How to Shoot Panoramas with Pentax K-1 II & Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM

Why This Camera & Lens Are Great for Panoramas

The Pentax K-1 II and Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM each excel for panoramic work, but a crucial note up front: the RF 15-35mm is not natively compatible with the Pentax K-1 II. The K-1 II is a full-frame DSLR with a long flange distance; the Canon RF lens is designed for Canon’s mirrorless RF mount and requires electronic control for aperture and stabilization. There is no practical adapter that allows full control or even basic infinity focus from RF to a Pentax K-mount DSLR. If you own both, use the RF 15-35 on a Canon RF-mount body, or use an equivalent ultra-wide rectilinear lens (for example, the HD PENTAX-D FA 15-30mm f/2.8 or Irix 15mm f/2.4) on the K-1 II. The techniques, shot counts, and nodal-point principles below apply to any equivalent 15–35mm rectilinear on full-frame, so you can follow this guide with confidence.

Why this pairing (or its practical equivalent) shines for panoramas: the K-1 II’s 36.4MP full-frame sensor (approximately 35.9×24mm, pixel pitch ~4.9 µm) offers excellent dynamic range at base ISO, robust weather sealing, 5-axis in-body stabilization for handheld work, and unique features like Pixel Shift Resolution and Astrotracer. The Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM is a fast, sharp, rectilinear zoom with a broad field of view: at 15mm it delivers an extremely wide angle with well-controlled coma and chromatic aberration for a zoom, and at 35mm it offers crisp detail across the frame. For 360° panoramas, a rectilinear lens requires more shots than a fisheye but produces natural-looking architecture lines and less extreme stretching near the edges—ideal for real estate and cityscapes.

In short: pair the K-1 II with a 15–16mm rectilinear ultra-wide available for Pentax, or use the RF 15-35 on a Canon RF body. Either way, the practical steps, overlaps, and workflows in this guide will help you shoot clean, high-resolution 360 photos with minimal stitching headaches.

Quick Setup Overview

• Camera: Pentax K-1 II — Full-frame 36.4MP, excellent base-ISO dynamic range (~14+ EV), weather-sealed, sensor-shift IBIS (turn it off on a tripod).
• Lens: Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM — Rectilinear wide zoom; very sharp center, strong at f/5.6–f/8; some barrel distortion and vignetting at 15mm (easily corrected in software); low CA for a UWA zoom. Note: not mount-compatible with K-1 II—use an equivalent Pentax-mount ultra-wide for the K-1 II.
• Estimated shots & overlap (full-frame, rectilinear, ~30% overlap):
  • At 15mm: 3 rows × 8 around (+ zenith + nadir) ≈ 26 images for a full 360×180.
  • At 24mm: 4 rows × 10 around (+ zenith + nadir) ≈ 42 images.
  • At 35mm: 5 rows × 12 around (+ zenith + nadir) ≈ 62 images.

  For simple cylindrical panoramas (not full 360×180), a single row at 15–20mm often suffices (6–10 frames).

• Difficulty: Intermediate. With a calibrated panoramic head, the process becomes reliable and repeatable.

Planning & On-Site Preparation

Evaluate Shooting Environment

Assess the light and movement in your scene. In interiors, note windows, mixed lighting, glossy floors, mirrors, and glass—these can create exposure extremes and stitching artifacts. In exteriors, beware of sun flare at ultra-wide angles and fast-moving elements (people, traffic, foliage in wind). If you must shoot through glass, get as close as possible (1–3 cm), shade the lens to avoid reflections, and shoot perpendicular to the surface to minimize ghosting.

Match Gear to Scene Goals

The K-1 II’s strong dynamic range and clean low-ISO performance are great for HDR panoramas in high-contrast scenes (interiors with bright windows, sunsets). Indoors, stick to ISO 100–400 for best detail; outdoors, ISO 100–200 is ideal. The RF 15-35 (or equivalent 15–16mm on Pentax) gives you a wide field of view with straight lines—superb for architecture—at the cost of more frames vs a fisheye. If speed matters (events, wind), consider bumping ISO to 400–800 and shooting a slightly smaller multi-row set at faster shutter speeds.

