iPhone fisheye: unexpensive spherical panoramas

Home > Technical > iPhone fisheye: unexpensive spherical panoramas

I hope the information of this section will allow you to start creating panoramic images and spherical Quicktime VRs of your own. Or maybe better understand the processes involved. If you want to add or correct something, or just submit a question, use the contact form.

iPhone fisheye: unexpensive spherical panoramas

Written by Eric Rougier

Small iPhone fisheyes are one unexpensive solution (~$20) to make your first spherical panoramas.

It's not the same quality as a DSLR camera with an expensive 35mm fisheye but it's working fine, it's easy and you have always your phone in your pocket. (not a DSLR + fisheye + panohead + tripod + bag)

Panorama 1 : Paris, Eiffel tower, 360x180 made with an iPhone
Paris

Panorama 2 : Night spherical panorama, iPhone also
Paris

Panorama 3 : Very, very closeup panorama, same hardware
Paris

Panorama 4 : Panorama 4 shots with the Pixeet fisheye

iPhone fisheye FE-12

FE-12 fisheye magnetic detachable lens for iPhone and other smartphones or pocket video recorders.
You can find it on Ebay, Amazon, Fnac, etc...

7 photographs + 2 (zenith and nadir). Download the picture set : iphone_fisheye_pict.zip, 14 Mo

I used this simple method to take handheld pictures.
http://fromparis.com/technical/make-a-hand-held-360x180-panorama-in-3-minutes.html

iPhone spherical panorama app

With SimpleCam or AlmostDSLR you can "lock" the exposure, the focus and the white balance for all your images in the panorama.

PTGUI is fine to stitch iPhone fisheye photographs. http://www.ptgui.com

Autopano Eiffel tower

Autopano works (sometimes) also. http://www.kolor.com

Night Panoramas

Single fisheye night shot

iPhone sperical panorama no noise photographs

For night panoramas without noise Average Cam Pro is better than the original Apple camera app. Less sharpen but without noise.

Night spherical panorama made with an iPhone
http://fromparis.com/panoramas_quicktime_vr/iphone_fisheye/

5 photographs + 2 (zenith and nadir)

Very simple configuration. Just the phone and the fisheye.

Closeup panorama still with an iPhone
http://fromparis.com/panoramas_quicktime_vr/iphone_fisheye3/

5 photographs + 2 (zenith and nadir)

Two fisheyes: Pixeet and FE-12

~$65

~$20

With the Pixeet fisheye you can cover the 360° with 4 shots and 5 with the FE-12.

Usable area for panorama


Pixeet (original file 800 Ko)	FE-12 (original file 800 Ko)

100% crop


Pixeet (original file 800 Ko)	FE-12 (original file 800 Ko)

4 photographs + 2 (zenith and nadir)
Paris

Download the picture set : iphone_fisheye_pixeet.zip, 4 Mo

Download the PTGUI test project: pixeet_test.pts (4ko)

4 shots 360x180 panorama test with the Pixeet fisheye
http://fromparis.com/panoramas_quicktime_vr/iphone_fisheye4/

Other ways...

PhotoSynth app

http://itunes.apple.com/fr/app/photosynth/id430065256?mt=8
iPhone app doesn't work with fisheye.

Pixeet app (software + lens)

http://www.pixeet.com
no zenith and nadir
using a Gizmon fisheye ?

Have fun with your iPhone / smartphone !

Deli.cio.us

Digg

Facebook

StumbleUpon

Newsvine

Comments

Add New

Burst - ( 2011-11-16 )

Thanks for sharing Eric. I made my first pano with my iPhone 4s. Easy, very impressive and good quality for a "simple" phone !

Alaan - ( 2011-11-16 )

Unexpensive yes if youalredy have an Apple phone !

anonymous - ( 2011-11-16 )

I'll try soon with my Nokia Lumia. = good camera with a manual mode :-)

Sons - ( 2011-11-17 )

Working with pixeet fisheye ?

Mo - ( 2011-11-18 )

Thanks for sharing

anonymous - ( 2011-11-18 )

And about the iPhone 4"S" quality ?

Clipping - ( 2011-11-18 )

merci eric !

Transmit - ( 2011-11-21 )

Chess pano is a good school !

FishE - ( 2011-11-30 )

thks for shring man

Anonymous - ( 2011-12-09 )

Hi boys, I'm using the Pixeet lens with the iPhone app. It's more easy !

Les51 - Ptgui setting ( 2011-12-11 )

Great job!

i hv downloaded ur Pixeet sample images to try stitch in PTGUI, but it turn out ok but the carpet is distorted, unlike urs above.

May i know what settings u used in for lens type, focal lenght, crop factor pls

Eric Rougier - ( 2011-12-11 )

The nadir shot is handheld. Lens seems to be 11,6mm x1. Type: circular

- Autostitch the first 5 pics (4+zenith) and after drop the nadir in PTGUI.
- Add some control points and set it as a "viewpoint": optimizer -> advanced -> check viewpoint.
- Optimize
- If your version is >9 add a mask on my feet.
And voila ! Easy

You can download the PTGUI project here:
fromparis.com/panoramas_quicktime_vr/iphone_fisheye4/pixeet_test.pts

If PTGUI it's too boring 4 U, just drop the first 5 pics (4+zenith) in AutoPano ;-)

Al - ( 2011-12-11 )

' make my day. thks

Anonymous - ( 2011-12-11 )

AutoPanoooooooo
+1

Lester - ( 2011-12-21 )

Thanks Eric for the wonderful sharing, how about the PTGUI settings for the FE-12 lens?

All Panoramas

All Paris 360° panoramas in only one page >here<

Change panorama with the menu on the top of the page
Paris

Navigate with your mouse
Paris

Switch to fullscreen
Paris

Zoom +/- with Shift/Ctrl

Quick Panorama List

Choose a place to jump.

Quick photo search

Choose a keyword.

Mailing list

Last seen pictures

Along the Seine river - a BW (black and white) portfolio

Virtual tour map

Paris live webcam

Just to be curious...

What is your favorite place or monument ?

	The Eiffel tower
	Notre Dame
	Arc de Triomphe
	Champs Elysées
	Place Vendome
	Louvre museum
	La Concorde
	Orsay museum
	...an other one

Ecards

Choose your images of Paris in the Image Bank and...

Send your ecards !

Books

Eiffel tower virtual tour and 360° panoramas

Free Paris screensavers, Mac and Windows

Notre Dame virtual tour and 360° panoramas

About | Faq | Copyrights and uses | Privacy | Contact me

All photographs are copyright "Eric Rougier / FromParis.com". Please, do not to use without written authorization.
The pyramid of the Louvre museum: Leoh Ming Pei, architect. "La Geode": Adrien Fainsilber, architect.
The "Grande Arche": Otto van Spreckelsen, architect. Bibliotheque Nationale de France: Dominique Perrault, architect.
Lighting of the Eiffel Tower is copyright "Societe Nouvelle d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel".
Some history texts are licensed to the public under the Creative License and, or wikipedia sources
Zoomify (tm) is a trademark of Zoomify Inc. QuickTime (tm) and QuicktimeVR (tm) are trademarks of Apple Computer.

iPhone fisheye: unexpensive spherical panoramas

Night Panoramas

Two fisheyes: Pixeet and FE-12

Other ways...

All Panoramas

Quick Panorama List

Quick photo search

Mailing list

Last seen pictures

Virtual tour map

Paris live webcam

Just to be curious...

Most Popular

...and interesting

Ecards

Links

Books