3d Models and Photogrammetry: low budget setup, object preparation, equipment list + links, tricks

Recently I created a photogrammetry setup to create 3D models from real life model cars and so on. I got it to a point where I can reconstruct very high quality models after many lessons learned. It is very exciting to get such quality 3D models with a low budget and I did a little tutorial with those topics.

+ Model Preparation: what is possible + what not, different photo sprays that helped, object holders, ...
+ Setup and Scanning: using a light tent, camera settings, how to scan, illumination, ...
+ Software: time savers and early indicators for success
+ Equipment list: links and prices for everything used in the process

I am really excited about it. I scanned the toys below and their components and they come out really well. This gives a huge jump start for modelling. Modelling a Quad is really easy now.

Here is the full tutorial:
http://www.bluebudgiestudios.com/3d-models-photogrammetry/

Here some results as exported with only Albedo map:
The tire is really just a 1/2 inch toy car tire, the quad chassis from a 2 inch quad toy. The dragons figure is a 2inch toy. Sketchfab does not embed here to view the models. The website has everything on it and you can check out the models.



I am sure many here know already what it is all about, but maybe there are even some new tricks for them to push their modelling. For all others I hope it helps as it helped me to get excellent 3D models with low effort and low budget.

 

Excellent info, thanks. I think anyone looking to get into photogrammetry would find this very helpful!

 

Definitely going to try this. It looks much easier than learning Blender, and I have a nice Sony A58 camera so this is a good use for it.

 

You're still going to need to learn Blender if you want your objects to be in any way optimised. Take a look at the wireframe for the quad chassis:



Even the wheel could do with a huge deal of retopologising.

 

You might want to add information about processing times.

Last time I tried photogrammetry, processing of photographs took significant amount of time - hours. Also, IIRC agisoft photoscan's basic version lacks some features, for example, measurements and (IIRC) ability to align ground properly.
Professional version of agisoft is $3500.

Also, photogrammetry-reconstructed objects will have lighting "baked" into them, which will require further processing, especially if you want PBR.

 

You could potentially, do tris to quad and apply the decimate modifier on it. But it is not ideal, especially if the mesh needs to be animated in some way.

Yup, thereby rendering this technique pretty much useless except for certain edge cases.

 

its really cool!!
(especially with naked chicks! )

now we can make hatchimal videogames!! woot! .. hyuk hyuk

great tutorial though, it really does have tons of uses, use case varies,
yeah that topology is horrendous!! .. sometimes that wont matter as much though, depends what you wanna do

 

Already one step ahead of you bro, just had to find a photogrametry setup big enough to capture her, and a willing participant.

https://blenderartists.org/forum/sh...o-setup-test&p=2886374&viewfull=1#post2886374

 

3D Flow Zephyr is on sale on Steam right now for anyone wanting to pick up a very capable alternative to Agisoft photoscan for £68.99 gbp ($84.55 usd). I have been trialing it and the results are very similar.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/438450/

 

Hmm... actually since steam does regional prices adjustments, it is interesting.

I'm not sure why it is marked as "Lite" on steam store, though.

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Also, I found this reddit thread with reconstruction samples. Could be interesting:
https://www.reddit.com/r/3DScanning/comments/3vh6vu/comparison_between_reality_capture/

 

Checked out zephyr lite using old photo data. Lite version has 200 photos per project limitations, which sucks.

Next tier version costs few thousands and is not on steam.

Steam sale discount is surely attractive, and I could easily afford it, but I feel like it may end up being another tool that gathers dust in my virtual toolbox, unused.

So, not sure about it.

 

its REALLY just better to take 3 pictures and trace em
.. but you gotta be a little good at 3d modelling .. i guess..

but really retopo those meshes would suuuuuck, particularly if you wanna animate them

.. but i suppose they work for some kinda like showcase , super simple scene or something like that? .. some kinda little VR "experience" scene or whatever,

and sure theres like Simplygon and Blender's decimate.. auto retopos, but theyre obviously not as good as by hand

 

Agreed, people always look for shortcuts but there's a reason why there isn't one really. To scan in one model you have to take hundreds of photos, then you have to manually mask off the areas you don't need on each frame. Then you can't really use the texture maps as they have light baked into them thereby voiding any PBR you may require. Then there's retoping should the mesh require animating to deform nicely. As it stands its just a toy, not suitable for game dev except for maybe static objects that never move or lighting never changes IMO.

 

what about this stuff? .. this was really what i was thinking of ..

i guess its different, but kinda the same... and costs ALOT all those expensive cameras.. wonder how much that costs??
like $50k ?

... hmm 150 expensive cameras ... so like ~90k to ~$300k + ?
http://ir-ltd.net/



http://www.cgmeetup.net/home/making-of-cyberpunk-2077-by-platige-images/

 

Manual retopo tools have come a pretty good ways since sculpting became a viable workflow for high res modeling.
- The poly tools in 3D Max are pretty nice for snapping verts to mesh surfaces and extruding polys.I'm guessing Maya has a similar tool/workflow.
- From what I've seen (no hands on experience) 3DCoat is the tool of choice for modelers that have a high volume of sculpts that need to be retopo'd. From videos the tools seem to be just a step above what all other tools offer.
- Since 2014 Mudbox has come with pretty nice auto-retopo tools that are very workflow friendly for manually setting quads where the artist desires, and lod confirmation to fit the poly count desired. I've yet to use this tool for one of my own models, but all the vids I've watched on it are impressive, and make me think retopoing anything I decide to sculpt won't be too much of a lift between Mudbox and Max.
Mudbox 2014 initial tools