Panorama Camera Match
Hello,
We use 3Ds max to produce photomontages of proposed plant developments for the energy industry.
We model the development and then try to match it the best we can to a background image. This can be either a single photograph or a stitched panorama photograph. The field of view we have to cover is anything up to 180dgrees.
These images are not for interactive QTVR/ Panotour type output. Our end product is for flat printing for the purposes of public exhibition and environmental impact assessment reports. These photomontages are required to be verifiable and to match the geometry and perspective of the camera used to take the stitched images.
When matching to a wide-angle panoramic stitch we are finding it more difficult as we cannot find a way of getting 3d Max to have a projection output that matches the background image accurately.
Does anyone know of any techniques or Scripts/plugins that would allow 3D max to project/match a model correctly against a panoramic image? Or are there any other programmes that anyone knows can achieve this?
We know it is technically, computing wise, possible as we use a programme called ‘Windfarm’ for wind turbine site assessments. This programme allows you to match model and DTM to up to 180 degree stitched panoramic images. It also takes into account earth curvature and atmospheric refraction. Unfortunately this programme cannot import other custom non wind turbine models.
In some methodologies there is a mention of VRAY using the physical camera set to cylindrical projection. We have down loaded the demo and are finding that the ‘Warped Spherical (Old style)’ projection seems to create a nearly convincing effect.
We are finding however that the overall width of the projection does not quite fit the position of existing objects in the panoramic image. This may be because the GPS data measurements are not accurate enough for the purpose. However we are trying to demo the ‘.lens’ file facility to see if that will help.
Does anyone know if using VRAY is the correct answer to this image matching problem? If so can you offer any advice that should theoretically make VRAY match exactly the geometry and perspective of a wide angle stitched panoramic photo?
Thanks in advance for any help.
Comments
Hey
Can you send me any case sample?
I am always involved in R&D kind of approach towards max & its abilities.
And may be my yesterday's comment might have helped you... If I understood correctly about your concern.
Regards
Visualizer
Hey
Hi
Andrew,
I am in the field of Aerial photography & filming we do this globally.
I also found similar tough thing.... but surprisingly I found that, blender has a fantastic plugin or add-in for this.
I am not diverting you but to share with you. may be that will inspire somebody on here to build something nice for max too!!!
basically there are two places you may find this. Believe me its fantastic.
www.blendernetwork.org
www.ptgui.com
hope that helps
regards
Visualizer
Any news?
Hi Andrew,
I have been wrestling with the same thing for a good while now. I haven't found any way around it other than currently exporting out a 120 panorama as a planar view, taking this into windfarm, aligning the planar photomontage with the terrain + locators then exporting the wireframe/pmontage. I then take the wireframe in to 3dsmax as a background image and use it as a guide to align my scene better before rendering in max and finally into photoshop for montaging.
Have you since found a solution to using cylindrical projection in max?
Cheers,
Jo
Joanna
wow~~high teach
wow~~it's a high tech. i have never seen this before. when i wanna make some pictures, i use photo stitching software(www.arcsoft.com/panorama-maker/) which teaches me how to stitch photos9www.arcsoft.com/panorama-maker/how-to-make-panorama.html) like panorama software. imn my opinion, it's useful because it will stitch by itself, what i need to do is just import and export.
travelling and photography lovers. learning how to stitch photos with photo stitching software， especially 360 panoramas and 3d panoramas! Keep myself happy everyday~~
Update
Hi I know there is another wonderful software named 'hugin' & it is FREEWARE ! I have used it. Its really a cool one. But I guess the concern here is not for stitching the panoramic photos but to set / match camera in 3DS max to those photos. Currently I found sketchup is the perfect tool which sets camera match accurate & also you get the same setup imported in max for further development of the models. Rgerads V
perspective/pano photo modelling technique
Hey
I am working in the field of visualizing the concepts & R&D ideas. I happen to use the technique of converting 3D model from existing 2D set of photographs. I use perspective modelling and matching method.
Few of automation tools are there but frankly speaking nothing is upto the mark.
But I have extensively used 3Ds max to build enough fair & accurate models from photographs by taking available definitions in it.
To your type of work about panoramic, I guess max doesn't have any specific tools set. secondly I guess Max can work better on lens corrected images rather than images with pin-cushion factor present.
I have recently seen Max2014 has something called perspective match... but honestly ... i guess thats a hopeless tools set ... not much good as Autodesk's brand.
Regards
Visualizer
Can you link to any examples
Can you link to any examples of the final product you are hoping to achieve?
I use VRay regularly for work and may be able to help.
Cylindrical Panorama output
We have now started using Vray which has the ability to output upto a full 360 cylindrical panoramic output. 'Warped Spherical old style' in the vray panel under render setup, in the camera section. In 'type' Using overide FOV to what ever you need. We are using a Lieca total station for our surveying and we are finding that we are getting pretty spot on results using Vray. It's just the earth curvature and atmospheric refraction we are still trying to find an answer to.