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Five popular methods for producing panoramas.

Comparison Sample Images

Fixed film and fixed lens camera that simply crops an image to a long and skinny format. The once was popular 35mm panorama is an example of this type. 6x17 format is the industry standard for commercial panorama work. This is far and away the most popular way to produce a panorama, also the least field of view.
Segmented
A series of images displayed next to one another to show an extended scene. This is the oldest method used to show a wide field of view. Currently it is enjoying a rebirth in popularity by artists who combine stills into complete 360 degree+ field of view images.
Swing Lens
Produced by a cameras that have a lens that swings from side to side while wiping the image on stationary film that is held on a curved plane. These cameras typically take a 140 degree field of view image. The first panoramic camera ever patented was a swinglens. It was a hand cranked model patented in 1843 in Austria
Rotational
These cameras take a 360 degree+ field of view image on film that moves in one direction as the camera turns in the other. The first commercially produced rotational was the circa 1904 Cirkut Camera. They came in several sizes 5, 6, 8, 10, and 16. Many of them are still being used by professionals today. Modern rotational cameras are available too. They are popular with Quicktime VR and Surround Video artist..
Peripheral and Linear Strip
Images of moving objects are wiped on film that is also moving. The film speed must equal the speed of the moving image. The Horse race finish camera is a common use of strip panoramic photography. The speed of the film matches the speed of the image of the horses.
 

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