What Good is a Panoramic Shooting Camera, Really?

Sep 7th, 2010

Do you know that when you try to take a picture of an amorous rhinoceros and he catches you, he will march right over with a contract and a pen and demand a share of the royalties you expect to make on the novelty T-Shirts depicting him and his partner with some caption about gay rhinos and Richter scales or whatever? No lie.

So anyway, I got one of those bad-ass cameras that looks like a point-and-shoot, but it also shoots videos in high definition. Here, let me show you:

Uh……..how does one exactly take a picture of one’s camera….?

Oh – I know!

You know, just a regular looking point-and-shoot camera that I throw in my purse and carry everywhere because life is like a box of chocolates.

But here’s one thing I don’t understand. This camera also does panoramic shots, where you hold down the button and sweep slowly from left to right like in that Taylor Swift commercial and it somehow makes one steady image, but what good are these types of pictures, I ask you? It’s more of a novelty, isn’t it? I mean it’s not like I can post them here on my blog. Look, I’ll show you. Here’s a picture of Times Square in New York I took last month.

And here’s a picture of San Francisco as seen from the tower elevator at the St. Francis hotel in Union Square.

The pictures are so freaking wide that you can’t show them effectively in a blog post. Granted, you can click on either picture to get an screen-sized enlarged view to see part of the awesomeness (and click on the enlarged picture to enlarge it further), but who’s going to do that? (By the way, you can right-click on a pic and select “Open Link in New Tab” to keep this page open, in case you didn’t already know. Not that you care, really, because you don’t want to take the time to have to click on something else, you just want me to say what I have to say so that you can get on with your life and I feel you, but let me finish, ‘kay?)

Also, my Kindle subscribers (of which I have a ridiculous number) can’t really see them although I think they can click on the picture and it will bring up an enlarged version, but it’s not the fastest thing and the Kindle is in black and white anyway – not that there’s anything wrong with that I mean I have a Kindle and I love it – so do they really want to waste their time, who knows?

But my question is, what’s the point of using the panoramic feature? Oh sure, I could print it out into a really big poster-sized monstrosity and hang it on the wall, only I can’t hang anything on my wall because I’m renting right now and that’s one of the rules.

I can’t have pets either.

Posted in: humor.
Tagged: cameras · panoramic · sony cyber-shot · taylor swift

http://www.blissfulbabble.com Blissfulbabble

Nice hat! Its really just a way to make you ask questions. and your landlord is a asshat.
http://mommamiameaculpa.com meleahrebeccah

I always click to enlarge photos on blogs, and I think these are fantastic!
http://twitter.com/roses2rainbows Linda R.

Hey Margaret, I click the pics too. I love those sweeping city views. My camera doesn’t do panoramic shots, but I did attend a computer group meeting with hubby a couple weeks ago, where the guy talked about and demonstrated doing panoramic pics with a regular camera using some on-line software at clevr.com. This software stitches several pictures together to form one. He also said they are easy to embed into blogs and Facebook. You may still have the click to enlarge issue. I haven’t played with it yet.
http://www.theviewfromthejohnsons.blogspot.com Ali

so a goat for Christmas wouldn’t be a good gift idea for you… GREAT! back to the drawing board. (does anyone know how to return a goat?)
http://www.PeopleInTheSun.com PeopleInTheSun

You know, I think I have that thing on my camera too. And I probably had it in my old camera, but I never read the instructions. I figured I didn’t need anything other than “Auto” and “Artsy.”
http://feeds2.feedburner.com/cardiogirl/jkaK cardiogirl

I don’t click on pictures very often, but I did check out the Times Square pic and it is awesome in it’s full size.

More importantly, I am truly amazed at the clarity of that shot based on the fact that you had to hold the button and physically slide the camera horizontally. Is it possible to take a blurry panoramic photo?

Just curious.

Oh! Challenge! Show me a blurry panoramic photo — go!
http://feeds2.feedburner.com/cardiogirl/jkaK cardiogirl

I don’t click on pictures very often, but I did check out the Times Square pic and it is awesome in it’s full size.

More importantly, I am truly amazed at the clarity of that shot based on the fact that you had to hold the button and physically slide the camera horizontally. Is it possible to take a blurry panoramic photo?

Just curious.

Oh! Challenge! Show me a blurry panoramic photo — go!
http://www.weworkforcheese.com Nicky

Ok Margaret. I want you to brace yourself for what I’m about to tell you. Sit down. Pour yourself a stiff drink. Take a deep breath. Ready?

