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Photosynth Opens for User-Created 3D Panoramas
Posted by Kevin Purdy at 12:05 AM on August 22, 2008
Photosynth, a Microsoft Live Labs project previously available as a view-only tech preview, now lets those signed up with Windows Live upload and create their own multi-photo walk-through panoramas. The webapp, which requires an 8MB software installation on the user's side, can stitch together dozens or hundreds of photos and then let viewers "walk" through them, altering perspective and creating entirely new views from the details of all those shots. That means you not only can show off your new workshop shed in your backyard garden, you can let viewers actually step into it and look around. Pretty cool stuff, although those uploads, and the software itself, can take up a bit of bandwidth and memory. Photosynth requires a free download and a Windows Live ID to use.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
VesaM
Posted 12:42 AM 22/8/08
Yes, this would require "Windows only" tag (as it can't even be run with virtually run windows?)
VesaM
natenovs
Posted 12:38 AM 22/8/08
install took less than a minute. the synths were really neat. i wonder what it takes to make your own synth. maybe that feature will be added into windows live photogallery
natenovs
caveman1428
Posted 12:33 AM 22/8/08
Might be cool if you didnt have to install to look at what others have made. Not sure i would take the time to do something myself but it would be neat to test drive it and check other posts out.
Mac at home and windows at work...guess im screwed.
caveman1428
StevieQ
Posted 12:21 AM 22/8/08
"Photosynth requires a free download and a Windows Live ID to use."
Oh, and Windows itself.
StevieQ
jrobie
Posted 12:57 AM 22/8/08
I haven't tried one since the demos, but the possibilities for this are pretty stunning.
jrobie
mcv2
Posted 12:57 AM 22/8/08
According to the site, you can run Photosynth on a Mac but only using Boot Camp, not Parallels or other VMware.
mcv2
MePerson
Posted 12:52 AM 22/8/08
Cool. :P
MePerson
suburbancowboy
Posted 1:25 AM 22/8/08
PhotoSynth and Seadragon are both pretty bad ass.
suburbancowboy
deanes
Posted 2:09 AM 22/8/08
I am creating a synth of 45 pictures right now, but getting a message that there is a lot of "synthing going on" right now and to try uploading my pictures later.
I will let you know how it turns out.
It may be great for my real estate business if it didn't require a download and installation just to view. Maybe someone can figure a way to convert the output to a flash file?
deanes
luckyxero
Posted 2:56 AM 22/8/08
All this synthing crashed the system.
luckyxero
naveed
Posted 2:54 AM 22/8/08
site's down
naveed
The Retroist
Posted 4:08 AM 22/8/08
Site keeps crashing but it is worth it if you can get through.
The Retroist
neal whitehouse piper | whiper
Posted 4:27 AM 22/8/08
i posted a short blog about this @whiper.com before the last lifehacker posting on this, it looked like it could be a real timewaster, in a good sense back then. I will have to take another look when the site is back up and running. It used to have a video demo to explain it a little more.
neal whitehouse piper | whiper
cryptomega
Posted 5:42 AM 22/8/08
Wow I cannot believe this is available to the public now! Site is still down, but I'll be trying this out soon. It would be nice to create a video file out of a sync, so you can share it without the plugin. Maybe in a future version.
cryptomega
Slugicide
Posted 6:20 AM 22/8/08
Windows only software is the modern version of the beta. I'd bet if they took the $450 million they spend per year on ads and spent it on cross-platform compatibility they'd everyone's darling again instead of everyone's devil.
Slugicide
da5id_nz
Posted 8:28 AM 22/8/08
I'm looking at this panorama of the shed and it's not the nicest panorama I've ever moved around. The Apple ones seem nicer.
da5id_nz
mados123
Posted 2:13 PM 22/8/08
As a note:
"This first version of Photosynth has some limitations that you need to be aware of: .............
2) All synths are public. Your photos will be visible to everyone on the Internet........"
Yes, this would be very good for Real Estate applications but not if it broadcasted out to everyone. I wonder if they will come out with a non-web based application.
mados123
liquidglass
Posted 5:13 PM 22/8/08
@Slugicide: Oh you mean like apple? lol nevermind, no one wants anything cross platform from them.
liquidglass
neal whitehouse piper | whiper
Posted 4:59 AM 24/8/08
(old) video explaining how it works... [research.microsoft.com]
neal whitehouse piper | whiper
briguy73
Posted 7:59 AM 22/8/08
As huge as Microsoft is, you'd think they would have been able to have their site ready for the wave of new users trying it out!!! I've been trying to get to it since this post was released this morning!!!
briguy73
Torley
Posted 4:46 AM 28/8/08
Intriguing to see the Second Life virtual world submissions that've appeared so far - I'm going to contribute some of my own. It may be a more accessible way to get a look into SL if you're not already a member, so you can gain a better appreciation for the 3D imagery within.
Torley