Author Topic: Have you been out with your camera today? (Read 252461 times)

David, I presume this is the "take loads of pictures from every angle, stuff 'em into some software and get a 3D image", scenario?

I do actually need to achieve this, so what do I need, apart from a decent camera, which i already have? The objects I want to create a 3D image of are quite large... The smallest is a railway locomotive lamp, and the largest is a 64ft long Beyer-Garratt locomotive! Getting hold of an appropriate 3D scanner to take out to Sierra Leone seems to be impossible, so matbe taking zillions of pics out there, and then sorting it back in the UK may be the answer.

David Martin · « **Reply #1457 on:** 10 September, 2016, 08:44:17 pm »

I have an educational license for AutoCad 123D. You will need to take loads of photos. For a simple 6ft sculpture I took 180 pics. You do need every angle so a monopod or painters pole, and a camera capable of interval shooting, is a good plan. I went back tonight and reshot to fill in some of the gaps. Shoot all the way through, inside and out and it should do a reasonable job. It will also alow the generation of a model that can be 3D printed.

I'm not sure what other software is available. I know there are some specialist packages for reconstruction from scans.

Edit: http://wedidstuff.heavyimage.com/index.php/2013/07/12/open-source-photogrammetry-workflow/ may be of interest. I have not used it so cannot speak for it. The main point is to get as many pics as you can to cover all angles.

Wombat · « **Reply #1458 on:** 11 September, 2016, 09:05:46 am »

I've managed to find 123D catch which is supposed to be free for personal use, but on the Autodesk website, the PC download link leads instead to Autodesk Remake, which is moderately expensive, and I have no idea why it uses cloud processing, which surely must waste loads of time uploading my pictures and then re-downloading the result. I was was surprised to see the words "Autodesk" and "free useful software" in the same sentence, having long ago formed the opinion that generosity and charity were not words in their vocabulary (things like cancelling my student license of AutoCAD the day my approved college course ended).

I was sort of vaguely aware that such things existed, and I've found an independent link to the 123D catch software, which i will ensure is thoroughly virus checked before I risk running it. This or other similar software would enable me tp produce stuff for my railway heritage charitable stuff, for the Sierra Leone museum. It will also help me in my quest to model as much as possible of the SL railway stock as possible. The scale I model in (16mm/foot), you can't hide a lack of detail... its got to be there!

Thanks for the input, you've set me off on a new path, the only downside is that today I'm starting to learn Capture One Pro!

David Martin · « **Reply #1459 on:** 11 September, 2016, 04:39:55 pm »

There is a very good reason for the cloud processing in that the processing takes a long time. I'm playing with visual SFM at the moment and it is taking rather a long time to process. You do need to get all the bits first as the obvious visual SFM download doesn't have the cmvp software with it. I did find a workaround, downloading the windows build from github and putting it in the right folder. It has taken a few hours to run the dense point mapping so far. I've got to get hold of meshbuilder to complete the job.

billplumtree · « **Reply #1460 on:** 11 September, 2016, 08:27:52 pm »

Ventured deep into North Yorkshire, to Muker show in Swaledale. It were grand!

The wonderful road over the moor from Nateby,

Sheepfold, Birkdale I

Muker Silver Band in their pomp,

Bass player, Muker Silver Band I

the views from the showfield,

Kisdon from the show field

and, obvs, the sheep,

Tatted shepherd

David Martin · « **Reply #1461 on:** 11 September, 2016, 10:35:51 pm »

Any county with a village called Fryup has to be a good one..

LEE · « **Reply #1462 on:** 11 September, 2016, 11:40:09 pm »

Went to Corfe Castle and Stourhead Gardens today in our new Motorhome....

Jaded · « **Reply #1463 on:** 12 September, 2016, 12:06:59 am »

Moar clicket

Wombat · « **Reply #1464 on:** 12 September, 2016, 08:45:52 am »

Quote from: David Martin on 11 September, 2016, 04:39:55 pm

There is a very good reason for the cloud processing in that the processing takes a long time. I'm playing with visual SFM at the moment and it is taking rather a long time to process. You do need to get all the bits first as the obvious visual SFM download doesn't have the cmvp software with it. I did find a workaround, downloading the windows build from github and putting it in the right folder. It has taken a few hours to run the dense point mapping so far. I've got to get hold of meshbuilder to complete the job.

