Eos Systems releases PhotoModeler 2016 line-up
A 2015 video showing PhotoModeler in use to generate a 3D model from drone photography. The 2016 release improves performance with large sets of source photos, such as those generated by drones.
Eos Systems has released PhotoModeler 2016, the latest update to its line of image-based modelling and measurement software, adding new features designed to help process drone photography.
Although widely used in industries like engineering, surveying and forensics, PhotoModeler is also a full-featured photogrammetry package for entertainment work, generating highly accurate 3D models.
Better automated processing of large sets of source images
New features in PhotoModeler 2016 include an update to the algorithm used in SmartMatch, the system for automatically orienting source images available in higher-end editions of the software.
According to Eos Systems, the update improves speed and accuracy on projects with very large numbers of source photographs, such as those recorded by drone photography.
Photos that contain GPS data can also now be set up automatically using a geo coordinate system.
New false colour display styles, direct support for scripting
Other new features include two new false colour display styles for triangulated point meshes generated by the software: ‘Color from height’ and ‘Color from photo overlap’.
There is also a new tool that “automatically assigns control, pinned and multi-point transform points to associated points in the project. Points can be assigned by matching user name or point IDs.”
In addition, script commands can now be run directly in PhotoModeler as well as via the Windows DDE API.
Pricing and availability
PhotoModeler 2016 is available now for Windows XP and above. The base edition costs $1,145, while PhotoModeler Scanner, which adds SmartMatch and support for point cloud scan data, costs $2,495.
The top-of-the-range edition, PhotoModeler Motion, which includes a time-based measurement toolset, and is aimed primarily at scientific and surveying work, costs $3,495. See a feature comparison table here.