Pre-shoot Checklist

• Charge batteries and bring spares; format large, fast cards (UHS-I/II).
• Clean lens front/rear elements and the sensor; dust and smudges stand out in skies and walls.
• Level the tripod; verify panoramic head calibration (nodal point) for the chosen focal length.
• Safety first: weigh down tripod in wind, tether on rooftops, verify car mounts and poles are secure.
• Backup workflow: capture a complete extra pass around if time permits; it rescues misfires or accidental blur.

Essential Gear & Setup

Core Gear

• Panoramic head: This lets you rotate the camera around the lens’s entrance pupil (nodal point) to eliminate parallax, which is vital for stitching cleanly when near objects overlap distant backgrounds.
• Stable tripod with leveling base: A leveling base saves time and keeps your rows consistent. A bubble level or electronic level on the K-1 II helps you lock the horizon.
• Remote trigger or app: Use a cable release or app control to avoid shake during long exposures and to maintain a steady rhythm.

Optional Add-ons

• Pole or car mount: Essential for high viewpoints or vehicle-based capture. Always safety-tether gear; high winds and vibration demand slower rotation and robust mounts.
• Lighting aids: Small LED panels or flashes (bounced) help balance interior exposures; avoid direct hotspots that move across frames.
• Weather covers: The K-1 II is weather-sealed; still protect the front element from rain and salt spray, which can degrade contrast.

For a deep dive into panoramic head setup and workflow, see this panoramic head tutorial. Learn panoramic head fundamentals

Step-by-Step Shooting Guide

Standard Static Scenes

1. Level and lock: Level the tripod with a leveling base. Ensure the pano head’s horizontal axis is truly level so each row stays consistent.
2. Nodal alignment: Place the camera so the lens rotates about its entrance pupil. Practical method: set a near object (0.5–1 m) aligned with a distant edge; rotate 20–30° and slide the camera forward/back on the rail until the relative alignment doesn’t shift. Expect the entrance pupil at 15mm to sit near the front group; use this as a starting point and fine-tune.
3. Manual exposure and white balance: Meter a mid-tone and switch to Manual mode. Lock white balance (Daylight/Tungsten/Kelvin) to prevent color shifts across frames. Shoot RAW for maximum latitude.
4. Focus and aperture: Use manual focus at the hyperfocal distance. At 15mm and f/8 on full-frame, the hyperfocal is roughly ~1.0 m; set focus around 1 m and you’ll cover from about 0.5 m to infinity. Aperture sweet spot for sharpness and depth is f/8–f/11.
5. Capture with consistent overlap: At 15mm, shoot 3 rows (e.g., +45°, 0°, −45°) with ~8 photos around per row (every 45°). Add a dedicated zenith and nadir frame for full coverage.
6. Nadir shot: After the main set, tilt down and capture the ground with the tripod moved slightly or shoot a handheld patch. This makes tripod removal easy later.

HDR / High Dynamic Range Interiors

1. Bracket exposures: Typical brackets are −2/0/+2 EV (3 frames) or −3/−1/+1/+3 EV (5 frames) if windows are very bright. Use the K-1 II’s exposure bracketing; keep WB locked and aperture constant.
2. Minimize movement: Turn off ceiling fans; ask people to step out during each row. Shooting bracketed panoramas multiplies your total frames, so a steady rhythm is crucial.
3. Blend strategy: Merge HDR per view in software (PTGui’s HDR mode or Lightroom/Enfuse) before final stitching, or stitch first and blend in a panorama-aware workflow—test which performs better for your scene.

Low-Light / Night Scenes

1. Stability first: Use a solid tripod; disable Pentax SR (IBIS) on the K-1 II when on a tripod to avoid micro-blur.
2. Exposure ranges: Start at f/4–f/5.6, shutter 1–4 s (as needed), ISO 200–800. The K-1 II can stretch to ISO 1600 in a pinch, but for a stitched 360, cleaner low ISO pays off in the sky and shadows.
3. Remote and mirror-up: Use a remote/cable release and mirror lockup or 2 s timer to minimize vibration on the DSLR.

