Kaiden QuickPan IV

Pano Head

For those of you unfamiliar with panoramic photography, a 360º panorama is created with an accumulation of photos shot while the camera is vertical and pans a full 360º. The photos are then stitched together using computer software and thus creating a large panorama.  In order for your photos to line up and meet accurately you will need a pano head for your tripod. A pano head simply allows you to be quick and accurate while shooting a panorama.  It allows you to connect the camera vertically, shoot with precise incrementation and, most importantly, it allows you to access the nodal point (sometimes called the optical center or entrance pupil of your lens). 

Most panoramic tripod heads are constructed of metal, are quite heavy and can be very expensive due to the complexity of their designs.  Therefore depending on the size of your wallet, we have provided some recommended name brands below:

Panosaurus
Kaidan Kiwi
Manfrotto

"I use a Kaidan QTVR head (pano head) on the tripod and shoot 16 frames per spin at 22.5 degree increments. It places the nodal point of the lens over the pivot point of the tripod, resulting in a distortion free spin. The Kaidan head makes shooting the spins foolproof and I would highly recommend its use."                                     
                                                         ----Stephan Ingham

* Keep in mind the weight of your camera. The cheaper the pano head, the more likely it won't support larger SLR cameras.