Digital camera technology has made it easy for the average photographer to shoot a panorama. A simple technique involves taking a series of photos that you’ll stitch together afterward using a photo editing program such as Adobe Photoshop, or one of several other software programs designed for photo stitching. (Microsoft’s Image Composite Editor is an excellent option, and it’s available as a free download here.)
Preparing to take photos for panorama takes a little practice to get right, but can be learned fairly quickly. But there are significant disadvantages to taking these photos handheld or even with a tripod – more on that in a second – and that’s why we’re going to cover some pretty sweet technology that makes this technique foolproof and easy. As a bonus, these gadgets all let you get into another genre of photography – time-lapse photography, an area that many photographers find intimidating.
So why can’t you just take panoramas by hand? Well, you can. But here are some of the problems I’ve had over the years – see if these resonate with you. If you’ve tried taking a panorama with a series of shots to stitch together, have you ever come back to your computer, plugged the pictures into Photoshop and found that you somehow didn’t cover a sliver of the shot, and now the whole photo is gone? Or, you didn’t overlap enough, and the computer can’t stitch them? Or you overlapped too much, and photoshop is redlining your computer’s memory trying to put it all together? Or you took too long between shots, something moved, and now some poor fellow in the scene has two heads! And, most challenging of all, it’s really hard to take a 360-degree view and still make sure you covered everything in max detail and resolution.
Time-lapses are really hard to do manually. You can, of course, but it’s likely that your video will be jittery, that the lapses between shots won’t be even, and that you’ll miss shots. If your time-lapse is any significant length, then you’d have the problem of how to deal with bathroom and lunch breaks. You can use an intervalometer, but that won’t help if you want any motion in your final time-lapse. The systems we’ll discuss solve all these problems, and more.
Adorama asked me to look at three very different systems, and the manufacturers were kind enough to lend me some review units. I’ll be up front with you guys – these are some very sophisticated systems, and this article, if it were a full review of all three, would be pages long. Instead, I’m going to focus on four things:
- What are the capabilities of each system for both panoramas and time-lapses?
- What advantage does each system have over the other two?
- What is the main downside of each system compared to the other two?
- Who do I see as the target audience for each system?
Lastly, I’m also going to throw in – no extra charge! – a chart comparing some key features and capabilities of the three systems so you can see which one is most likely to meet your needs.
Before we get to the individual products, here are some common features all three of these systems have. They all have built-in rechargeable batteries, allowing easy use in the field. They all connect to your camera with a remote shutter cable – make sure you have the right one before you head out of the studio. And each of these systems make noise. If you’re going to be using them for video, be aware that you’ll need to record audio separately.
Each manufacturer clearly put a lot of thought into the design and interface of their product, and even though I’ve highlighted the strengths below, each of these systems has capabilities I didn’t get to.
Syrp Genie Mini and Genie
The Lord of the Rings series was filmed in New Zealand, a country known for its breathtakingly beautiful landscapes. Makes sense, then, that our first panorama system comes from the folks at Syrp, based in New Zealand. Their system is modular, and can be as simple as a single Genie Mini, which sort of looks like a hockey puck, mounted on top of your tripod, allowing 360° panoramas or timelapses on a single axis. Here’s how it works: Download the very-well-designed Syrp app (available for iOs and Android), and connect it, via Bluetooth, to the Mini unit. The app will ask you what you want to do. You dial in what you want it to do. It does it. It’s quite intuitive, and Syrp links to their short’n’sweet YouTube tutorials right there from the app.
You can get more sophisticated by adding another Genie Mini and a pan-tilt bracket which will allow you to make motion timelapses in both the vertical and horizontal axes. To go all the way, add the Genie, which is sort of like a mothership, anchoring the rest of the system, and allowing it to do motion control for your timelapses. It can pull your camera up and down a track, while panning and tilting.
Outstanding Advantage
Ease of use. This is the easiest, most intuitive system of the three. The Bluetooth works like it should, the app is designed well, the tutorials make sense. I had the feeling that if I put this system away for a few years, I’d be able to dust it off and get right back to using it, without having the relearn it. It’s that easy.
Downside
This system is a little less sophisticated than the others, because it allows for less flexibility. For example, a single Genie Mini takes photos on one axis, so it can turn in a giant circle and take a panorama as wide as you want. What if you add the second Genie Mini and the pan-tilt bracket? I was expecting to be able to take a panorama in the vertical axis as well – say, three photos tall by six photos wide before stitching them together. Syrp’s software does allow you to do time-lapses in two axes – that’s the whole point of the pan-tilt bracket. But I couldn’t do the panorama – the software doesn’t have the option. The folks at Syrp did tell me that they hope to add this capability to the software at some point, but it’s not there now. So if the system can do what you want it to do – and for most people, it can – it’s really goodand incredibly user-friendly. If you happen to need it to do something that isn’t programmed in, you should look at some of the other options.
Target Audience?
A single Genie Mini costs $249. That’s not a crazy price for a hobbyist, and it is well worth the money for making beautiful panoramas and simple motion time-lapses. If you get two units with the pan-tilt bracket, you’re going to spend $587. Two units don’t add any extra panorama capability, so that’s going to be of interest to someone who wants to make sophisticated time-lapses, but is likely not shooting traditional video. To make even more complex time-lapses, or to shoot smooth motion controlled video, you’ll also need the Genie unit, and something for it to slide along. Syrp sent me this package (there are other options available), which costs $1,694. You can make some highly impressive footage with this, with the caveat that there’s a bit less flexibility relative to other systems.