Crowded Events

1. Two passes strategy: First pass captures the layout quickly. Second pass waits for gaps in the crowd at problem frames (doorways, signs) to aid masking later.
2. Faster shutter: Use 1/200 s or faster if people are close to the camera to reduce motion blur. Consider ISO 400–800 and f/5.6–f/8.
3. Masking plan: In post, keep the clean frames from the second pass to replace ghosted areas.

Special Setups (Pole / Car / Drone)

1. Pole capture: Balance the rig’s center of gravity below the pole; tether everything. Rotate slowly between frames to let vibrations settle.
2. Car-mounted: Park safely or use a static location when possible. If shooting while moving, keep shutter high (1/1000 s+) and expect heavy masking work later.
3. Wind management: Reduce sail area (no dangling straps), lower the pole extension, and increase overlap by 5–10% to compensate for minor shifts.

Real-World Case Studies

Indoor Real Estate at 15–16mm

Set f/8, ISO 100, bracket −2/0/+2 EV, and shoot 3 rows × 8 around, plus zenith and nadir. Lock white balance to “Tungsten” or a manual Kelvin that matches the dominant lighting. Keep the camera high enough (1.2–1.5 m) to reduce furniture obstructions.

Outdoor Sunset Cityscape

Expose to protect highlights at base ISO 100–200, f/8–f/11. Consider 0.7–1.0 EV bracketing if needed. Flare control: use your hand or a flag just out of frame to shade the front element; rotate so the sun’s position lands in a single frame you can manage later.

Rooftop or Pole Shooting

Keep the rig compact; use 15–20mm to limit frames and time exposed to wind. Add 5–10% extra overlap for safety. Always tether the gear. In post, expect to fix minor misalignments with control points or local warps.

Recommended Settings & Pro Tips

Exposure & Focus

Critical Tips

• Manual focus at hyperfocal: At 15mm and f/8, ~1 m is a great set-and-forget distance for sharpness from ~0.5 m to infinity.
• Nodal calibration: Mark rail positions for your frequent focal lengths. For a 15mm rectilinear, expect the entrance pupil close to the front element—use that as a start and refine with the near/far alignment test.
• White balance lock: Consistent WB prevents color seams. Use Kelvin if lighting is mixed; 4000–4500 K often balances warm interiors with daylight spill.
• RAW over JPEG: RAW preserves highlight detail and color latitude, critical for HDR and seamless blending.
• Stabilization: On the K-1 II, disable SR (IBIS) on tripod work. If shooting handheld stitches outdoors, IBIS can help at higher shutter speeds, but keep overlap generous (30–40%).
• Lens corrections: For 15–20mm rectilinears, enable distortion and vignetting correction in your RAW converter before stitching if your software doesn’t handle it automatically.

Stitching & Post-Processing

Software Workflow

Import your RAWs, apply basic lens corrections, synchronize white balance and exposure (for non-HDR sets), and export to 16-bit TIFF or stitch directly from RAW if your software supports it. PTGui is a gold-standard for complex multi-row stitches, especially with HDR and viewpoint correction. Hugin is a powerful open-source alternative, and Photoshop/Lightroom can handle simpler single-row panoramas. With rectilinear lenses, aim for 25–30% overlap horizontally and vertically for robust control points. Fisheyes need fewer shots but different projections; rectilinears yield straighter lines and less extreme local stretching at the edges. Why PTGui remains a top choice for panoramic stitching

Cleanup & Enhancement

• Tripod/nadir patching: Use a dedicated nadir shot; patch with cloning/healing or use AI spot-removal tools. Many virtual tour tools allow easy nadir logo patches.
• Color and contrast: Match tone between rows; even tiny exposure shifts can cause visible seams in skies and walls.
• Noise reduction: Apply mild, detail-preserving NR for night sets; stitch first, then denoise the equirectangular to keep detail consistent.
• Leveling: Correct horizon and verticals; set the panorama’s pitch/roll/yaw so the horizon is true and architectural lines are upright.
• Export: Save a 16-bit master TIFF, and export an equirectangular JPEG (6000–16000 px wide, depending on needs) for web/VR. If you’re targeting VR platforms, match their recommended specs. See Oculus guidance for DSLR 360 photos

Video: Setting up a Panoramic Head

Watch a concise demonstration of panoramic head setup, nodal alignment, and capture rhythm. It’s the fastest way to grasp the physical workflow before your first field session.

