Panning (camera)

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Panning refers to the horizontal movement or rotation of a film or video camera, or the scanning of a subject horizontally on video or a display device.

Movie and television cameras pan by turning horizontally on a vertical axis, but the effect may be enhanced by adding other techniques, such as rails to move the whole camera platform.

In video technology, the use of a camera to scan a subject horizontally is called panning.

On the viewing screen of a display device, for example, a computer monitor, horizontal shifting of the entire displayed image. The panning direction is at a right angle with respect to the scrolling direction.

In photography, the panning technique is used to suggest fast motion, and bring out foreground from background
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In photography, the panning technique is used to suggest fast motion, and bring out foreground from background

The term panning is derived from panorama, a word originally coined in 1787 by Robert Barker for the 18th century version of these applications, a machine that unrolled or unfolded a long horizontal painting to give the impression the scene was passing by. (Barker also invented the cyclorama in which a large painting encircles an audience.)

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