jimmyd
Posts: 72
Location: United States
Registered: 6 Nov 2004
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To Nadir cap or not to Nadir cap?
Posted: 9 Jul 2008 at 21:26 GMT
updated: 9 Jul 2008 at 21:53 GMT
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Hey guys,
I was wondering to your opinion about the use of a Nadir cap when shooting commercial virtual tours?
My situation is that I focus on real estate and business needs with my virtual tours. The extra work involved in removing the tripod and masking the area is time consuming and in some cases very difficult to do.
In short, my question is...Are groups that use Nadir caps looked badly upon in the industry? In other words, is it a sign of an amateur photographer? Considering my needs don't make the "feet area" of my panos a necessity I was curious to ask what you all thought on the subject.
Additionally, if anyone has advice on an "easy" way to blend the nadir with a hand held shot then I would be all ears. My only options now are converting it to QT cube, etc which I do not have the time or the software know how to do.
BTW, I am using a Sigma 3.5 8mm on NN3 tilted up 5-10 degrees to fill the zenith thus avoiding the need for the vertical shot.
Regards,
James
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Doug Aurand
Posts: 694
Location: Albuquerque, NM, United States
Registered: 2 Jan 2008
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Re: To Nadir cap or not to Nadir cap?
Posted: 9 Jul 2008 at 22:08 GMT
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James
Using Tripod Caps is pretty standard in lower paying Real Estate Virtual Tours.
Even in the higher paying Hotel Tours, a custom tripod cap with the logo & phone number of the hotel is normal.
I've seen VR photographers who charged extra to edit out the tripod because of the extra time & effort
Doug Aurand
Albuquerque, NM
Doug Aurand
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jimmyd
Posts: 72
Location: United States
Registered: 6 Nov 2004
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Re: To Nadir cap or not to Nadir cap?
Posted: 9 Jul 2008 at 22:37 GMT
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Hey Doug,
I was thinking about going with the mirror ball option. It keeps me from having to design logos and blends better with the enviornment. Thoughts?
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Doug Aurand
Posts: 694
Location: Albuquerque, NM, United States
Registered: 2 Jan 2008
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Re: To Nadir cap or not to Nadir cap?
Posted: 9 Jul 2008 at 23:49 GMT
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James
I've seen that done too. Although, depending on the size the virtual image is displayed and how sharp the image is, the person viewing it may not recognize what it is.
The Southwest Multiple Listing Service that serves the Albuquerque area has rules about what type of logos can appear in a virtual tour and allowed the iPIX Ball logo as a tripod cap because there was no way to eliminate it in the iPIX Real Estate Wizard.
Later I started using the iPIX Interactive Studio which would let me put in a custom cap or no cap at all, but just kept using the iPIX Ball logo to keep it simple.
Are you familiar with the National Association of Realtor IDX (Internet Data eXchange) protocols & rules that facilitate the sharing of listings & listing information among Realtor websites?
Doug Aurand
Albuquerque, NM
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jimmyd
Posts: 72
Location: United States
Registered: 6 Nov 2004
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Re: To Nadir cap or not to Nadir cap?
Posted: 10 Jul 2008 at 0:24 GMT
updated: 10 Jul 2008 at 0:25 GMT
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Doug,
The way I understood IDX is that the actual tour has to be "brand free" from realtor info, but it made no stipulation in regards to VT provider info. That being said, going with the mirror ball option avoids any issue that they would have regardless, right?
The panotools tutorial regarding adding the mirror ball seems rather simple. I think you can import the commands into Photoshop and then open the pano, and add.
BTW, will I be able to import the commands using PS Elements 2? And am I adding the cap to a nadir shot OR the finished pano?
Thanks
James
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spyboy
Posts: 239
Location: New Hampton, NH, United States
Registered: 7 Oct 2006
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Re: To Nadir cap or not to Nadir cap?
Posted: 10 Jul 2008 at 0:47 GMT
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What about listing the address of the house that was shot in the nadir cap?
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mskp
Posts: 160
Location:
Registered: 19 Oct 2006
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jimmyd
Posts: 72
Location: United States
Registered: 6 Nov 2004
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Re: To Nadir cap or not to Nadir cap?
Posted: 10 Jul 2008 at 1:06 GMT
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Any way to conduct the mirror ball option without having CS2 or CS3? I can't afford another $500 piece of software.
