Virtual tour of homes

Virtual tour of homes with AutoPano Giga

I wrote a tutorial last summer on how to build QuickTime VR degree photos. Since then, I have improved my method and have invested in a Canon Fisheye 15mm and a Canon 5D Mark II. I also purchased AutoPano Giga software from the French company, Kolor.

With my increased expertise and improved equipment, I will explain the process of building a complete virtual tour in three steps:

Virtual tour of homes: Taking Photos
It’s important to get the best HDR images possible when taking photos for a virtual tour. What’s HDR? In image processing, computer graphics, and photography, high dynamic range imaging (HDRI or just HDR) is a set of techniques that allows a greater dynamic range of luminances between the lightest and darkest areas of an image than standard digital imaging techniques or photographic methods. This wider dynamic range allows HDR images to more accurately represent the wide range of intensity levels found in real scenes, ranging from direct sunlight to faint starlight.

I always try to shoot at 50/100 ISO with the goal to have the lowest ISO possible within the range. My f-stop is f/11 which keeps as much of the image in focus as possible from front to back.

Regarding the size of the photos, I’m still experimenting as I write this tutorial. I currently recommend 20” screen. The original size of RAW photos should be 2574 x 3866 pixels at 300 DPI. I am taking one photo of the Nadir (bottom), one on the top, and six more at 0°.

Virtual tour of homes: Assembling the Photos
Assembling these eight photos with AutoPano Giga. AGP is software dedicated to the creation of panoramas, virtual tours, and gigapixel images. This software stitches images to create professional quality panoramas. It also transforms the assembled images into virtual tours in a Flash format. This format is faster than QuickTime. Want to see how quickly? Watch the time to download my eight videos using QuickTime http://www.thierrydehove.com/category/photography/quicktime-vr-360-degree-photos-examples/ and now go back and compare with the 10 panoramas assembled with AGP http://www.thierrydehove.com/autopano/palazzo.html. You’ll see exactly what I mean!

You will see below the control panel for AGP. The software is fairly simple but also super powerful. To use, grab your eight files, and they will appear on the top left. Note that AGP automatically retrieves from a folder the pictures that form part of a panorama and disregards those images that are not needed. No longer is there any need to scroll through your pictures to prepare a panorama! Make sure AGP will recognize the lens and aperture. If you don’t, click on the “hand” button to force the system, click the green button, and wait…

Your flat panorama will appear on the right. If you have a perfect Nodal Point setting, it’s done. However, my advice is always to double-check the quality of this stitching by clicking on it. It will open a pop-up window. The panel will show you all of the control points, and you can edit them to make sure each image links together. The last part on AGP is to render your flat panorama in JPG or TIFF. The option is yours.

Virtual tour of homes: Build Your Virtual Tour
The last part and the longest is to build your virtual tour with AutoPano Tour. APT is part of AGP. Don’t try to buy just APT. If you do, you will get a new panel almost similar to AGP but without the same purpose.

Now, you’ll need to drag your flat panorama, and it will appear on the top left. You can drag quite a few to create the virtual tour. Select one of your panoramas and click on the second button from the left on the Hotspot Editor panel. It will open this image full screen, and you will discover the secret of this unique software:

• First button is to select
• Second opens to full screen
• Red triangle is to add a polygon
• Red square is to add a rectangle (both the red triangle and square define the spot of your image or video saved in flash (.flv))
• Red point is to add a point – the link between each panorama
• Green left/right arrows moves your photo into your screen

At this point, you’ve placed your images and now need to link them. So, select this point into the top left panel and drag it to the image you want to link. A black string will appear. You can give a name to it at this point and even change the icon to your logo for example.

To place an image or video (must be saved in flash .flv), it’s the same idea. You select your polygon you designed and select your file into the same folder of your virtual tour (see image…). Before you ask AGP to build the complete virtual tour, make sure that you’ve selected the right settings in Project Properties. For example, the navigation buttons on the bottom, auto-rotation, the list of your panoramas. Click on the blue wheels and AGP will ask you to name the file. You will get on your hard drive two new files (.html and .swf) and one folder if you decide to do the same setting that I have shown. The folder is very important because inside, you will get all of the .jpg files of your panoramas, and if you want to retouch the Nadir, that’s exactly where you will find the nadir to adjust. I hope this tutorial helps. These are just the basics of this amazing software, but hopefully, I’ve made it a little clearer. Remember, you have to know that the forum for Kolor is very active, the community is helpful, and for this price, the results you will get will make you want to make virtual tours part of your service offerings. There is a trial “virtual tour of homes” available. So, give it a try and have some fun! …Just one more reason to get it! Go back to top

Virtual tour of homes: Hotspot & Project properties

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