360 Visual Environments
We provide customized viewers for 360 panoramic images that are cross browser compliant. The viewers use a combination of HTML 5, FLASH and Java Script to make them accessible on non FLASH compliant devices like Apples iPhone and iPad and to not have to rely on Quick Time for proper viewing.
At res3D we take our own 360 HDR (High Dynamic Range) photos for lighting. We use these for our CG lighting in our virtual 3D scenes. Having the ability to provide these photos for our own projects, we started to provide these images and the means to interact with them to our clients.
Unwrapped 360 image equirectangular projection of the spherical image above.
360 Panoramic images are widely used as a property marketing tool. The image is taken with a specialized camera mount with an adjustable nodal point to match camera lens and body. Some mounts are fixed to certain configurations. Other such as the Spheron system is a completely turnkey custom solution. The images are taken in high dynamic range with anywhere from 9 to 24 stops. The images are then saves as either HDR or EXR format. The images can be tonemapped or can be left at a gamma of 1.0 for use as light probes.
Light probes are useful for CG lighting so the cinematographer can match the film footage lighting to the CG digital environment. The use of these image in film production is becoming widespread. Films such as District 9 utilized the technique to assure that the alien model would match the back plate. Anyway this is something that I will talk more about in the blog.
For the purpose there, these images are mostly used for selling locations. The images are spherical so the end user can, with the click of the mouse move the camera in the direction they want to view.
360 image of interior hotel room taken for Alaska Channel at the Hotel Captain Cook