THIS is an amazing panorama of London. Try zooming in to various points on the panorama. The detail is amazing.
An image taken from the top of London's BT Tower has set a new record as the largest panoramic photo ever taken.
The panoramic photo of London comprises of 48,640 individual frames, which were taken on four Canon EOS 7D cameras over three days shortly after the London 2012 Games, and stitched together over several weeks. For any keen shutterbugs, the cameras were fitted with EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM lenses and Extender EF 2x III teleconverters, and mounted on Rodeon VR Head ST robotic panorama heads.
The resulting 320 gigapixel image allows you to merrily trundle your way from bedroom to office windows, and share any particular vistas you like across Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Unlike Google Street View, residents of London's W1T postcode captured by the 360 degree view haven't had their faces blurred, and car number plates are entirely legible. BT claims that were the image to be printed on standard photographic paper, the panorama would measure 98 by 24 metres.
The project was overseen by panoramic photography specialists, 360Cities. Company director Steve Hercher said, "So many unknowns and variables had to be addressed in the planning of this unprecedented shoot, really the first of its kind." The previous largest London panorama, taken from Centrepoint in 2010, was a mere 80 gigapixels. "Software and hardware were pushed to the limits, and rain, wind and other potential stumbling blocks had to be dealt with. Our photography team of Jeffrey Martin, Tom Mills and Holger Schulze did an amazing job and not a single individual frame from the more than 48,000 planned was missed."
Win a trip to the Post Office Tower:
As an added incentive to trundle through the streets of London as the ultimate curtain twitcher, BT has hidden their 1970s mascot Buzby (an orange bird sporting a yellow t-shirt -- Wired.co.uk didn't know who he was either) in three locations around the city. Finding him can win you a prize, which includes a trip up the tower itself. Not for the vertigo sufferers then. Happy snooping.