Developer(s) Eos Systems Inc. Operating system | Stable release 2016.2.1 / Dec 9, 2016 Type Photogrammetry | |
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Initial release 1994; 23 years ago (1994) License Proprietary commercial software | ||
PhotoModeler is a software application that performs image-based modeling and close range stereophotogrammetry – producing 3D models and measurements from photography.
Contents
Close Range Photogrammetry (CRP) can mean photographs taken from the ground with a handheld camera, or taken from a UAV/drone at relatively low altitude. PhotoModeler and CRP are used for performing measurement and modeling in agriculture, archaeology, architecture, biology, engineering, film production, forensics, mining, stock pile volumes, etc.. PhotoModeler, first publicly released in 1993, was the first commercial all-digital close-range photogrammetry and image-based-modeling system.
Products
The PhotoModeler product line currently consists of the base PhotoModeler product, the PhotoModeler Scanner product, and the PhotoModeler UAS product.
Features
PhotoModeler creates accurate 3D models (consisting of Points, Lines, Curves, Edges, Cylinders, Surfaces, NURBS, and Shapes), and accurate 3D measurements from photographs taken with most standard cameras (either digital or film). 3D models can be created and exported with photographic textures extracted from the original photographs. Automation is available with coded targets (special 'barcode-like' circular targets placed in the scene before photography).
PhotoModeler Scanner is a super-set of PhotoModeler and includes all its features – it adds SmartMatch (automated feature detection and matching on photos), DSM (dense surface modeling), and capturing geometry over time (4D measurement = 3D + time).
PhotoModeler UAS is a super-set of PhotoModeler Scanner and includes all its features – it adds capabilities aimed at customers using drone or UAV photography.
File formats
PhotoModeler has the ability to read the following image formats: JPEG (.jpg), Tiff (.tif), Windows BMP (.bmp), PC Paintbrush (.pcx), Targa (.tga), Portable Network Graphics (.png), Pict (.pct), Photoshop (.psd), Portable Pixmap (.ppm), Macintosh Paint (.mac), EA Interchange File Format (.iff), CALS Raster (.cal), PhotoCD (.pcd), Silicon Graphics Image (.sgi), Silicon Graphics RGB (.rgb), Jpeg2000 (.jp2/.jpx), MS HDphoto (.hpd/.wdp).
PhotoModeler can import 3D data for comparison, matching, and as control points in the solution. The input file formats accepted are: DXF, Wavefront OBJ, 3D Studio 3DS, and Raw Text files.
PhotoModeler exports 3D data to the following formats (some with mapped photographic textures): 3ds, Rhino 3DM, DXF, Filmbox FBX, IGES, Google Earth, Maya Script, 3D Studio Max Script, Wavefront OBJ, Raw, and VRML.
Applications
Some of the applications of PhotoModeler are:
History
Development was started in 1990 by Alan Walford. The first public release was a beta in October 1993.
Alternatives
The direct alternatives to PhotoModeler are: Pixdim, RhinoPhoto, Australis, and Elcovision.
CRP software for doing automated high-accuracy industrial measurement is GSI’s VStars.
Alternatives that carry out dense automated modeling similar to the PhotoModeler Scanner product are: AdamTech 3DM, Topcon Imagemaster, Autodesk’s 123D Catch, Pix4D, and PhotoScan.
PhotoModeler is now being used more regularly with drone, UAV, and UAS photography (Unmanned aerial vehicle). These vehicles produce photos that are closer to the subject (the ground) than traditional aerial photogrammetry (taken by fixed wing aircraft with high resolution cameras at higher altitude). Software packages suited to this other type of aerial photogrammetry are packages such as SOCET SET, or LPS (Leica Photogrammetry Suite).