Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

panasonic lumix TZ20 - how to take panoramic pictures

Jan 21, 2012 9:28PM PST

Hi everyone,

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Answer
Panasonic TZ20/ZS10 (Europe/USA)
Jan 21, 2012 11:59PM PST

To assist: The Panasonic TZ20 is the European version of the USA Panasonic ZS10.

But anyone that has taken panoramic pictures with a recent Panasonic Camera should be able to help with this question.

Anyone?

..

- Collapse -
Answer
Panorama assist only
Jan 22, 2012 12:28AM PST

Your camera does not automatically take panoramic photos; it only has a panorama assist mode. Even with using the assist mode, it would be helpful to use a tripod, and necessary to use processing software to make panoramic photos with the TZ20.

- Collapse -
panasonic lumix TZ20 - how to take panoramic pictures
Jan 22, 2012 7:18AM PST

OK, thanks for your help. So, just to clarify, I basically take the photos using the panorama assist mode, then when I come to download the photos onto my computer, I'll have lots of individual photographs that I have to 'stick' together using the processing software?

- Collapse -
Panorama
Jan 22, 2012 9:51AM PST

That is the general idea.

I suggest you start small (about 3 photos).

Each individual shots should overlap the previous shot by about 30 to 40 percent.
The software will "stitch" the images together.

As mentioned before. A tripod is recommended.

Here is more detail:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panoramic_photography


..

- Collapse -
panorama
Jan 22, 2012 8:26PM PST

OK, thanks very much. I guess I should look at the software and that may answer my questions, but does the software recognise which photos were taken using the panorama assistant and therefore join these together, or do I have to manually select which photos I can put together?

I guess you don't really need the panoramic assitant, you could just take several photos and then use the software to stich them all together?

- Collapse -
No and No
Jan 22, 2012 11:28PM PST

The software should ask for the images and will probably need to know if they are left to right or right to left.

The first time, I suggest you keep it simple. 3 photos.

If you just take three photos, the exposure settings may not match.
If that happens you will be able to see where the images are stitched together.

Use the panoramic assistant.
It should lock the exposure settings, and other key settings, so they do not change from picture to picture.
It may also help with the overlap of images. (My Canon does).

..

- Collapse -
Exposure
Jan 23, 2012 1:35AM PST

I am not certain if the TZ20 locks exposure using panorama assist. I would recommend shooting in manual mode to guarantee exposure settings from shot-to-shot are the same.

- Collapse -
Thanks
Jan 24, 2012 1:55AM PST

<span id="INSERTION_MARKER"> OK, thanks for your help everyone. If the TZ20 doesn't lock key settings when using the panoramic assistant, is it's sole benefit to help with overlap?

- Collapse -
It Does
Jan 24, 2012 5:53AM PST

According to the TZ20 manual, "The focus, zoom, Exposure Compensation, White Balance, shutter speed,and ISO Sensitivity are all fixed at the setting for the first picture."

- Collapse -
I feel really stupid!
Jan 24, 2012 6:37AM PST

Thanks for your help! I have the manual and have poured over it trying to figure things out - but it doesn't make much sense to me! So when it says (of the settings) that 'are all fixed at the setting for the first picture' does that mean they will stay fixed while I am using the assistant during that particular panoramic 'session'?