Not everyone blogs, therefore some things are not designed with bloggers in mind.

No, really. I’m not joking. Keep breathing. Short, deep breaths. I have a paper bag handy if you need it.
http://wwwsueann.blogspot.com SueAnn

Panoramas are for posters I think! I can’t think of any good purpose for them either!
Though they are fun to do and see! And a great idea to take your camera with you…everywhere! One just never knows!
Hugs
SueAnn
http://www.redheadranting.com/ redheadranting

I don’t know, I remember quite a few people saying something like “who needs a camera on their phone, what a waste of money, give me a phone that makes calls and I’m good” now we have to have cameras on our phones because how else would we casually take pictures of all the people of Walmart? Which is exactly where that wide angle/panoramic view will come in handy, by the way.
http://idothings.info JD at I Do Things

You are so much more considerate of your Kindle subscribers than I am. Of mine, I mean. And by considerate, I mean that you actually acknowledge their existence. Mine are just left in the dust to wonder what that video is, etc.

I love the panoramic shots. I never realized that’s what Taylor Swift was doing in that commercial. I was too distracted by her tiny, tiny eyes.
http://pricillaspeaks.blogspot.com Pricilla

I guess it depends on how many panoramics you need to photograph.
They are illusive creatures.
Not like us goats.
We like to be photographed.
http://www.junkdrawerblog.com JunkDrawer

“…what’s the point of using the panoramic feature?”

Um. Goats on a hillside? Like uh, up there in your header?

Also, what CG said. I would so screw up taking a panoramic picture if it relied on me to hold the camera steady and didn’t make corrections for it.
Nezzy

I think it’s just the coolest thing ever but your right, what can you use ‘em for. Guess this amazin’ bit of technology is just for the fun of it!

Have a blast girl ’cause the pictures ARE amazing!!! )
http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/ Margaret (nannygoats)

I’ve never lived in a place where you couldn’t hang stuff on the walls. Only this place has wall paper. It’s hideous. I should show you guys that some day.

And does this mean you’re a Potter fan?
http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/ Margaret (nannygoats)

Thanks, Meleah! I never know if people normally click on photos. I assume most don’t, unless they actually can’t see the thing in the picture they’re trying to see. Like the Loch Ness monster.
Jennifer

That is really cool. I just got a camera, but it does not do all that fancy stuff. My son loves that ad with Taylor Swift!!!
http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/ Margaret (nannygoats)

I’d never heard of clevr.com (you learn something new every day.)
It’s good to know that some people do actually click on the pics.
http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/ Margaret (nannygoats)

HA! Can’t YOU keep it? I mean, you could hold onto it at least until we find a house, although we like this renting thing. With the exception of the pet thing. And the wall thing.
http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/ Margaret (nannygoats)

Exactly! They call it “point and shoot”, not “point, hold down the button, slowly sweep from left to right, etc.”.
http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/ Margaret (nannygoats)

HA! I should totally try that. What I will tell you and meant to mention in my post was that the shot of San Francisco was taken as the elevator was going DOWN! Also, I lost my patience and didn’t want to write any more and will have to mention at another time what happens when a person moves during the shot. It’s not blurry, but it is interesting.
http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/ Margaret (nannygoats)

WHAAAAA….?????

Oh, dizzy…I don’t feel so good… water please!
http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/ Margaret (nannygoats)

I agree. It’s like panoramas are a novelty or something cool to look at but they aren’t very practical for an everyday type of thing. (Hope you had a faboo weekend!)
http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/ Margaret (nannygoats)

OK, I see your point there. Because you can get a whole scene and just crop it down to the goat walking through the Rubbermaid in Aisle 9.
http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/ Margaret (nannygoats)

I know! That’s why so many of you look right into the camera! It’s what makes you so dang cute!
http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/ Margaret (nannygoats)

Way to pick on a nice girl, Kanye.

OK, but seriously, does she have tiny eyes? Is THAT’s what’s going with her face? I always thought she was squinting or had lots of eyeliner on, or both.

Have you seen the concert she did with Def Leppard? My hubby has the DVD (of course, and has seen it 10 times) so I’ve managed to catch a few bits of it here and there.
http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/ Margaret (nannygoats)

OK, my banner is the shape of a panoramic, but only because it’s cropped, but I do see your point because I could see a Braveheart-like goats on a hillside opportunity where panoramic would come in handy.

