Photosynth
Was both software and a free hosting service at Photosynth.net. When Microsoft declared the it was closing Photosynth.net and advising people to download their work I did not realize that there would be other ways to view the Photosynth images. There was for a while, so I missed a trick there. However, I think with the closure of Silverlight, Photosynth may be no more. A least in that form. There is another Photosynth, but is is not as capable.
I recall going to a statue on the Strand in London, camera to hand.
This was the place. I took 100s of photos. Around the statue at no more than 15o separation. Repeat at different levels. Repeat at different zooms. Change direction and walk around again, repeating all the previous. So whilst the first set were straight on the next were more oblique, say to the left of straight on, still at no more than 15o separation. Repeat again with the oblique, to the right of straight on. All of these could be feed into Photosynth to produce a walk around 3D image.
This is no longer available in Photosynth.
The copy of the old site below has had all the links and images disabled as Photosynth.net, the host, no longer exists.
Photosynth
It is a phenomenal piece of software which had me absolutely amazed when I first used it. It was very easy to use, and just did what it set out to do.
See the Silverlight introduction page for more background information.
It is good for small panoramas such as Vancouver Docks below. It is amazing when you just chuck almost 500 photos at it and it resolves most of them into the view from Vancouver's Lookout Tower. Also below. I think it would have been a full 360degree view if I had done it all at the same time. I had already used some of the images in Part A as a test, so they were not included in the full run. As to be expected, it does take a long time to upload and process so many images, but I think the result is worth it.
The software can be downloaded from the Photosynth web site. You do not need to have Photosynth installed to view either the embedded images or the web site. You do however need to have Silverlight installed.
My Photosynth
My Photosynth projects are below;
They open with the Silverlight 3D view. The button with the two rectangles has alternative views, including a 2D view showing all of the constituent photos. After exploring the different views, you could play the slideshow to be wowed again.
Part of the view of docks and railway from Vancouver Lookout tower. The Lookout tower is on top of the Harbour Centre office building.
Photosynth - Vancouver Docks
View from Vancouver Lookout Tower 2010. Part A of a 360 degree view.
Photosynth - Vancouver Lookout View 360 part A
The Vancouver Lookout is a high level observation tower near Canada Place in downtown Vancouver. The Lookout tower is on top of the Harbour Centre office building. This is the view on a sunny summers day in 2010. This is made up of over 400 photos.
Photosynth - Vancouver Lookout View 360 part B
A day out at the International Festival of the Sea held in Portsmouth in 2005.
Photosynth - International Festival of the Sea, Portsmouth
On the way north on MS Richard With, a Hurtigruten ship. Day 2 includes a visit to Alesund. This is the view from the docks and a quick trip into the town centre.
Alesund, Norway
Birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. Ironbridge was the first arch bridge in the world to be made of cast iron. Construction began in 1779 and the bridge opened on New Year's Day 1781.
Ironbridge
Views from the Shard over London at the end of August 2014.
I went to the Shard for the views, but also with the express intent of creating a 360deg Photosynth panorama. I am pleased with the result. I noticed that if the jump in image magnification is too large the software does not make the connection. I stared with a 300mm lens (450mm in 35mm equivalent) and did a full circuit of the viewing level, the 69th floor. Then I changed lens to a 35mm lens (52mm in 35mm equivalent) for the backdrop. I finished with a 15mm lens (22mm in 35mm equivalent) for the interior. I think if I had also done a complete circuit with a 100mm lens the software would have been more able to do the pattern recognition required to stitch the synth together. Despite some of the close ups not meshing with the background, it was a brilliant day out.
View from the Shard, London 360 and The City of London from the Shard.
Another example of Photosynth as a panorama including the Shard by 'nutterguy'.
From the same set of photos I have created the following panoramas;-
HMS Belfast
Tower Bridge
Direct Links to my Photosynth
Vancouver Docks
Vancouver Lookout View 360 part A
Vancouver Lookout View 360 part B
International Festival of the Sea, Portsmouth
Alesund, Norway
Ironbridge
My favourites at Photosynth.net
Nordlys Vega Norway
Nordlys 23-24 jan 2012
Aurora Borealis
Kilimanjaro Uhuru Peak: 1 Jan 2011
Durbar Square in Kathmandu Nepal
Rooftop view of Kathmandu, Nepal
View from the top of San Jacinto Peak
Cairo hi-res
Seattle from Smith Tower 360
Toronto - CN Tower Panorama
Winter Palace (Hermitage) - Peacock Clock room, Saint Petersburg
Jordan Staircase, Hermitage, St Petersburg
Square in front of Hermitage museum
The House Group - Sequoia National Park
View from Savage Rock, Denali National Park
Caelifera - Grasshopper
Seeing the wood for the trees, New Forest, UK
Stonehenge Avenue
Karzai's Presidential Palace - Our most detailed panorama from Afghanistan - aerial view
City Center of Kabul Afghanistan from Hillside
At the Klauf beach in Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland
Mt. Everest
The SilverTops Everest Trek
Africa, Tunis, El Djem
The Royal Wedding: The Kiss
St. George's Chapel (Outside), Windsor Castle - Windsor, United Kingdom
Burj Khalifa
Best picnic lunch spot ever!
Sagrada Família
Mont Blanc-Tete Rousse 3167m