Clauss RODEON piXplorer
The RODEON piXplorer is a solid powerhouse coming out of Germany, from the folks at Clauss. This is a professional’s tool, weather-sealed and built to last, and it does what it does really well. It is purpose-built specifically for panoramas – any kind you want, up to full 360-degrees. (It also does time-lapses, but unlike the other two units, it doesn’t move up and down a slider.)
This system is essentially a single L-shaped unit that attaches to your tripod. Make sure it’s a solid tripod – the piXplorer weighs a good five pounds, and that’s before you attach your camera and lens. You connect it with your camera using a compatible cable, and the rest is just a matter of making sure everything is adjusted properly and putting in the appropriate commands. Press “OK” – there are ten presets you can save for different conditions – and the piXplorer will start rock’n’rolling through all the shots you need for your final image.
If you’re looking for an updated version, the piXplorer 5oo is ideal for those who are newer to panoramas (and photography), and includes new stitching software.
This video of Adorama’s Daniel Norton doing a short demo with the piXplorer is a great introduction:
Outstanding Advantage
This unit is rock-solid and really portable. It’s one piece, nothing to lose or to roll around in your gear bag. You can take it to a national park, to a desert, or a rainforest. It’s built to last, it specializes in panoramas, and it does them really, really well.
Downside
The piXplorer, like most pro-photography tools, has many options and was not – at least to me – super intuitive to figure out. In such cases, I’m a big believer in watching videos about how to use the item. The people over at Clauss have about six videos up right now explaining how to set up the piXplorer, but they stop short at the point where you’d actually be up to using it! I contacted them, and they told me that they expect to have another seven videos up real soon. (So by the time you read this they might be all good.) The videos that they do have already are extremely clear. (You’ll get used to the accent of the narrator after the second or third video.)
But, not yet having the last set of videos, I went to the manual. English isn’t their first language, but I was able to grasp fairly quickly what they were doing, and it turns out that once you get the hang of it – fifteen minutes tops – the menu system makes a lot of sense. It’s very well thought out, and gets you through the settings you need right away.
Target Audience?
If you’re a professional who is into taking high-resolution panoramas, 360-degree vistas (including immersive virtual environments), this unit is for you. If your panoramas take you off the beaten track, or have you travel a lot, this unit is for you. If you need a simple solution with lots of flexibility, this unit is for you. Its $2,230 price tag puts it squarely in the pro league, and the unit performs at the pro level.
If your main focus is time-lapses, I’d suggest you look at one of the other two systems. You’ll get the ability to move in the 3rd axis, and controls that are better optimized for time-lapse.
Lynx 3 Axis Motorized Slider
The Cinetics Lynx 3 Axis Motorized Slider is easily the most flexible and capable of all the systems here. The Lynx 3 comes as an (almost) complete system, right out of the box. It’s got all the hardware you need to get up and running right away. Don’t let the design fool you – the boxy controller may look clumsy, but it gets top marks as the brains of the operation. Cinetics has some well-made videos and a nicely composed quick-start guide to get you up and running. Once you are up and running, it becomes obvious that this system’s strength is in making time-lapses and video.
The system includes a slider, pan and tilt motors, a controller, and carbon fiber rolls, enabling it to move pretty much anywhere you want.In controlling your shot, the Lynx 3 lets you get granular with the settings — you can program every aspect of the movement and the shooting. For time-lapses, it gives you incredible flexibility and control over your shooting sequence. Programming the controller is pretty straightforward — I needed to watch only one short tutorial to learn how.
Outstanding Advantage
The Cinetics Lynx 3 can make the most incredible time-lapses, with the most flexibility and control of your finished product.
Downside
To fully take advantage of the Lynx 3’s capabilities, you’ll need a total of three controllers and motors. That’s $400 for each additional set. I haven’t used three motors and controllers, but I can tell that it will be more difficult to program than, say, the Syrp Genie system. (To be fair, the Lynx 3 makes up in ability what the Genie gives you in ease-of-use.)
Target Audience?
This system is definitely geared towards the pro who wants to shoot smooth time-lapses with the most possible control over the movement of the camera in all directions. And – even though it’s beyond the scope of this article – Cinetics is also directing this towards anyone who wants to do pro-level smooth and repeatable video panning, sliding, and tilting. How much will it cost you? The unit I reviewed costs $900, and that’s with only one motor and controller. If you want three motors and controllers, get this one for $1,700.
Summary
| System | Manufacturer | Website | Price Range | Strength | Other Notable Features | Target User |
| Genie Mini and Genie | Syrp | https://syrp.co.nz | $249-$1,694 | Ease of Use, Panoramas and Time-Lapses | Camera Motion Control | Serious Amateur, Occasional-User Pro |
| RODEON piXplorer | Clauss | http://pixplorer.net | $2,230 | Panoramas | Weatherproofing, full 360-degree, portability | Panorama Pro |
| Lynx 3 | Cinetics | https://cinetics.com/ | Flexibility and Control, Time-Lapses and Video | Camera Motion Control | Time-Lapse and Video Pro |
All these products are sophisticated, all are capable, and all deserve a place in the market. But each one has its own outstanding feature that points it towards a particular user:
Are you a hobbyist on a budget? A pro who only has to take time-lapses and panoramas every once in a while? Is ease of use important to you? Go for the Syrp Genie and Genie Mini system.
Are you a pro who specializes in panoramas? Do you need to take detailed 360-degree shots? Clauss’s RODEON piXplorer is for you.
Are you taking serious and complex time-lapses and camera motion control video? Are you more worried about getting the shot right, than, than, than… …than anything else? Yeah, the Cinetics Axis360 Pro is what you’re looking for.
And when you do get one of these systems, I’d love if you could comment below with a link to some of the images and video you produced with them!
Happy shooting!
