What is a Side by Side High Resolution Photo Rig?

The side by side high resolution photo rig is a dual camera build intended to create images with a wider, horizontal resolution than any camera is currently capable of producing. The vertical resolution will remain the same. This setup could be used for video or still images that will be delivered to a large format screen; however, to capture the highest resolution possible, you would be limited to shooting still images. For example, one of our renters needed to delivery a time-lapse video to a screen with a 16K horizontal resolution. There are no cameras currently on the market that can produce an image with a 16K horizontal resolution. Fortunately, there are cameras that can produce 8K RAW still images. If you combine two of these cameras in our side by side high resolution photo rig, and then combine the captured images in post-production, then you can create a 16K image. 

What equipment is needed?

Our side by side high resolution photo rig includes two Canon EOS 5DSR DSLR Cameras. These cameras include a 53.3 megapixel sensor capable of producing 8K RAW still images. These cameras also include a built in intervalometer for time-lapses, so you do not need additional equipment to produce a time-lapse. The setup also includes two Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II Prime Lenses. When choosing lenses for this rig, it is important to keep in mind that your Field of View in each camera needs to be the same. If one lens is wider than the other, then the images will not match when you combine them in post. An object in one image will appear farther away than the same object in the other image, and the effect will be ruined. It is easier to select a prime lens because it has a single focal length. You can use a zoom lens, but it may prove difficult to match the focal length on both lenses depending upon how you frame your shots. Your exposure settings in each camera and lens setup needs to be the same. If your aperture is wide open in one lens, then it will need to be wide open in the other.

This camera build also includes two Redrock Micro DSLR Baseplate and two LW 15mm 24” Steel Rods. The rods are mounted to a deconstructed Redrock Quick Release System. For this build, we have removed the quick release plate, the quick release adapter, and the riser. We are only using the baseplate and the attached 15mm Rod Clamp. We are mounting this rig to a Sachtler V20 S1 Fluid Head, but you can use any tripod and fluid head with a weight capacity of at least 15 pounds. We use Canon LP-E6 Batteries to power each camera, and a Sandisk 64GB Compact Flash Card to record the time-lapse.

How do you build the side by side high resolution photo rig?

We construct the photo rig by following these steps:

• Slide the 24” rods into the rod clamp on the baseplate and secure them.
• Mount the fluid head’s quick release plate to the bottom of the baseplate and then the baseplate to the fluid head.
• Pan the fluid head so the 24” rods are parallel to the subject
• Insert a battery into the camera before mounting the camera to a DSLR baseplate. 
• Mount the DSLR baseplates to the rods.
• Make sure each camera is mounted to the DSLR baseplate so that the bottom of the camera is perpendicular to the longer edge of the baseplate. The camera should be facing the subject.
• When mounting the camera, angle the camera on the baseplate so that is slightly facing away from the other camera. By doing this, we can limit the amount of overlap in the frame of each camera so that you lose as little resolution as possible when you combine them in post.
• Attach the lenses to the cameras.
• Insert the CF Cards into the cameras. Note: One 64GB gives you approximately 980 still images when shooting 8K RAW. Make sure you calculate how long your time-lapse will be, and use the CF card with the appropriate capacity to complete your shoot.
• Slide the position of each camera on the rods and adjust the angles of the cameras, so that the framing of each camera produces as little overlap as possible.
• Set the same exact exposure and time-lapse settings in each camera.

If you need to learn more about using the internal intervalometer in the Canon 5DSR, then check out our Canon DSLR Timelapse Setup & Overview video.

Other High Resolution Cameras

The other cameras in our inventory that can create high resolution still images are the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV EF DSLR Camera and the Sony Alpha a7R IV Camera. Both of these cameras include an internal intervelometer. The Sony Alpha a7R IV is capable of capturing 10K RAW still images; therefore, a setup with a pair of these cameras could produce a 20K image.     

Want to start your own stream? Visit PerfectCircle.Pro or call Magnanimous at 312-465-2366.