[-Adrian]

On the web, I've come across very large images numerous times and wondered if anyone could tell me what hardware these are shot with.

The normal prosumer range seems to be around 20MP, with Hassenblad, i think, offering about 50MP.

Now look at this vertically cropped image here:


From the lens distortion it's clear that this is a single shot. Original res is 6400x19000px (27MB JPEG). Judging from the detail, it's clearly not blown up to that scale. Lacking EXIF data, I tried to contact the author but got no response.

So does anyone here have any insight as to how such resolutions can be achieved? Might it be chemical film that gets scanned to digital imagery afterwards? Note that this is business photography, not some Gigapixel experiment. I'm curious.

[simmsimaging]

It is almost certainly stitched together to achieve that res. Using a longer lens, a panoramic tripod head, and good software (like autopano etc.) I don't think you would be able to tell just by looking at it.


b

[deadalvs]

check out:
http://www.xrez.com/

i met that guy (Eric Hanson) a few weeks ago in his office in Santa Monica. he works together with Greg Downing, one of the specialists in the field of panoramic photography.

they use different panobots or panoheads.

[oz42]

of course there's always these guys http://www.gigapxl.org/gallery.htm, shooting at 4000 MegaPixels

[polynurb]

of course there's always these guys http://www.gigapxl.org/gallery.htm, shooting at 4000 MegaPixels

insane alchemy... some of the images are hyperreal, like the mormon temple and the capitol...looks totally rendered.. ähh maxwelled...

[-Adrian]

Thanks for the insightful replies. So i guess it was stitched then, very impressive software if it can do that.

I thought it was one single shot because everything on the top looked distorted, like it came from the very outer edges of the lens. Could be an illusion due to the gigantic ~650m height.

[deadalvs]

maybe it looks a little distorted cos of the thinning out construction. the higher, the thinner the tower ?

also, the missing facade maybe at some points?

well..

stitcher can do such jobs. easily with 200 - 300 pictures.