Photosynth –  how do I use it?

What is Photosynth and how does one happen?

Photosynth is a free service on Microsoft Labs web servers. The ‘synth creator’ – for my examples, me – takes the photos (following the guidelines), gets an account at Microsoft labs, downloads a free PC of software, then creates and uploads the generated synth. Then the Microsoft big toys feed these 3d panoramas out to the waiting world using Silverlight technology – the Silverlight modules is also a free download. When he/she is happy with the synth created, (it’s called a synth), then the creator may decide to make the synth public.

Only when the synth is public can it be used by everyone else.

Photosynth uses a free support tool called Silverlight – this must be downloaded to your PC before you can view a synth. (If you haven’t already got it, you will be prompted to install it).

Here’s a decent synth I did in March 2009.

Good Synth

The information at the top rh corner of the screen shows

The title I gave the synth on Microsoft (‘croftquarry’) the creator’s name (me) when it was done (in that odd U.S. format), how many photos (52) and how well it synthed – trust me, this was lucky!

Some of the control icons (in the lower left part of the screen) are all you need to know to use Photosynth in a lesson.

Icon	What it does (roughly)
	This explains the copyright on my photosynths. (Common code – anyone can use it, but it’s mine!)
	Pan in and out of the scene (next image in or out) photosynth can work out 3d!
	Next images left right up and down  – photosynths also works out 2d
	Zoom in and out of current picture. Sometimes this can take a few moments to re-draw your picture. Be patient – it’s worth it.
	Home button – this will take you to the picture which Photosynth (or the creator) has decreed is the ‘main picture’ of the synth
	Slideshow – useful – but not as exciting as these ..
	Toggles between 2D and 3D modes – see my notes on Barcelona. Why do you want 2D when you’ve got ..
	Toggles overhead view on and off – now you really are talking!
	Switches between partial and full screen mode – for maximum effect use full screen mode and ‘kiosk view’ F11 on IE browser.

In addition – for this photosynth I’ve used geotagging – which gives you an interactive Microsoft map of the area, as follows  –

Click the big blue circle – then click the leafy thing on the map ..

to show ..

Now zoom in to this map, and move the centre until you get -

Now go back to your Photosynth and click the overhead view button ..

As you can see,  Photosynth has done a pretty good job of sorting out an overhead view of the quarry.

Photosynth has done this, simply from my collection of 2D images! It appears to be flipped over by 180 degrees – the reason for this is that I took most of the photos from the top of Croft Hill – (see the smiley face on the map!).

And when it doesn’t go so well ..

Here’s a synth I made in Barcelona in November 2009.

Barcelona

138 photos and 41% synthy – that’s more like it!

This is where the 2D view comes in useful –

The groups of 2D pictures show the ‘individual’ synths which the system was able to create from my 138 photos. The picture with the white border is the current point when I return to 3D – like so ..

Barcelona Harbour ..

Now returning to 2d – and selecting a different group –

3D now gives us the Olympic Stadium –

Pictures in the quarry were taken with a Nikon DSLR, the Barcelona pictures with a 5 year old compact Canon!

To help you navigate, the Barcelona synth now makes use of highlights.(many thanks to Peter at Microsoft for that information!)

And when it goes very well

You may see this on some very good synths, the arrows give you the opportunity to change the position from which you view the synth.