Gigapanorama is a photography with definition higher than 1 GPix = 1.000 MPix, which is up to 1.000 times more than a definition of a common camera. During taking panorama pictures good conditions are necessary: stable weather, clear visibility, no shivering air. Ideal places for this are roofs of high buildings, towers and observation towers or mountain peaks.
In ideal condition I am capable to reach a theoretical definition of 5,4 cm from the distance of 10 km meaning you could read a word of the height of 5,4 cm from 10km distance.
Raná
Peak Rana is located in west part of Central Bohemian Uplands and is of volcanic origin. It is significant for its unique xerophilous flora nowhere else to be found in the Czech Republic. Top is coved only by low vegetation due to common strong wind – these create great conditions for paragliding. I spent 16 hours on Rana and during this time I took 10.000 photos and composed them into 2 panorama photographs.
The first one was took in day and is of definition 1.000.000 x 57.799 pixels. It is composed of 9.360 photos took by supportable robotic head in 4 hours long process. I used 400mm objective with Canon 2x extender. After upgrading my script for processing panoramas I expect the definition about 120 GPix. You can read a sentence "ZÁKAZ VOLNÉHO POHYBU PSŮ" (“no dogs without a leach”) at the airport in village Rana (distance of 1.100 meters) or identify owner of the window with clothesline under it (town Most, distance of 14 kilometers). :-) Unfortunately one wide piece is missing to a complete 360° panorama photography due to presence of curious tourists at the corresponding pictures. To full definition print you would need 70 meters long piece of paper.
The second photography was taken during night by high-aperture 50 mm lens using aperture F/1,6. It is composed of 240 separate photos. Full definition printed panorama would be 2 meters long.
Ulm
Ulm is a city in federal German state Baden-Württemberg. It is known as a birthplace of Albert Einstein and for having the church with the tallest steeple in the world (161 m) from which I took a giant 360° panorama. It is composed of 555 photos and is of definition 80.000 x 40.000 pixels. Interestingly I was able to take needed pictures in less than 15 minutes and without tripod.
Kreuzspitze
Kreuzspitze is one of the tallest mountains in Ötztal thanks to its height 3.455 m. In local context it is one of the peaks easiest to reach although the path there and back takes the whole day. Because of the lack of time I was only able to take 188 photos. Final definition is 108.397 x 10.412 pixels (1.22 GPix).
Sněžka - NW view
View from the highest mountain in the Czech republic. 10 GPix panorama created from 793 photos.