- TECHNIQUES: FIELD OF VIEW -
By looking around a scene, we are able to encompass a broader field of view than may be possible with a given lens. To mimic this behaviour, and to enhance image detail, one could point the camera in several adjacent directions for each exposure. These could then be combined digitally in a way that accounts for lens distortion and perspective— producing a single, seamless image. This is technique is also referred to as photo stitching or a digital panorama.
In the example below, a lens with a relatively narrow field of view (just 17° horizontally, or 80mm on a 35mm camera) was used to create a final image that contains both more detail and a wider field of view than would be possible with a single exposure. As you can see by comparing the upper and lower images, creating a single image from a mosaic of images is more complicated than just aligning these images; this process also has to take into account perspective. Note how the rooftop appears curved in the upper image, whereas in the final print the rooftop is straight.
The final result is a perspective that would have required a lens which horizontally encompasses a 71° field of view. An added bonus is that the final image contains over 6X the detail and better local contrast than what would have been captured with a single photograph, if one also happened to have such a lens.
For more on this topic, please see my tutorial on:
Photo Stitching Digital Panoramas
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