Barrel Distortion Correction

[Frosty]

Well, I've been challenged with building a very large model of an existing site... a University. My plan is simple, build low-poly models of all 192 buildings and photo-map their fascades. There are a few problems with this technique.

 

1) Avoiding foliage and snow. It is now autumn and a perfect time to collect the required images.

2) Maintain even lighting. Try to shoot all of the images in overcast conditions at the same time of day. All colour corrections should be to the same levels.

3) Correct barrel vaulting and keystoning. Theres the rub!

 

PhotoShop does a very good job at dealing with keystoning, the skew tool can allow you to work wonders here. Howerver, PS(at least v7) cannot adjust the barrel vaulting associated with wide angle lenses. Enter my new favourite tool!

 

http://www.epaperpress.com/ptlens/

This little plugin is amazing at reading the digital camera model info and focal length from file and auto correcting the barrel vaulting. The installation is a bit tricky... so read the PDF.

[Ernest Burden III]

3) Correct barrel vaulting and keystoning. Theres the rub!

 

I use Andromenda's LensDoc, which works well, but isn't free. It does distrotion, perspective and rotation in one pass. Though it will only correct one axis of perspective at a time, requiring two uses if the image is tilted both ways. The important part is that the perspective correction also resizes the image, which the Photoshop perspective tool does not do.

 

I'll have to have a look at the tool you mention. Thanks!

[STRAT]

looking forward to FR2's (for C4D) architectural camera, which will keep all verticals vertical

[bjornkn]

I've been using Lens Corrector Pro (PS plugin) from http://www.richardrosenman.com/

It does all types of corrections, and you can fix barrel on x and y individually, choose the center (very useful on cropped photos), perspective, taper, skew and son on. It costs $30, but I believe he also have a free version.

He also sells a very interesting DOF plugin.

BTW, Photoshop CS2 does have a barrel correction tool too, which works fine for most photos.

[William Alexander]

Frosty,

 

Stumbled across that little gem of a plugin two months ago. However it was to 'straigten up' web based reference images to single image camera match & map. e.g. no camera info, bummer. Piece of paper (used to zero in on a decent correction), ptlens, some manual settings adjustments and an impossible task...done.

 

Would highly suggest just installing and having it there just in case

 

WDA