a cylindrical projection. Both dimensions are then reduced by 5 percent for cropping. It is only an estimate. Spherical or perspective projections, lens distortion and your stitching software will change the real size.
Portrait orientation gives more height for the same width and needs more frames. For scenes with objects close to the camera, rotate around the no-parallax point of the lens (often called the nodal point) so that foreground and background line up. Set exposure, focus and white balance to manual so every frame matches, and level the tripod head so the horizon stays straight.
Questions
How much overlap do I need for a panorama?
About 30 percent works for most scenes. Use more, up to 50 percent, with wide lenses or foreground detail, because stitching software then has more to match.
Should I shoot a panorama in portrait or landscape orientation?
Portrait gives a taller panorama for the same width, at the cost of more frames. The planner shows the difference.
Why does the pixel size differ from my stitched file?
The planner assumes a cylindrical projection and a 5 percent crop. Your software, the projection you choose and lens distortion all change the final size.
More photography tools: Focal length and field of view calculator, Print size calculator, Moon and Milky Way planner