[Frogfish]

Another thread just reminded me of this. Anyone know a great (but not expensive) system for creating 360 degree shots for Real Estate websites ? Not video. Thanks !

[hcc]

I am not sure about an interactive 360 degree panoramic. But I believe that Autostitch can do some near-360 degree shot:
AutoStitch

This is a freeware and it is very poweful. Highly recommended and value for money.

[RioRico]

Apple's QUICKTIME does interactive 360 panos, but I've not used it. Here is a pano website [ Panorama Software Panorama Stitcher Panoramic Images. Software VR Photography, QTVR, Quicktime VR ] that might help.

AUTOSTITCH does great panos, but isn't the best for a 360 view. An old tool I use for that is the PHOTOSTITCH program that came with Canon printers. Its 360 mode builds a full-circle image strip with one end copied to the other. Let's say you shot a scene of a mountain sticking above the horizon:

-=-=-M-=-=-=

PHOTOSTICH lets you arrange those frames so the mountain is at one end, then copies it over, giving you a strip like this:

M-=-=-=-=-=-M

The reference point gives the cue that this is a 360 degree view. Unfortunately, PHOTOSTITCH doesn't handle distorted edges nearly as well as does AUTOSTITCH, so such a pano would require a matrix of fairly narrow-FOV images. This might not be the best way to display a property.

AUTOSTITCH and PHOTOSTITCH are the only stichwarez I use so I can't advise on any others, sorry.

[Frogfish]

Thank you HCC & RioRico for your advice. I'm taking a look at those programs now.

[adwb]

highly recommend you try hugin software for your 360.
Hugin - Panorama photo stitcher
in an ideal world you will need a pan head see
panoguide: Panoramic heads
especially if you need accurate high quality 360 interior displays because the edge stitching on near objects is c, unlike landscape pano where your objects are far away.
this forum good for you pano questions and excellent advice from pano takers.
http://www.panoguide.com/forums/qna/
regards

[timh]

This thing isn't especially high quality but it is quick - a company (not real estate though) I was working for trialled an earlier incarnation a few years ago.

There's Spheron which is fairly amazing but that's way beyond ordinary budgets.

[adwb]

if you buy this BugEyeDigital - ONE SHOT Virtual Tours Lens, 360 Virtual Tour Lens, Panorama, Panoramic, Real Estate, Realestate, VirtualTours, Equipment, Hardware, 0-360, No Stitching Required Software
then you can make these
Property Virtual Tours | 360 Virtual Tours of Properties, UK
expensive but worth it to stand out from the crowd
you might also want to read this , as it does make some very sensible observations, re. back ground light and back lit windows in a one shot 360 image.
its all sales hype you have to cut through, best advice to be had on how and what from http://www.panoguide.com/forums/qna/ as previously suggested.

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Last edited by adwb; 01-26-2011 at 04:38 AM. Reason: add to info