Yes, indeed! A few minutes further exploration made me realise just how much processing is required, my PC just ain't man enough! (It's got an I& 4770K, 32Gb of fast RAM, and SSD's, but that's not enough....)

I'm still a bit stuck as to how to proceed. My first and immediate need may be answered by improving my ability to draw in 3D CAD, but further things, its either a really serious 3D scanner, or the photos and process them approach you are doing. I can't imagine anyone hiring me a £30k 3D scanner to take to Sierra Leone! All this fiddling around meant I didn't take a single photo yesterday!

David Martin · « **Reply #1465 on:** 12 September, 2016, 03:33:40 pm »

I've had my laptop running for a day and it isn't complete, that is the processing from sparse cloud to dense point cloud. A hefty nVidia graphics card with CUDA support is the way to go for a fast GPU approach.
Maxed out on memory and disk IO but the processor is not heavily taxed. And that is just 180 pics.

Maybe you have to accept that the postprocessing will take A. Very. Long. Time and just gather the photos then leave the machine going for a week or so. Or find a friendly university with a compute cluster.

LEE · « **Reply #1466 on:** 12 September, 2016, 03:41:48 pm »

Wombat · « **Reply #1467 on:** 12 September, 2016, 09:28:17 pm »

Quote from: David Martin on 12 September, 2016, 03:33:40 pm

I've had my laptop running for a day and it isn't complete, that is the processing from sparse cloud to dense point cloud. A hefty nVidia graphics card with CUDA support is the way to go for a fast GPU approach.
Maxed out on memory and disk IO but the processor is not heavily taxed. And that is just 180 pics.

Maybe you have to accept that the postprocessing will take A. Very. Long. Time and just gather the photos then leave the machine going for a week or so. Or find a friendly university with a compute cluster.

I'll start looking for a graphics card (if a silent one is possible I'd prefer that) , but sadly the team going out to SL in a month is composed solely of folk who are congenitally unable to point a camera in the right direction, so no good telling them how to photograph the first object! I think I'm going to have to go out again, next year... In the meantime I'll try it out on a test object and see how I get on. It will be months before I get very far.

Tomorrow morning, I've promised myself I'm going to have a photographic wander with a couple of Zeiss prime lenses and my A7rii. All I need to remember now is to get up nice and early and hope the light is kind.

David Martin · « **Reply #1468 on:** 12 September, 2016, 10:05:03 pm »

It is taking a very long time. Block 3 of 5 is still not complete after 24 hours (on a cheap laptop with 8Gb RAM). SSD and big RAM (and a decent GPU) would help.
Must talk to sas otp about image processing on the cluster at work.

David Martin · « **Reply #1469 on:** 14 September, 2016, 07:12:12 am »

FInally finished desnse reconstruction. 3600 minutes of processing. Shiny things do not reconstruct as densely as coarse textures.

Wombat · « **Reply #1470 on:** 15 September, 2016, 02:06:22 pm »

Mine 'll be fun, then. A mixture of lumpy metal bits, some of which are shiny, and some of which are grotty and manky. I was thinking of spraying the shinier bits with a matt spray. Looks like the A7rii and some Zeiss-ness will be going to Sierra Leone next year, then! I'll make sure I get plenty of practice before I put it into action, though.

LEE · « **Reply #1471 on:** 17 September, 2016, 06:58:48 pm »

JohnP · « **Reply #1472 on:** 17 September, 2016, 08:44:03 pm »

Nothing special photographically but we seem to have gained a 8 week(ish) baby squirrel in our garden. Not seen parents for a few days.

2016-09-17_02-31-32 by John Ponting, on Flickr

Wombat · « **Reply #1473 on:** 18 September, 2016, 10:59:15 am »

S'not a squiggle. 'tis an American tree rat.

David Martin · « **Reply #1474 on:** 21 September, 2016, 10:04:44 pm »

A Dreich night, but some folks have lit up Dundee Law in honour of Refugees and the victims of war on the world day of peace

Lighting up the Law by David Martin, on Flickr