Crap at Modelling? Here's the solution...Maybe

http://www.cre.canon.co.uk/3dsom/overview.htm

Just found it in an old issue of 3D World magazine.
It can supposedly construct AND texture an entire 3D model from about 20 photos taken with a digital camera and a calibration mat (included). There's a demo (save disabled), but I've been up all night so I haven't tried it yet.

For some reason I can't fathom, they'll only send it to UK or Japanese addresses though ???

And it's about £1000.

Well, if we split the price with the community we might get somewhere :)

From what I saw by the way, is that the bottom side of the object (feet, or whatever) may present a problem, since you never get to see that side of the object while rotating.

I didn't get clear if the polygon amount is adjustable?

bye,

John-Robin

I've been looking into this technique with interest for some time now... there's lots of competing programs out there - but this is a new one on me, cheers!

[edit] oh, for god's sake, 1000 pounds?!? bloody hell.

Have a look here , it's a topic about the same thing, and there is a download link to a discontinued application called PhotoModeller Lite, which does the same thing, and is free :)

Oh hey, I've been trying to get hold of photomodeller lite for ages, but as it's discontinued and all...

And the link still works! Excellent! Heh heh heh

I like canon a lot, but after spending a good NZ$8000 on their camera gear in the last few years, I'm not really all that keen to spend another NZ$3000 on some damn photo app. It's too much of a niche market I guess.

Hope there's nothing unpleasant in the Photomodeller Lite licensing agreement - if it works out then this one might be the goer.

Well, it may only be used for hobbyist use, or as a test to see if you want to buy PhotoModeller Pro if you are going to use it commercially :(

Would not a freeware project qualify as hobbyist use?

Canoma is pretty nice and easy to use. Was bought out by another company and rereleased. Can't keep which company was the original so this may be the OLD version?

http://www.metacreations.com/products/canoma/

Ah yes, I just saw that. Well... crap.

Canoma eh? Wonder how much that costs... they are all WAAAAY to pricey for what actually must be a reasonably small and simple app.

Errr... I don't think canoma sounds very good! This from their FAQ:



You absolutely have got to be kidding me. Yeah guys, I'm sure that would make a great tree. Yeah, the texture will make it look realistic. Oh sure.

What I'm looking for is something that can construct the model by triangulating 3d points from 2 or more photos, and then texture them. I know some do this, while with others you have to build the geometry yourself.

As quick and easy to use as possible. And hopefully *not* cost me more than the rest of my bloody development tools put together.

Would probably be easier to learn to model, lol.

Photomodelor lite IS fairly easy to use and I got some nice looking cars out of it a couple of years ago.

I think somebody in the Blitz community did something like photomodelor lite. Have a look at BC. Would have sworn I saw something like that a year or two back...

http://www.blitzcoder.com/cgi-bin/showcase/showcase_showentry.pl?id=norc03172002235215&comments=no

Found it and the download works... Might do what you want Ant.

The thing about Photomodeller that put me off was that you had to do a lot of the work by hand anyway (setting points etc.)

The difference here is that the whole process is MEANT to be automated. Its actually a clever little process (read the manual). It uses the markings on the mat to figure out where the camera is in 3D space, then extrapolates the outline of the object at that point. Then it basically 'slices' away at a solid 'world' until it comes to the finished article. Then it does the textures...err...somehow. Clever :)

And it DOES have polygon reduction built in. You can set a target polycount initially and then optimise it with a slider once it has been built.

The only drawbacks are the twenty photos required, and I can't see it doing large objects (like a person). But for models it seems fine.

This one is nice too:
http://www.d-vw.com/dsculptor/about/about_d_sculptor.htm

DSculptor Version 1.0 Fullversion (and also a Full LiveForms 3.5) was on the CD of the 3D-World Magazine issue #28

Here's an overview on several Image Modellers, but I am afraid they are all commercial:
http://www.bakhter.com/html/3d/image_modelers.html