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spyboy
Posts: 239
Location: New Hampton, NH, United States
Registered: 7 Oct 2006
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Re: To Nadir cap or not to Nadir cap?
Posted: 10 Jul 2008 at 1:41 GMT
updated: 10 Jul 2008 at 1:42 GMT
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pano2vr can make the mirror balls (as well as little planets)
If you're on a PC you can get the free photo editor app "Paint.NET"
www.getpaint.net/
Kirk
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jimmyd
Posts: 72
Location: United States
Registered: 6 Nov 2004
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Re: To Nadir cap or not to Nadir cap?
Posted: 10 Jul 2008 at 2:15 GMT
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Thanks Kirk,
Is there a tutorial on how to use this PaintNet software for capping nadirs, or creating mirror balls?
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Doug Aurand
Posts: 694
Location: Albuquerque, NM, United States
Registered: 2 Jan 2008
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Re: To Nadir cap or not to Nadir cap?
Posted: 10 Jul 2008 at 4:11 GMT
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James
I'm not sure how consistant the IDX rules are, but in Albuquerque, I can't put my name or info on the tour either. I think each MLS can make it own rules.
That's why Picturepath.com makes several variations possible for the tours they host
media.homestore.com/HWGH9DJS.htm
media.homestore.com/idx/HWGH9DJS.htm
media.homestore.com/idx2/HWGH9DJS.htm
The only way I know to add a cap, other than the functions built into iPIX Interactive Studio and Realviz Stitcher Unlimited, is to create cubic faces or a cubic strip and paste the cap in using Photoshop
Doug Aurand
Albuquerque, NM
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gus
Posts: 381
Location: United Kingdom
Registered: 19 Jun 2007
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Re: To Nadir cap or not to Nadir cap?
Posted: 10 Jul 2008 at 12:56 GMT
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Lets face it, aside from everyone on this forum, not a lot of people look down at the ground.
I would go one easier than any of the above and say.....limit the field of view!
This way the visitor can only look down as far as the hole, and not distracted by weird looking mirrorballs, logos etc.
You can always offer to place your clients logo at the bottom for a small fee to make it worth your time.
gus
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Matt Rogers
[360 Precision]
Posts: 209
Location: Oxford UK, United Kingdom
Registered: 16 Jun 2005
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Re: To Nadir cap or not to Nadir cap?
Posted: 10 Jul 2008 at 13:30 GMT
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I completely agree with Gus on this. I think in the 10 years or so I've working with panos I've only seen a handle full of panoramas that really required a nadir.
If you can automate the processing of adding a logo and link to your pano then do it, otherwise just limit the view.
Matt
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mediavets
Posts: 401
Location: Isleham, Cambs., United Kingdom
Registered: 8 Feb 2008
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Re: To Nadir cap or not to Nadir cap?
Posted: 10 Jul 2008 at 13:36 GMT
updated: 10 Jul 2008 at 13:38 GMT
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Doug Aurand said: James
The only way I know to add a cap, other than the functions built into iPIX Interactive Studio and Realviz Stitcher Unlimited, is to create cubic faces or a cubic strip and paste the cap in using Photoshop
Doug Aurand
Albuquerque, NM
I use Photobrush - cheap but fairly competent photo-orientated image editor - from Mediachance.
To produce a 'quick-n-dirty' cap like the one on this pano:
www.panoguide.com/gallery/775/
I simply copy and paste - on top - a copy of the equirectangular, then drag down the top edge until in covers the tripod stuff then merge the two layers.
Saw this idea mentioned on the Web somewhere some time ago. Can be done with most image editors I imagine. You could create a custom cap as a separate image too rather than using a copy of the pano image.
Andrew
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gus
Posts: 381
Location: United Kingdom
Registered: 19 Jun 2007
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Re: To Nadir cap or not to Nadir cap?
Posted: 12 Jul 2008 at 22:29 GMT
updated: 12 Jul 2008 at 22:29 GMT
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Andrew,
No offence - but I would rather not be able to view the nadir than have to stare into a green bizarre-looking mirrorball blob surrounded by a white frame.
It distracts from the otherwise great pano/view.
I think its only one line of code you have to add, which is quicker than creating the nadir cap.
gus
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