:: 07. Panorama Shots

The Stitch Assist mode is a supplementary feature of Canon digital cameras for shooting panoramas. Set the camera to Stitch Assist mode, select the direction of the image series (left or right, or up or down, depending upon the capabilities of your camera model) and shoot the first frame. Half the captured image will appear in the LCD monitor as a guide for lining up the next frame. You can continue to shoot more images in the series as you like. You can also create a 360¡ panorama if you shoot the separate frames in a complete circle.

The important thing to consider when using this mode is to remember that the focus, exposure and white balance settings are all fixed to the values set for the first frame. To obtain optimal exposure for the entire panorama, first aim the camera at a portion of the scene with average brightness and then push the shutter button halfway to lock the exposure and other settings. Keep the shutter button pressed halfway and aim it at the spot you would like to shoot as the first frame.

You should also try to maintain your position if you are floating off the bottom. Be careful not to rise or sink, which would change the lighting.

Shooting in Stitch Assist Mode	Merging Frames with PhotoStitch
In Stitch Assist mode, select the direction in which you wish the panorama to extend. To increase the height of a panorama, tip the camera on its side to shoot.	A series of frames shot in Stitch Assist mode can be merged into a panorama with the PhotoStitch software supplied with the camera. Most images shot on land can be automatically merged, but the overlapping edges of underwater photos are difficult to detect automatically. It may be necessary to manually indicate the overlapping areas.

This section has been extracted from Canon Japan on how to prepare your digital investment.

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