 |
Idealize Module: The Idealize Module is a new add-on module available for PhotoModeler 6. The Idealize module will take an existing project and use the calibrated camera parameters to produce an idealized camera and images. That is, it will re-map (pixel by pixel) the images removing any lens distortion, non-centered principal point and any non-square pixels. It will then adjust the existing marks to match the undistorted image and then assign an idealized camera to the project. The resulting images and camera positions are suitable for use in most rendering packages which do not handle 'real world' cameras (such as Max, Maya, etc.). The end result is far more accurate matches between imported data and your idealized background plates. |
| |
|
 |
Shapes: Shapes are 3D geometric solid entities such as cubes, pyramids, roofs, and wedges that are easily added to photographs by marking their edges. Shapes are the fastest way to construct non-organic models using a solid geometry approach. These Shapes contain all 3D faces in the model, e.g. when you mark 7 edges of a box, the fully solved box has all six faces solved (even those you cannot see!). Shapes are 'CAD-like' - that is they have perfectly flat faces, perfectly perpendicular edges, etc.). |
| |
|
 |
New Exports: there are two export changes (Google Earth and Maya). The most interesting one for this field is the improved Maya export. The improved Maya export now includes camera data for all the camera stations in your PhotoModeler project along with point, line and curve data. |
| |
|
 |
Imports: in PhotoModeler 5 we had control point import - in PhotoModeler 6 this has been generalized to a whole new feature called 'Imports'. You can still import control point files from surveys, etc. but you can now also import drawings or models created in another program into PhotoModeler. You can use to combine data, to do texturing, or to show a model in context with proper projection. This illustration shows import of a Sears Tower model and texturing in PhotoModeler. You can create a project in PhotoModeler, export for additional work in an external 3d graphics package, and reimport into PhotoModeler for work such as Idealize, projections, and texturing. |
| |
|
 |
New Printing and Output: Now print Photographs with marks, Tables and 3D Views. Views can be printed at different resolutions to an installed Windows printer, to a file or to the Windows clipboard. |
| |
|
 |
Automatic processing: to get 3D data PhotoModeler needs to 'process' the photo markings and references - in PhotoModeler 5 you had to manually choose processing, more over you had to know when it was appropriate to do so for the first time. Now in PhotoModeler 6 processing occurs automatically and in the background! |
| |
|
 |
Camera Database and automatic camera matching: store your calibrated cameras in a central database so you don't have to search for them on disk. Moreover if the images files from your camera contain EXIF data (which most do), when you load these images they will automatically match the camera in the database so no explicit camera loading is required. Makes starting up projects so much faster! |
| |
|
 |
3D View Feedback: three new features in the 3D Viewer assist with determining project quality and for explaining the results to clients. The two features that are useful for demonstration purposes are "Point Rays" and "Station Images". These two features work in concert too. The first shows the light ray from one or more points to all the camera stations where it was marked (great for checking angles) and the second feature replaces the camera station symbol with a geometrically correct image and perspective center. |
| |
|
 |
3D View Point Quality: The third 3D viewer improvement is the display of error ellipsoids. These give the probabilty surface of a point's position and so you can tell very quickly visually which points are most accurate and if there is a direction they are more accurate in. |
| |
|
 |
Improved Referencing: The act of referencing is key in PhotoModeler projects. With referencing you are telling the program what marks (points, edges, cylinders, curves) are the same across photos. We redesigned this mode with the goals of both increased flexibility and improved ease of use. |
| |
|
 |
Texture Masking: Often when creating a textured building you will have some obstruction, such as a tree or a parked vehicle, in one photo but other photographs where that section of the building is clear. Masks tell the texture engine not to use a part of a photo for texturing. |
| |
|
 |
Coded Target Improvements: For those customers with the Coded Target Add-on Module there are two welcome and oft-requested improvements. The first is the direct printing of coded targets to any Windows printer - no more intermediate Postscript file and no more need to buy a Postscript interpreter. The second, is the manual marking of coded targets. Coded targets before were marked by the automatic marking stage only. Now when clean up is being done, an individual target can be identified by simply surrounding it with the sub-pixel marker region. |
| |
|
 |
Revamped Tables: Tables build and sort much more quickly. Tables are now generated on demand and along with user stored table-layouts you can get to your data much more quickly. There are new 2D point mark and line tables. And a few nice new features such as grouping and frozen columns. |
| |
|
 |
Revamped User Interface: There are a number of user interface changes to make the program more consistent and easier to use. Some of these are: window panes, new toolbar look, streamlined photo visibility, new property/add/remove dialogs, status bar info and feedback, pop up status panes, etc. |