I love how you compare the NYC shot to Where’s Waldo! The picture reminded me of a crazy busy NYC scene jigsaw puzzle we did in Hawaii, but I like your comparison.

http://nospacesnospecials.com gitwizard

No caprine life forms were harmed in the cropping of this header…….

http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/ Margaret (nannygoats)

I agree, Nezzy. It’s just a cool thing for us mere amateur bloggers. An artist would of course have it up in some art gallery or something.
http://www.ruththemom.com Ruth

If I’m not mistaken, I think goats qualify as livestock, not pets. Is there anything in your rental contract about livestock?

We rented a place once where we weren’t allowed to hang things on the wall, except we never really got around to reading the contract, so we didn’t find out about that rule until we moved out and our landlord wanted to know what was the deal with all the holes in the wall.
@pammybean

Well, I like those panoramic photos. So there’s your answer: to make Pam happy!
http://mommamiameaculpa.com meleahrebeccah

Yeah, Im sure most people don’t click. But I like to.
This way I know I am getting the ‘Full Effect’ of the photograph!
http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/ Margaret (nannygoats)

Someone above mentioned a website that lets you stitch together photos side by side so you can create a panorama. I mean, if you’re interested in that sort of thing. I would think that mostly, you just want to be able to grab your camera and snap a shot of something. That’s true for me, anyway. Unless, of course, something fabulous happens, like it starts to rain cats and dogs and you want to capture that on video so you can send it in to CNN and become internet famous when they mention your name.
http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/ Margaret (nannygoats)

OK, after I click on the button to submit this comment, I am going to check our contract to see if there are rules against having “livestock” in our condo. And then I’m going to Petco to buy a litterbox.
http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/ Margaret (nannygoats)

Oops – I mean, go to LivestockCo to get a litterbox.
http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/ Margaret (nannygoats)

I knew if I waited long enough someone would have an answer to the eternal question. Thank you! Next, I’ll be panoramering the moon. Would you like that?
Bobbi

Those pictures are fabulous! I think I need one of those cameras.
http://idothings.info JD at I Do Things

OK, now I’m disturbed. I kind of like Def Leppard but I am not so much a fan of Taylor Swift (she of the tiny eyes). DEF LEPPARD WHY???????
Wendy

Your camera “stitches” the frames together far better than our camera with that feature. Our landscape pictures look like they were done in funhouse mirrors!

You can’t hang pictures??? What?! Getcha summa that poster goo, or some removable hooks. Hide that hideous wallpaper! LOL

http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/ Margaret (nannygoats)

Funhouse mirrors – ha!! I cropped off the left edge where some guy moved his head and speaking of carnivals, he turned out looking like a freak because of it. I may just have to post that, as a “what not to do” when taking panoramic photos.

http://wmljshewbridge.blogspot.com/ Lorie Shewbridge

I like your self-portrait… did you know that they printed everything backwards on your camera????
Hey, I clicked on the pictures to see if I could enlarge them before I read you telling me that I could because I wanted to see them clearer. They are gorgeous… you did a nice job!

http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/ Margaret (nannygoats)

What???? That’s it – I’m returning that piece of garbage. I’ll bet the photos are all backwards too!

http://www.thefiftyfactor.com/ Joanna Jenkins

That is a very cool feature but I’d probably only use it on vacations. I’ll have to go look at my camera to see if it can do that too. Thanks for the tip.
jj
And it looks like your header pic was taken with one of those cameras

http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/ Margaret (nannygoats)

Funny you should say that my banner pic looks like a panoramic. I guess it does because of the width to height ratio, but it’s just severely cropped to a short height.

http://www.farvelcargo.blogspot.com Sue

Holy Crap! That San Francisco picture, third building from the left, fifth row of windows and 2 over…………. I think that’s my Uncle Mike!

http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/ Margaret (nannygoats)

OMG, Sue! You kill me! How do you know that’s your Uncle Mike? Is it just because he’s standing naked with the curtains wide open? Everybody does that. Uh,…don’t they?

http://injaynesworld.blogspot.com/ Jayne

Ah-ha! I suspected it was just some completely useless gimmick to get you to pay a zillion dollars more for the camera. Thanks for doing that so I don’t have to.
http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/ Margaret (nannygoats)

It’s true. It’s like registering for a Twitter account and then trying to explain to your grandmother how awesome it is, but she brings the party to a screeching halt when she asks, “Yeah, but what does it DO?”