Nodal Ninja Mini for Smartphones

In the Nodal Ninja blog, I’ll post tips on setting up the NNMini and my workflow using the ProCamera App on the iPhone.

Update 10 Feb 2024:

My latest NNMini/Mobile Phone shoot at one of Australia’s oldest cemeteries https://tonyredhead.squarespace.com/west-terrace-cemetery

Update 21 Nov 2023:

The Nodal Ninja Mini for Smartphone is now available for sale online at Nodal Ninja https://www.nodalninja.com/cat/panoramic-hardware/19/smartphone-panoramic/73

1 November 2023

Nodal Ninja has sent out a limited number of their Nodal Ninja Mini Smartphone kit, and I’ve been testing it with excellent results over the past couple of weeks.

I’ve been testing it with the iPhone 11 Pro using the ProCamera App on a lightweight monopod with a Manfroto tripod base. The image below is a closeup of the iPhone 11 Pro mounted in the Nodal Ninja Mini.

 

Nodal Ninja Mini and the iPhone 11 Pro

The image on the left is the complete rig, including the Smartphone and Camera App. The image on the right shows the individual elements by colour, and there is a legend with information on each component of the rig.

Click to enlarge the image

 
 

Rotator & Adaptor:
Nodal Ninja Mini

Monopod:
Carbon fibre, manufacturer unknown

Smartphone: iPhone 11 Pro

Weights:
Set of three 500 gr (0.5kg) weights

App:
ProCamera

Bluetooth Remote: Richo Theta

Mini Ball Head:
SunwayFoto HB-01

Tripod:
Manfrotto Table Top triod legs

 

Rotator: Nodal Ninja Mini for Smartphones & Phone Holder Adapter https://www.nodalninja.com/cat/panoramic-hardware/19/smartphone-panoramic/73

ProCamera: Mac Only https://apps.apple.com/us/app/procamera-professional-camera/id694647259

Mini Ball Head: SunwayFoto HB-01 https://sunwayfoto.com.au/product/sunwayfoto-hb-01-mini-ballhead/

Weights: Available from Freedom 360 https://freedom360.us/shop/stackable-weights/

Bluetooth Remote: https://pentax.com.au/products/910769/ricoh-tr-1-remote-control-for-theta

Manfrotto Tripod Legs: https://www.manfrotto.com/au-en/table-top-tripod-209/

The “Adelaide Street Art” tour below showcases Smartphone panoramas shot using the rig.

In the Graffiti tour, all images were shot on the iPhone 11 Pro with the ProCamera App in RAW.

Image Stats:

  • Nodal Ninja Mini with iPhone 11 Pro.

  • ProCamera iPhone App

  • Using the 26mm lens, 8 click stops around (45°)

  • Jimmy Hendrix: Three rows -60, 0, + 60, (24 images)

  • All other locations: Three rows -45, 0, + 45, with 2 nadir and 1 zenith shot (27 images)

  • Denoised and color corrected in Lightroom Classic

  • Stitched in PTGui: 19,552 x 9,776px (varies from shot to shot)

  • 8bit Tiff 589.9 Megapixels (varies from shot to shot)

  • Photoshop (nadir patching) using Flexify - Flaming Pear plugin

  • Final corrections Raw Filter

In the second tour all images with the exception of the Projection Booth were shot on the iPhone 11 Pro with the ProCamera App in RAW. The Projection Booth was shot in JPG.

Image Stats:

  • Nodal Ninja Mini with iPhone 11 Pro.

  • Using the 26mm lens, 8 click stops around (45°)

  • Three rows -45, 0, + 45, with 1 nadir and 1 zenith shot with the Rotunda and 2 nadir and 1 zenith shot with the Botanic Trails.

  • Stitched in PTGui: 19,552 x 9,776px

  • 8bit Tiff 589.9 Megapixels

  • Post Processing: Lightroom (exposure), Photoshop (patching) and Topaz AI (Noise removal)