Agisoft PhotoScan

Agisoft PhotoScan gives you the possibility of creating 3D images using digital photos, just like in the movies. It takes several pictures of the same object or scene and it creates a 3D image, through photogrammetric processing. Despite its advanced functionality, setting everything up and starting the process is quite easy. Also, the software lets you preview and tweak your 3D images, without too much effort.

The program is free to try for a limited period of time, without any functionality restrictions. It takes about a minute to install it on your computer. Also, there are no special tools or services you need to install and you don't have to sacrifice too much memory or processing power.

The user interface has a fairly simple design, but you will still need a minute or two to identify the most important controls. The process of building a 3D image is pretty straightforward. If you have multiple pictures of the same object, taken from different angles, you can create a new chunk, on the user interface, and import the pictures there. At this point, you only need to start the building process and the software will take it from there.

The software lets you make a few fine adjustments before starting the process. You can set a higher or lower accuracy level, specify a key point limit and make other adjustments, on a small window. It should be mentioned that you will need a large number of pictures, at a high quality if you want good results. Also, taking the pictures from the same distance relative to the subject is preferable.

The generated 3D image is displayed in a 3D environment, on the largest part of the user interface, where you can rotate, zoom and pan freely. What's more, the software displays a series of cameras, which correspond with each picture and the angle at which it was taken, relative to the subject. All pictures are displayed as thumbnails, beneath the 3D preview and if you select one, its corresponding camera will be highlighted.

Once your 3D image is ready, you can export it in various ways, either as another image file or in a format suitable for 3D modelling tools. What's more, the software lets you crop and make other corrections directly on the 3D image.

The way Agisoft PhotoScan creates 3D images from simple photos makes it seem like something out of a Sci-Fi movie.