mercredi 10 janvier 2018

Photography Equipment Used In Virtual 360 Tours

By Mary Sullivan


One of the newest forms of entertainment is online touring. What better way to visit other countries and well known landmarks than through Virtual 360 Tours. Whether previewing for a potential trip or just wanting to experience other cultures, this type of touring can be a fun way to do so. In addition, it is also a good way to take a beautiful vacation without ever leaving home.

In some cases, photographs and videos are free of charge. Whereas, many websites require a paid subscription or membership. In other cases, websites may offer single photographs and videos for a nominal fee. Regardless of cost, most having paid for these video tours have suggested that the experience is well worth the cost. Individuals downloading either photographs or videos need pay close attention to any copyrights in order to prevent copyright infringement which is often a felony.

One of the main companies behind this technology is that of AirPana, a Moscow based professional group of 360 degree photographers. These photographers shoot 360 degree videos, also known as immersive or spherical videos. In the process, the photographers capture the view in every direction at the same time. While AirPana has created a number of videos in this genre, there are also other companies working on the creation and development of more of these type videos.

When it comes to photography, multiple cameras or an omnidirectional camera are often used in the process. After which, the photographs are stored online. Once this is the case, individuals can play back photographs using a viewer which allows the photographs to work as a panorama. An equirectangular projection system is often used in the creation of videos with a stereoscopic or monoscopic camera.

The difference between stereoscopic and monoscopic relates to whether the operator is using a single or a multitude of cameras. Monoscoping refers to one camera while stereoscopic refers to multiple cameras. In most cases, the middle of videos using either of these techniques can often be blurry while the top and bottom are often clear. As with stereo equipment, the sound is also different between the two.

There are currently specialized rigs and cameras which have been created for use with this technology. Equipment used in this manner includes all-in-one virtual reality cameras, Go Pro's and an Odyssey system which provides an array of different size camera equipment. Once other companies discover how to use this and other equipment, AirPana will have far more competition. As such, the cost of memberships and videos will most likely go down in the future.

These videos are generally viewed using personal computers, mobile devices or dedicated head mounted displays such as Virtual Reality headgear. When viewing on smart phones, there are internal sensors like the gyroscope which can be used to pan across images. While virtual reality headgear can be used to view these videos, it should be noted that it is often advised not to use a virtual reality headset for more than 30 to 55 minutes per session.

Websites providing these videos, while few and far between are often well stocked with videos and photographs. When planning on downloading photographs and video from these websites, individuals need to assure there is enough available space on the device in which the material will be stored, or better yet obtain an external mini-drive on which the media can be stored.




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