For a broader background on DSLR/mirrorless panoramic workflows, this overview is solid. Techniques for 360 panoramas

Useful Tools & Resources

Software

• PTGui panorama stitching
• Hugin open source
• Lightroom / Photoshop
• AI tripod removal tools

Hardware

• Panoramic heads (Nodal Ninja, Leofoto)
• Carbon fiber tripods
• Leveling bases
• Wireless remote shutters
• Pole extensions / car mounts

Disclaimer: software/hardware names provided for search reference; check official sites for details.

Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

• Parallax error: Always align the entrance pupil. Re-check after changing focal length.
• Exposure flicker: Use Manual mode, fixed WB, and consistent exposure across frames (or proper HDR bracketing).
• Tripod shadows and nadir mess: Capture a dedicated nadir patch shot and plan your tripod position relative to the lighting.
• Ghosting from moving subjects: Shoot two passes and mask in post; increase shutter speed when possible.
• Night noise and color blotches: Keep ISO moderate (200–800), expose to the right without clipping, and denoise gently after stitching.
• Rushing rotation: Give the tripod a second to settle between frames, especially on poles or in wind.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I shoot handheld panoramas with the Pentax K-1 II?

  Yes for single-row or partial panos, especially outdoors with fast shutter speeds and IBIS on. For full 360×180 multi-row work, a tripod and panoramic head are strongly recommended to avoid parallax and alignment issues.

• Is the Canon RF 15-35mm wide enough for a single-row 360?

  For a full spherical 360×180, a single row at 15mm rectilinear will not cover zenith and nadir; you’ll need multiple rows or extra zenith/nadir frames. For cylindrical panoramas (no ceiling/ground), one row at 15–20mm can work with 6–10 frames around.

• Can I use the RF 15-35mm on the Pentax K-1 II?

  No. The RF lens requires a Canon RF mount and electronic communication. Use an equivalent K-mount ultra-wide (e.g., D FA 15-30/2.8, Irix 15/2.4) on the K-1 II, or mount the RF 15-35 on a Canon RF body instead.

• Do I need HDR for interiors with bright windows?

  Often yes. Bracket −2/0/+2 EV (or 5-shot brackets for extreme contrast). Merge cleanly and keep WB locked to avoid color shifts across the pano.

• What ISO range is safe on the K-1 II in low light?

  ISO 200–800 is a sweet spot for 360 work. You can push to 1600 if shutter time must be shorter, but expect more noise and reduced shadow flexibility in stitching.

• How do I avoid parallax issues with a 15–35mm zoom?

  Calibrate the entrance pupil at the exact focal length you’re using and mark your rail. Even small changes (15 vs 16mm) can shift the nodal point slightly. Re-check after any adjustment.

• What’s the best tripod head for this setup?

  A two-axis panoramic head with fore-aft and lateral sliders (e.g., Nodal Ninja or a modular Leofoto system) is ideal. It must be rigid, repeatable, and have clear degree markings for consistent overlaps.

Safety, Limitations, and Trust Tips

Be honest about the mount limitations: Canon RF lenses do not adapt to Pentax K-1 II in a way that preserves functionality. Use equivalent optics on the K-1 II or use the RF lens on an RF body. On rooftops or poles, tether everything and avoid gusty conditions. In crowds, protect your tripod’s footprint and maintain a safe working perimeter. Back up shoots on-site if possible—dual-card writing or quick laptop ingestion can save a job. Finally, keep a small microfiber cloth handy—one fingerprint on a 15mm front element can ruin contrast across an entire row.

If you’re new to panoramic capture with interchangeable-lens cameras, these two resources give reliable, industry-grade guidance that complements this guide: Setting up a panoramic head (Oculus).